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Can't
find people to jam? Some suggestions |
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Think "no one where I live is into bluegrass"? Maybe you're wrong and don't know it. There may be someone like you, just as interested, just as skilled, but like you, is a closet player. How would either of you know about each other -- even you sat next to each other at a sports event, or lived two houses away from each other? People need to be a bit forward, and do some scouting, and even advertise the fact that they want to jam. I used to do that, and it worked!
In almost any community in the United States, a bit of scouting will probably pay off. Here are some time-tested ways of finding the picking partners you’re compatible with.
1.
ATTEND
JAMS. Many music stores, bluegrass clubs, restaurants, etc. sponsor
bluegrass jams on certain times each month. Show up with an instrument,
even if only to watch.
What if jam is too advanced??
Look around to see who else has an instrument but isn't playing. Get
up your nerve and strike up a conversation around the subject,
"Is that a guitar in that case? How come you're not playing? They're
too fast/advanced for me too. I'm new to this. Do you know Will the
Circle Be Unbroken, or Worried Man Blues?" Suggest going elsewhere
to start a slower jam. Have some easy well-known songs picked out,
in case the other person doesn’t want to sing. Invite other wallflowers
along.
What if I can’t find a jam?
Learning about jams locally means "networking". There
are bound to be bluegrass organizations and bluegrass radio shows, possibly
some festivals within easy reach of the area you live. If you find one
of them, you can usually find the others pretty quickly, especially if
the organization has a newsletter. You can check with the International
Bluegrass Music Association (info@IBMA.org),
and ask for the organization/festival/radio station’s email. Or
just go on Google and search "bluegrass jam [your state]",
or just "bluegrass music [your state]". Starting in 2007, a web site for this exact purpose has sprung up, and is adding jams at a rapid rate.
Try: www.bluegrassmusicjams.com
2. My pet suggestion: ENLIST A TEACHER OF BLUEGRASS. Check
around to see who teaches bluegrass on guitar, fiddle, banjo, etc. Contact
that person and ask that he/she host some sessions where a number
of relatively matched students are shown to play together. This can be
a profitable proposition for the teacher(s), and even help bring in new
students.
3. WEAR BLUEGRASS CLOTHING – such as a festival hat
or instrument brand or festival shirt --- or the Let's Pick! t-shirt (check
the Store for a choice of colors and sizes). At the supermarket, at the
mall, school, sports events, someone is bound to strike up a conversation.
The month the t-shirt first appeared, a jam camper wrote:
The
shirts work....
"I was in Maine last week. We pulled into a beach parking lot
to take a walk and when I got back, a couple of guys were checking out
my RV. I have a Bluegrass sticker on the back. I had my shirt on and that
took care of intros immediately. The one guy has been playing for 47 years..."
4. SCOUT THE CAMPGROUNDS AT BLUEGRASS FESTIVALS. Stroll the campground
at different times, especially when the stage shows aren’t on. If
you notice a group playing at about your level, you can check your instrument’s
tuning and join in from a bit outside the circle. Chances are, if you
sized it up right, you’ll be welcomed in, perhaps obviously, perhaps
not. If you don't see a group you'd like to fit in with, you and one other
person, or even by yourself, can start playing in a fairly visible spot.
If someone walks by with another instrument, you might invite them to
play a tune, or they might invite themselves.
If you get into a conversation, find out where they’re from and are
there any good jams there? If not, you can always start one.
5. START ONE. It helps to know how to jam, but even that isn’t
necessary if you can get a few more experienced people to come, or even
pay for a teacher’s presence. Only requirements are: invite some
pickers (or potential pickers), give directions to your house (or a public
park, or wherever) maybe have some refreshments, definitely a tuner and
a songbook or two with a music stand handy. Then, as soon as someone starts
singing and playing some rhythm, someone can join in, and the jamming
begins!
