My First Jam Session!

[man dough nollij]

I'm here in the Boulder, CO area visiting my dad, with my new Weber Bridger OM as my only instrument. I heard about the noon jam at a coffee shop near Boulder, and showed up to watch.

I didn't even bring my OM, because I'd feel too noobish to even take it out of its case at a jam. There were three mando players there. One guy looked to be pretty new, and two were pretty accomplished. Seeing the new guy helped me to screw up my courage. I went home and got the OM and raced back to the jam.

I figured I would make it available for folks to try, and maybe if I felt extra brave, try to strum along on a tune or two. On the first tune, I asked what the chord progression was, so I wouldn't get too lost. On the rest of the tunes, the jammers all seemed to know the chords. I sat across from two mando players, and try to pick up the chords from their picking.

Unfortunately, their chops were all closed chords, some of which I didn't recognize. If I did, I could maybe convert them to the (two or three finger) OM version. For instance, if I saw a guy chopping a closed D chord, I wouldn't be able to spot it and and convert it to my familiar two-finger D and noodle or strum along.

My mando learning experience has been frustrating. I got into it three years ago, bought a mando, and immediately started finishing a bachelor's and getting a master's degree online, on top of working 50-60 hours a week. Not much pickin' time for the first couple of years.

This whole trip to the ice has also been frustrating. My Sweet Pea died, and I had a few months of pickin' on a horrible pac rim beater with four strings. I learned how to read music, and learned about six tunes, most of which I have forgotten. I know they're still there in my mind somewhere, so it will be easy to learn them again.

I had hoped to advance to a place where I would be comfortable playing out and jamming, but I didn't take the plunge until now. I feel incredibly rusty and incompetent. I can see that jamming with others is probably the best thing I can do to get better, though. Lessons would be great, too, but I'm not sure when I'm going to settle down in one place.

Another handicap I recognized that I have is that I have never played guitar. I can stand across from a guitar player all day long and not be able to mirror the chord progression she's playing by sight, since I don't know any guitar chords. I know with time I'll be able to tell by ear what chord it is. I can usually tell by ear if it's a D or G.

I'd like to hear stories of how others transitioned from self-teaching to jamming, and any tips you could give. I'm thinking the most important thing I can do now is to learn as many chords as I can, and maybe just play the rhythm (chop) to a few common songs, instead of trying to memorize the melody of a lot of songs. Unfortunately, just having the OM makes it hard to practice mando chords, and impossible to play most of them. I'll be reunited with my Gallatin soon-- that'll be sweet.

Lee

[JEStanek]

It might be worthwhile to make some Guitar chord flashcards (there are PLENTY) of free chord generators for guitars on the net. If you can learn GCD, DGA, and ADE shapes you'll be able to play most anything that comes up. I'm not a guitar man myself but the one Jam I went to I had a lady guitarist tell me her chords as she went and I watched her hands. By the end of the evening I was doing much better and recognizing the shapes. I could almost relax enough to hear the music we were making <har>

Jamie

[Tracy Ballinger]

Hi Lee! Glad to see you back in the States safe and sound.

I'm about in the same place you are. Never get to play with anyone else, which has greatly impaired my learning of chords! Started taking lessons some months ago and that's mainly what we've been working on. My last lesson turned into just a jam session; he'd pick something out of the book, and take off and I'd just follow (looking at the chords in the book, of course!) I don't know by ear (or guitar sight) what chord is what, so have to depend on people to tell me or music to look at.

I think my new approach will be to just start playing along with the CD's that came with my books... I've got "Parking Lot Picker's Guide for Mandolin" and it's got a hundred songs in it or more. That ought to keep me busy for a while! So that would also be my suggestion for you... get yourself to a jam if you can - but if you can't, find SOMETHING to play along with. Even if you're just sitting around playing the chords to a song, you won't make as much progress if you're not trying to play with and keep up with someone. That was my latest epiphany - I won't charge you for it.

Tracy

[walt33]

Yeah, sessions are tough. Gotta give you credit for going back! Sometimes it's easy to do too much "looking" and not enough "hearing" at sessions. I mean, by the time you see the chord the guitarist is making, it's too late. But I guess the issue is to figure out the progression and then run with it. Or, figure out the key and do some single note noodling.

