My experience on jam sessions

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Hi everyone!
Last month, in my learning log/video journal, I talked about going to two jam sessions and said that I’d make a separate post later, so here it is. I’ll briefly explain what these jams are,
then talk about my experience and how it affects me as a player.

So, this is a community that organises regular learning jams. There are usually 9 per week, and they differ by theme and level. There are Easy jams for all levels of players/singers, Pro jams where its expected to be a bit more prepared and Improv jams. Easy and Pro jams all have playlists with 4 or 5 songs on a certain theme that are played. And there are teachers (instrumentalist and vocalist or only instrumentalist) who guide everyone and help to get through the songs. So far I’ve been only on easy jams, but next month I’ll attend improv and pro ones too.
There’s a list of upcoming sessions on a website and you choose your instrument and buy a ticket if available. There are 2 guitar spots, 1 bass, 1 drum kit, 1 keyboard and 1 or up to 3 singers. Or you can grab your other instrument, like a banjo on a second video down below.

And now on how it goes. There’s a short greetings where everyone introduce themselves and then decide what to play first and start rehearsing. Figuring out the structure, simplifying if needed, changing something maybe and preparing to play a proper take. Then the next song and so on for 2 hours.

I went to 9 jams already and will come to many more because playing with others is one of the best things I can do with my guitar. And it’s an invaluable experience that you can’t get in any other way. A great thing about all of it that there’s absolutely zero pressure. Can’t play something, made a mistake etc.? Not a problem at all. As a result you’re much more relaxed and enjoying it all way more.
I’m not the best player out there and especially my timing is weak, so there are plenty of moments where I don’t feel too good about my performance. But sometimes there are moments when you just lock into the groove and it flows. And then you communicate with the drummer, other guitarist or bassist without a single word and it feels incredible.
Speaking of bassists, I played bass on two sessions and now want to get one even more. But it’s not the main topic of this post.

How it all affects me? In the best possible way! I never lost passion for music and guitar and was playing it almost daily, but I wasn’t learning new stuff and improving a lot. Playing the same riffs and noodling around the pentatonic is great, much better than not playing at all, but it doesn’t make you a better player. And these jams add amazing external motivation to play more, learn more and push yourself. I’ve learned more songs in these past 2 months than I have in the previous year. And it’s amazing since I’ve always struggled with learning whole songs.
I know that I can do a lot when I want to, but it often requires some push. Last year I learned Nothing Else Matters in 2 weeks and was really surprised by it. Now I have the same feeling preparing for upcoming jams. And there’s a lot to be excited about.
There will be a dedicated Muse jam at the end of April and I’m already learning these songs. I love Muse, Matt Bellamy has some awesome guitar parts, but on my own I don’t think I’d even attempt learning anything. Now I can already play Plug In Baby in less than a week.
Then there’s 2000’s rock jam with Audioslave, Papa Roach, Three Days Grace and Kings of Leon. Last Resort is a damn challenging song, for example, but I’m pretty confident that I can learn everything here. :sign_of_the_horns:

Anyway, enough text, here are two videos from two jams I’ve played on. The first one is a Grunge jam with obligatory Smells Like Teen Spirit and the second one is Blues Rock jam (my solo on I Got Mine is even half not that bad :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:)

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Hi Artem,
Due to lack of time, I quickly clicked through it, but what really pleases me is that I see and hear a large group of fairly young people who make music together and radiate incredible energy and pleasure. :partying_face: :clap:
sunglasses

Greetings,Rogier

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Hi Artem, this is so cool! Joung musicians making music together, sending out so much energy and joy of playing and singing together. Happy for you, that you have such a great opportunity to jam together on a regular basis!

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Oh, this is great! I don’t know how much is the ticket, but keep doing it!
And yes, timing is a bitch. We all need to work on it.

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Hi Artem, and brilliant so this is a lot like what I help with on a Friday at a local community centre, and more often than once we always have far to many guitarists, so I never play just help out and often end up singing for them, the groups are split into two now because it has become to popular, they have about 5 weeks before they perform live on stage at a community weekend party so yeah it is all good fun, I will have to post some photos and footage of them playing. And well done my friend ill catch up later cheers Hec

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This is pretty cool. This is a lot more organized and in depth than what I’ve been doing.

What I’ve been doing could probably more accurately be described as “song circles” where it’s pretty much just guitarists and we’re trying to play in a sort of “campfire circle” type environment. Folks who can sing do so, or at least attempt it. Sometimes it sounds pretty rough, but sometimes we nail it. It was a real challenge for me at first, but I’m starting to get into the groove.

I go to another sometimes that’s mostly ukuleles but has a more diverse collection of instruments. Someone often shows up with a u-bass. There’s often someone with a snare drum. Sometimes a mandolin or banjo and sometimes I go with my guitar.

They are pretty fun and it’s typically a more social environment. The guitar group is bigger and meets at a church where they can break up into different sub-groups. The ukulele group, being smaller, is able to meet at a coffee shop.

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Tickets are 15 or 20 dollars. Not very cheap considering the exchange rate, but not overly expensive. And it’s something I’m more than willing to spend money on.

But when I play on my own it’s all fine. So I guess these are other people who can’t keep time. :joy:

Now you need to make a similar post too.

Here 2 is the limit. On sessions with more guitar-oriented playlists the spots are selling like hotcakes.

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You might be right :slight_smile:
Still, we have to adjust

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Alexey, now I am going to say this mind so take it like a man, your timing and playing is brilliant, my friend, I watch and I appreciate it when you play, and the other cool thing about you is how calm and composed you can keep yourself while playing it is great to watch you perform cheers Hec I am sure lots will agree with me :+1:

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:laughing:

Couldn’t agree more.

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That looks fun. I watched the alt rock one. Its really interesting to hear Kurt Cobain and Cris Cornell vocals with accents like that. It is really cool the music still reaches people in these generations. :smiling_face_with_sunglasses:

I was glad that the one girl gave the vocal group the “Diminuendo” signal when the guys got a bit excited during the soundgarden song. You did great, I wonder if there is something like this in my town? There must be. Thanks for sharing these cool videos. Great job.

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Also, a little observation about rhythm parts: triads are invaluable. Open and barre chords are good, but when there’s a second guitarist and keys, there’s no better way to differentiate yourself in that sonic space while keeping it simple than playing triads. And you can pluck, strum or arpeggiate them however you want. So glad I’ve learned them.

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