Jam Class and Playing with Others

  1. TehyaMarie
    TehyaMarie
    For those who are nervous playing with others, attend a jam class! I went to a class yesterday and had so much fun. It is much less intimidating than I thought it would be (even though I’ve only been playing for a few months).

    How are all of y’all’s experiences been taking the leap to play with others? If you haven’t yet, what’s holding you back?

    (Just wanted to make an encouraging post for us newbies to step out of our comfort zones. )
  2. NDO
    NDO
    Playing with others is a blast! My downfall is that when I’m with a group it’s easy to default to my safe space of playing the harmonica (and I’m way better at it so the groups usually encourage it), I have to make myself play the mandolin in groups if I don’t already know the song.
  3. MikeZito
    MikeZito
    I am envious of anyone who has the opportunity to play in any sort of jam class - I haven't seen one around here . . . EVER!
  4. Southern Man
    Southern Man
    Tell us more about your class. Was this a Wernick "learn to jam" class or something else?

    I have had opportunities to jam with others both formally and informally but I need to take advantage more. Great for learning and great for motivation.
  5. Stacey Morris
    Stacey Morris
    I played my mandolin with a couple of guitar players at church. It was fun but one of the guys moved and the other quit playing.

    I have never been to a formal class, although I was privileged to play with a really good player just one time. She was very patient, and the folks sitting around listenting said I did a good job. Anyway, I have fun and learned from her.
  6. BadExampleMan
    BadExampleMan
    My first experience playing bluegrass mandolin with others was in the slow jam tent at Grey Fox, which is run by Wernick method folks. After that I went to a weekend Wernick jam class, and this past October Adiaha Bürkmiller's bluegrass camp in Bavaria. The main thing in my experience is to not be afraid of being the least competent player in the room because I frequently am. My experience is uniformly that bluegrass people are open and welcoming to new players.

    The good lord willing and the creek don't rise, I'll be at the Barcelona bluegrass camp next month where John Reischmann (!!) will be the mando instructor.
  7. Sue Rieter
    Sue Rieter
    I joined the NH Fiddle Ensemble this year, and I met with one of the head coaches this week, because I was feeling discouraged. I do pretty well practicing in my living room, but at the live rehearsals, especially playing melody, I just crash and burn. She was very encouraging, and said basically, that's one of the reasons we learn alot when playing with others. You just have to keep going, no do-overs. Also, in the case of this group, and I think also in other learning situations, people aren't really listening for your mistakes, they're concentrating on their own playing and their own mistakes.

    She said I was actually doing pretty well, and encouraged me to consider preparing a solo for the performances in the springtime.
  8. NDO
    NDO
    Way to go Sue!
  9. TehyaMarie
    TehyaMarie
    It was a Wernick class! You just need to know how to change chords and you are good to go. I’ve played with my partner, who plays guitar, so I know guitar chord shapes. I didn’t know any songs going into it, but I could follow along with the guitar, so it wasn’t as hard as I expected. The class also makes you feel more comfortable leading songs and playing solos in front of everyone. I’ve only been playing mandolin for about 6 months, but I was able to keep up.
  10. Sue Rieter
    Sue Rieter
    It's a real bonus to know those guitar chords, which I don't. When I went to the Wernick camp last fall, I found it very tough to to know when to change chords and to what. I planned to make myself some guitar chord flash cards, but haven't gotten to it yet.

    I could pick up my mandolin first thing in the morning and play all day, and still have stuff I needed to practice. I said that to the NHFE coach and she, a 40+ year musician, said that never changes
  11. Mark Gunter
    Mark Gunter
    I’ve played with groups a lot, but I rarely play at bluegrass jams. When I do, I generally can’t keep up and I suck at taking breaks. I’ve been playing guitar since age 10 or 11 (I’m 68 now), and picked up the mandolin about 7 years ago. I play a monthly first Friday gig along with a really good musician. I play mandolin mostly, but I usually switch to guitar when I have to lead a song. While playing backup on mandolin, I’m often challenged because he’ll play new material and I have to play backup on the fly. That’s always good exercise. I have free range to play rhythm or lead licks at will. It’s always a ton of fun and exhausting. Our gig is a three hour gig, and I walk away with anywhere from $60 to $260 depending on the house. Our repertoire ranges from folk, country, blues, classic rock, gospel, classic R&B

    My best experiences playing music lifelong have been playing with others as good or better than me, and playing things that I have rehearsed and perfected vocally and musically. I get to do the former often. The latter has only happened a handful of times, especially since I’ve lately not been in a position to practice or rehearse in a great while. Winging it on the fly can be fun, but the results can be really good, mediocre or downright awful, lol. Audiences do not tend to be as critical though, as my Buddy and I are.
  12. NDO
    NDO
    I’ve been playing acoustic on Sunday afternoons at a local brewery and inviting friends to sit in with me. My favorite is to have one or two other musicians join, and take turns picking songs. If they pick a song I know I’ll play mandolin and if I don’t I’ll play harmonica (or both if I know the song and it needs a harp). But I’ve found I enjoy it less if the group gets too large - I like to have a little more control of the musical direction of the set and I like to include a lot of folk and rock and country and not just bluegrass tunes.
  13. JeffLearman
    JeffLearman
    I wish I lived nearby, NDO! I'd love to do something like that. I moved recently and don't know the best haunts here yet. I found a blues jam I enjoy, but I'd rather do more acoustic music, frankly.
  14. Mark Gunter
    Mark Gunter
    Blues began as acoustic music. I’d hope the blues jam would make room for the acoustic roots
  15. NDO
    NDO
    Where are you located Jeff?

    I simply found a local brewery that seemed pretty music friendly (live music occasionally and a vinyl night spinning old records once a week) and asked if they minded if I played a bit. I played for about three hours and they loved it so I just kept coming back every week
  16. JeffLearman
    JeffLearman
    Wilmington, NC.

    Bringing an acoustic instrument to a blues jam is quite literally like bringing a knife to a gunfight. That's what open mic nights are for. ;-)

    There are open mic nights here; I just haven't had a chance to check them out yet.

    Just starting one up is a great idea too, if you can find the right venue. Where I used to live I tried but none within the radius I was looking (mostly because my home was a bit out of the way.)
  17. DrewCfromSC
    DrewCfromSC
    new here and have been to a friday night bluegrass jam. Have not taken my mandolin as im no way good enough to play along with the folks there. Hoping to be brave enough to try sometime.
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