I was at a session at a workshop with Creaking Tree in May, and they were great. Brad Keller signed every chord change by holding up his fingers, and even though the music was moving right along, it was easy to keep up. That was very unusual, though. Usually you're lucky if somebody calls out the key changes!

Walt

[man dough nollij]

I'm going to look for some workshops or big jams where there are separate jams for noobs. Having the songs played slower at first would be a big help.

One of the big obstacles for me in my on-again-off-again playing has been physical. I would play pretty steady for a month, then quit completely (for finals, or whatever) just long enough for my calluses to go away. Then I'd have to start at square one, just to get my fingers tough enough to practice.

I've been completely mando-free for a month while I was travelling in Australia and New Zealand, so I figured I'd be really hurtin' with no calluses. Quite the contrary, I can play anything I want on the OM, and it doesn't hurt. I guess an OM is just less callus--intensive.

[Peter LaMorte]

Lee,
Good for you!!! If you can find a local jam, he will be able to write down a number of songs and the keys they are played in. With the aid of the Internet you can print out some sheet music. You may also want to get a key transposing wheel ( there is one on line you can print out and make up). A music stand also helps and you should be "In like Flint".
Have fun
Peter

[Ken Olmstead]

Lee, if it makes you feel better, I just had a friend over today to jam. I have not "jammed" for 6 months or so and I don't do it often anyway. Let me tell you, working up a 2 minute song for youtube is completely different skill set than jamming. I can't hardly remember any of the chords to the fiddle "standards" so that is a major draw back! My melodies are still ok but pretty rusty sounding. Several years ago, I was doing a lot of jamming and I was pretty respectable at it but now when I do it, I feel like a fish out of water!

I can offer this advice to feel more comfortable at jams, practice the song's melody once through then the chord progression and repeat, repeat, repeat. This is the standard format for a jam and most folks find it difficult to transition from chords to melody and back so practice that. Also, there are roughly 20 fiddle tunes that are played at every jam it seems like. There are gobs more of course but learn the standards and you will be able to "sit in" for 3/4 of the jam. Also, learn the idea of I IV V chord progressions. Almost every song breaks down to these 3 chords so learn those progressions in G, A, D and C and you will have 90% of the chords you need at the ready for songs that you don't know. Like Jamie suggests, learn to "see" chords that the guitar player is using. Every jam almost has a guitar player to watch. I use that technique at EVERY jam!!

After attending the same session 3 or 4 times you will get much more comfortable and your song list will increase exponentially from the motivation of wanting to sit in. I admire you for taking the new OM and giving it a whirl! It is hard enough to attend a new jam session but to have an unfamiliar instrument to boot...you da man!!!

[man dough nollij]

Thanks, Ken.

This new OM has a 2" longer scale than my old TCOM, and the neck is at least 3/16" wider. It's a handfull just noodling, let alone trying to keep up with chords I don't know in a song I don't know. I'm going to get a mando in my hands again, and give it the triple threat of practice, jamming, and lessons. I love the OM, but it's not the perfect weapon for jamming, at least for this noob.

Happy Pickin',

Lee

[red7flag]

Lee, keep coming back. Try to find a group with friendly people willing to explain the music being played. The more you play with others the easier it gets. I am very envious of your OM. I have a Mandola that I have tried to play in a few jams. As manlolin is my primary instrument, I find that I have to transpose on the fly. For example a G chord on the mandola uses the same fingering and notes as a D on the mandolin. When this is not possible, I play quietly trying to find notes that correspond to chords in the song and start to develop a bit of an appegio, playing the notes of a chord. But sometimes I am not aware of the chord I am playing. I don't know if this helps at all.

[Coffeecup]

Go for it Lee! If it's any consellation, even being totally familiar with the common guitar chords it took me a number of attendances at sessions to recognise what another player was doing quickly enough to translate it to my guitar. Now it seems farly easy. You'll get there soon then really start having fun.

Mal

[Jim DeSalvio]

Lee,

Find a weekly jam, and see if you can make time to go. I am a guitar player, and found a great jam in my area that meets weekly. It took a while for me to settle in, but I am much better at doing this now. Nothing like practice and a weekly jam to get things moving along.