6. INDEX CARD ADS ON BULLETIN BOARDS at music stores, college student
unions, community centers, etc. might make some connections. Word your
ad to include what your instrument, if you sing, where you live, your
jamming experience, and maybe your age group if that’s relevant.
You might advertise for just "bluegrass" jamming, or possibly
"bluegrass/folk/country".
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ONE LAST UNUSUAL SUGGESTION, and how it worked.
The following suggestion comes from the "Ask Dr. Banjo" section of this web site
For you folks in the U.S. who think “no one near you is into bluegrass”, it’s my guess that you’re mistaken. In the following case, he is quite likely correct. U.S. bluegrassers, consider yourself fortunate!
NO bluegrass near me
Gary from Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia writes:
Living in Darwin i am starved of pickers and bluegrass. Any help or info you can give me is very much appreciated.
Dear Gary,
On my web site, you’ll find several suggestions for finding others to play with, usually based on the understanding that there probably folks around that you don’t know about. You might try those first, as they just might work. But in your case, there really might be no pickers and bluegrass within 500 miles!
This calls for drastic measures, which is that you have to get people interested. If you can get a friend interested in playing bluegrass (or any type) of guitar, you can soon be playing music with that person. There is basic guitar teaching available with books, videos etc., but the main thing is to learn chords well enough to simply chord behind songs. With a flat pick, a person may be able to go boom (bass note) / strum in a matter of days. You take it from there. Try introducing bluegrass recordings to various friends. You never know who might already be interested! If they are interested enough to surprise with a guitar, you could have a picking partner later that week. As I said, you take it from there. I have done such things with other people, and it has paid off.
Pete Wernick
BINGO!
Here's Gary's update from several months later!
G'day Pete,
Thanks for the words of encouragement. i must apologize, but i have been so swept up in this jam thing and practicing that i neglected to thank those that have helped me get to where i am. Some more than others, but none more than yourself with your books, video's, web site and personal input. For that i thank you Pete.
How did i get this jam happening. I found another bloke who
had a Gibson banjo but it was practically unplayable. It had a
massive bow in the neck. After he had several local "experts"
look at and tell him it was beyond repair, i asked if i could have
a look. All it needed was tightening of the truss rod nut in the
peghead. Once again, thanks to your site and Silvio Ferreti.
It turns out his wife could play guitar. We imposed on her and
she agreed to play some bluegrass songs.
She works with a youth band. It turns out that one of the kids
parents plays mandolin. They wanted to join us. The kid's violin teacher heard and wanted in as well. Now a fella who plays drums comes along. I realise that it's not strictly bluegrass but he does help keep time and he has fun.
Now we are getting a song list together, i'm practicing these
songs and taking your advice and singing a bit too. We are having a great time and try to meet up once a fortnight.
We have been asked to play at a local event and although we declined on this occasion ( we are too out of time yet ) i have no doubt we will play at others in the future. I'm quite happy to just jam along.
In another email to me you mentioned about just play and most
people won't know when you've made a mistake. That is so true
and they are just impressed by the sound of the banjo. I'm
getting used to "wow, that sounds so cool" and "crikey, that
sounds really fast. How do you do it".
Once again Pete, thanks for the encouragement and advice.
Cheers for now mate. All the best to you and yours,
Gary O'Farrell
Darwin, Australia
AND ABOUT ANOTHER YEAR LATER (2006):
G'day Pete,
Just a quick note. One of the local markets has its opening for
the "dry season". They are expecting a few thousand through
the gate. I've been asked if I would like to do a guest appearance and
play a couple of songs.
The band playing have picked 8 Mls to Lvlle and Sourwood Mtn.
They picked these because they can play along fairly easy and I
can play them fairly well.
So a big thanks to you Pete for your instruction material, your
words of advice and your encouragement. I'll let you know how it goes.
I hope one day you can visit the Northern Territory. Cheers for now.
Gary O'Farrell
Darwin, Australia
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