Comments

• MichaelHorowitz SeattleAdministrator

  March 2015 edited March 2015 Posts: 6,231

  Nice piece from Michel! We've always followed the 3 guitar max rule at my jams in Seattle. Much more musical....

  
• Jazzaferri Victoria B.C.Moderator Dunn Ultrafox, DuPont MDC20 Gretsch Chet Atkins CG

  March 2015 Posts: 3,707

  Good article and excellent points @stuart

  

  The Magic really starts to happen when you can play it with your eyes closed
• Mitch Paris, Jazz manouche's capital city!✭✭✭✭ Di Mauro, Lebreton, Castelluccia, Patenotte, Gallato

  March 2015 Posts: 162

  Thanks for your comments! Stuart you're right of course, it's part of the job. I was more thinking about the way some people ask for unusual keys to players that may not be pros or super experienced. It depends on the context. I'm impressed by your learning of songs in four keys though!
• wim ChicagoModerator Barault #503 replica

  March 2015 Posts: 1,628

  oh man ... the hippie woman with a flute made out of a carrot, this part was hilarious

  
• Buco NOVA, DCDeity Ivanovski maple/spruce

  March 2015 Posts: 5,709

  Tempo going from 180 to 280 in the same song is what kills me the most.
  How does this format 3 guitars at time work exactly? Like other guys are in the circle but they don't play or they step off completely?

  Every note wants to go somewhere-Kurt Rosenwinkel
• MichaelHorowitz SeattleAdministrator

  March 2015 edited March 2015 Posts: 6,231

  Buco wrote: »

  How does this format 3 guitars at time work exactly? Like other guys are in the circle but they don't play or they step off completely?

  
  The other guys just sit and drink.....no one complains!

  
• GuitGuy Grand Junction, CO✭✭ AJL 503 X-O

  March 2015 Posts: 15

  Should be required reading for ALL jams. Lots of useful information in here!

  
• crookedpinky Glasgow✭✭✭✭ Alex Bishop D Hole, Altamira M & JWC D hole

  March 2015 Posts: 939

  Brilliant article - though I agree with Stuart about point 6. I believe that transposition is an essential part of technique - not saying I can do it every time but it's something I try to do. Re point 4. It's amazing how many people just get their heads down and play away neither looking not listening. We once had a guy who played through a song and then told us we were all playing the wrong chords when in fact he had been playing a different song completely. Regarding the maximum number of guitars we tried this but people ignored it so we ended up asking people to stop playing which didn't go down well. I would also add that if people come along expecting to play a tune not normally played within the jam session at least bring some chord sheets or be prepared to teach it but don't expect miracles - and don't try and busk along to "Body and Soul" 'cos unless you're Django, Birelli or Stochelo you are unlikely to "work it out as you go along"

  

  always learning
• Jazzaferri Victoria B.C.Moderator Dunn Ultrafox, DuPont MDC20 Gretsch Chet Atkins CG

  March 2015 Posts: 3,707

  Now I remember why I avoid big jams....

  The Magic really starts to happen when you can play it with your eyes closed
• rgrice Pisgah Forest, NC✭✭✭✭ 1994 Dupont MD 30, 1965 Gretsch Double Anniversary, Eastman AR610, Martin D16GT, Epiphone Joe Pass Emperor II Pro

  March 2015 edited March 2015 Posts: 477

  Have never been able to do many gypsy jams due to lack of GJ guitarists, but in bluegrass if you have lots of people, we've always split off into small groups and then floated around.