It helps to have a freindly and welcoming group, and sometimes that might not be the case. If you get a vibe that is not open, just sit in the background, play quietly and see how you do. In most cases, someone will turn to you ask you to move in a little closer.

I realize all too well, that other things in life compete with music. You have to get all that in line first. Once you are stable there, you can let your music interests take center stage.

Jim

[JEStanek]

Lee, Hopefully you can find a jam at home once you finish helping your dad out. Keep it up, it gets easier. Everyone has said that playing with others will yield the fastest progress for you. You may want to cross post in the CBOM section for Jam/session pointers for the OM in a new persons hands. That could be a fruitful discussion!

Jamie

[CES]

Lee,

Glad you're back in the States and safe!

I share your frustration...I'm just not good enough to keep up yet, in large part, I think, secondary to a combination of bad practice habits and limited time. I do play some guitar, though, and that really helps (though I just don't know as many chords on mando as I do on guitar yet). As Jamie said, being able to recognize guitar chords, at least for the first couple of changes, is a huge help...flash cards are good, but better yet, consider borrowing a guitar from someone (or buy a garage sale special) and just learn some basic chords. Having to figure out where your fingers go on G, C, D, A, F, Em, Am, Bm, and a couple of 7ths and you're good to go, really with minimal investment...of course, that involves taking time away from mando/OM practice which is less than ideal. But, if it helps you feel more comfortable in the long run it may (or may not, depending on your druthers) be worth it.

2 cents...now only worth about 0.5 cents, and given my lack of skill maybe 0.25...Good luck, and keep the faith! Your fingers will remember what they're doing faster than you think!

[Alex Orr]

I had a bunch of stuff to say, but Ken said it all about as well as I could. I will re-emphasize his point about understanding the basics of "how" a song works, namely, learning the I, IV, and V chords in C, A, G, E, D, and just in case you have a bunch of banjo players, learning the key of B is helpful. It's actually not that hard once you start to see how the pattersn repeat in virtually any song you'll play at a jam. Learn to hear why the changes are there, how the tension and release works, and associate them them with the chords that dreate that effect. After a while, you'll just instinctively know what chord is necessary in any given part of a tune.

Also, never underestimate the power of learning to skillfully wield the major and minor pentatonic scales. A man can "fake" a LOT of pretty good sounding breaks on the fly using only pentatonics.

[WELSrev]

Lee,

What the others have said about learning the I, IV, and V chords in C, A, G, E, D. It is so true. Then practice in each key, changing from one chord to the others in that key. Start slowly and be patient. You are learning the very basic vocabulary of an entirely new language. You fingers will get used to changing from one chord to another eventually. And your ears will start to get used to hearing the different sounds of the chords. To play along in even the most basic jam you need to do your homework in this area. If you can shape the chord it is one less thing to worry about when playing. Then when the light goes on (you hear it, someone tells you, or it’s written down somewhere) and you know it’s a “D” that needs to be played your fingers can confidently shape the “D” chord that you have practiced.

Listen to the music you want to play. Listen to the music you want to play. Listen to the music you want to play. You may or may not ever play completely by ear but your ears will start to tune into phrases, chord changes, patterns and styles of playing that appeal to you. Don’t worry so much about replicating it, just listen to it at first and enjoy it.

Play along with the music you want to play. Having said that, let me encourage you to give me a call when you get back to Livingston and I'll give you a hand getting into one of our jams. We will just have to figure out what is the best fit for you. There are several to choose from.

Doc Allison and company are still getting together on a regular basis for what we affectionately call a “Fiddle Tsunami” The fiddlers have a core group of their favorite tunes that you will hear every week. It's a good way to just practice the changes and get used to playing along. Most of the tunes are very basic chord progressions. There are a few beginners that are there now so the regulars are getting used to going over a tune to teach you the chords and then don’t mind playing it again to make sure that you have it. If you have a tune you want to play the fiddles are even trained to put ‘em down so they can actually hear someone else. (Occasionally they have an accident and play over you but we keep a rolled up newspaper and a wire cutter handy just in case)

There is a very basic bluegrass jam on Thursday nights that might fit also. It is more singing than instrumentals which is nice if you are interested in learning to chord along with the tunes. They too do not mind doing some teaching of the chord progressions. If you bring your OM, this group won’t mind you playing along to their singing. Trust me, if they can handle my fiddle breaks, they can handle anything you’ll throw their way. If you want to get started with some bluegrass mandolin chord chops, drag that along also and give it a try.

