Considering starting a local jam. Would like some input.
I'm considering starting a beginner friendly old time string jam in my local area. A couple hours on a Saturday once a month. I think I can get my local library to host.
I specifically want it to be beginner friendly. And I think calling it an "Old Time String Jam" will set the expectation that it is NOT exclusively bluegrass. Which should head off the question "What counts as bluegrass and what doesn't?"
My plan is to use meetup.com to reach people, plus the library would post it on its web site.
The idea would be we sit in a circle and take turns calling songs. If you call a song then you are expected to lead the playing & singing for that song. Then pass the solo around the circle, with choruses in between. Ask everyone who plans to attend to prepare at least one song to lead.
And of course we would let people pass calling a song, and pass on soloing if they want. But of course most long time players would want a chance to solo every song.
I'm thinking we could use Bruce Dix's Parking Lot Picker's Songbook. It has ~250 old time, bluegrass, & gospel songs in it, and there are guitar, mandolin, banjo, and fiddle versions. I could get the Kindle version, and hook my lap top to the flat screen TV in the event room so everyone could see the lyrics & chord changes.
I'm thinking I could plan to open every jam with Mama Don't 'Llow. It's pleasantly up tempo, easy to play, just about everyone already knows the words, and it really lends itself to passing the solo around between choruses. It has the disadvantage of NOT being in the Parking Lot Picker's Songbook, but I can make a .pdf fairly easily.
I'd also like to have one song to close the jam each time. I'm thinking maybe Will The Circle Be Unbroken. It's a classic, but I'm open to other ideas. I definitely want something that will fit the format of play & sing along, and then pass the solo around the circle between choruses. And lively, perhaps less maudlin than Will The Circle Be Unbroken.
So my first question is does this sound like it would be FUN? Would it be something other people would want to attend and come back to?
I specifically want something that would be beginner friendly. Is this TOO MUCH of that? Would long time pickers be put off?
I'm thinking Saturdays once a month. Would you be more likely to attend if it was 10:00-12:00, 1:00-3:00, or if it was 5:00-7:00?
The format I've outlined more or less excludes tunes, just allows for songs with lyrics & choruses. I'm kinda OK with that, but would other people be?
Is having regular opening & closing songs a dumb idea? I like the idea because if I say on meetup.com "We open with this song, we close with this song, and we ask you to prepare and bring one song" then that means a new beginner could attend and know for sure he will be able to play three of the songs that day.
Is saying "The Bruce Dix book is our songbook" too limiting? I like the idea of being able to put the lyrics & chord changes up on a screen. And it's 250-ish old time string band standards. That should be enough for everyone to find SOMETHING they like. But Wagon Wheel won't be in there.
I haven't started organizing anything yet. I'd like some feedback from the community first.
Please let me know what you think.
Eastman MD-514 (F body, Sitka & maple, oval hole)
Klos Carbon Fiber (on order)
And still saving my nickels & dimes & bottle caps & breakfast cereal box tops for my lifetime mandolin.
Bookmarks