Mike Parsons (good fiddle/mando teacher) in Bozeman has a beginners jam at his place once a week also.

That's just the tip of the iceberg and it will keep you busy all summer at least.

[Mattg]

Lot's of good advice here. The first time I went to a jam, I realized that there was a core group of songs that folks new. The next time I went, I wrote down the title and key of every song played. Then I went and looked for chords on the internet and purchased a bluegrass fakebook. After I learned a few, I realized that they mostly follow a pattern 1, 4, 5.

I will say that I still rely on my guitar chord knowledge to help me along sometimes but what really helps is alot of folks bring books and notes with them. I know a few of the folks that play at OZO's. If they had the chords, they would have gladly shared them with you. Bring a sheet of paper and a pen, some nice person might actually write down the chords for you if they are not too complicated. But for some fiddle tunes, it really helps to know them ahead of time.

Keep at it!! It gets better!!

[Ed Rosney]

My experience is similar to your's Lee, in the sense that for years I've simply played off-and-on at home. I recently bought a vintage Dobro mandolin and it motivated me to play everyday. I have the good fortune to live near an excellent music store (Artichoke Music in Portland, OR). They have a weekly Song Circle and I finally got up my nerve to go. The primary focus is on group singing, but instruments are welcome, and it's a comfortable environment in which to learn how to play with others. I would feel out-of-my-league if I went to a jam with skilled bluegrass players, but three weeks' of the Song Circle have made me much more confident that I can make steady progress. Perhaps there's a similar group in your area?

Another suggestion: I've just purchased a Mel Bay book/CD "A Mandolin Player's Guide to Jamming" by Carl Yaffey. It's written for jamming newbies like us, with good tips on Jamming Etiquette, and diagrams of mandolin and guitar chords that are commonly used at jams.

[Keith Erickson]

Lee,

Welcome back to civilization

It's always good to hear from you.

I don't believe I can say anything that would be more enlightening than what is mentioned above. All great advice indeed.

I guess my advice would be: don't give up!!!

Keep at it and it will all fall into place

[TonyP]

WELSrev nailed it. Listen to the music you want to play, 365-24-7. I wanted to play bluegrass, so I listened to Monroe, Flatt and Scruggs, and Stanley Bro's. You listen to that enough, and you get the meat and potato's of what you will find in a jam. Play along with 'em.

I've found that the advanced or off the beaten track stuff is what I play with my band. Nobody else knows it usually, so in a sense, for jamming, it's useless. Personally one of the best investments you can make besides cd's of the the above is Steve Kaufman's Tunes Every Parkinglot Picker Should know. And you can play to them also. He also has the something like a bluegrass aerobics workout thing too. This cuts down on "wasted" tunes/time that nobody knows. It's also important to play rhythm along with songs/tunes. Most folks just practice their breaks, but backing up is just, if not more, important.

But I've found that "tunes" whether fiddle or whatever, build dexterity, but have little or nothing to do with playing songs. That's why playing along with cd's is so great.

What most people who play by themselves suffer from is poor timing. You get used to slowing down for the tough parts, and speeding up for the easy parts. Play to a metronome. Another great tool is Band In A Box. It also makes you think about chords and the relationship to the song and it doesn't mind repeating that chorus or verse, where your break would be, over and over.

But no matter how good you get with this stuff, playing with people always drops you down a notch or two. And then playing on stage drops you down a level or more. Just gotta keep after it if that's what you want. If it is, you'll know because you'll find time where there seems to be none.

[Rick Banuelos]

MDN-

You're in a GREAT area to have such a problem. PM me, and I can give you some great leads for patient, fun, enthusiastic jam partners. Even though I'm moving to Billings, a lot of my trips back to the valley are going to be specifically to play with these folks. Don't lose heart; you'll be able to keep up eventually if you set your mind to it. The guys at Weber will vouch for this-- even after 2 years of jams at both breaks, I could barely hold my own with them. I mean BARELY. After a month in the OKC, I'm having problems playing those once-familiar licks.