What is Jamming?

[Son of Magni]

Something Radiobass81 said made me think this could be interesting to think about...

When you get together with your friends to "jam", what are the rules? I mean what is the concensus about what jamming is?

The people I play with, usually someone just starts playing and we sort of figure out what they're doing and start joining in. Usually without discussing a key or chord progression. That's probably 75% of the time we spend playing.

But we do sometimes jam on tunes from the real book.

[BenJammin]

The people I play with, usually someone just starts playing and we sort of figure out what they're doing and start joining in. Usually without discussing a key or chord progression. That's probably 75% of the time we spend playing.

That totally sums it up for me. When I jam, it's just a bunch of us getting together and playing, joining in and just noodling around.

[Rawb]

Yeah, jamming is improvisation. But not the kind of improv like how you would improvise on a solo for example, but improvisation of a whole song.

Bules, funk, and jazz are the easiest (imo) to jam because these kind of genres provoke you to play by ear and feel, which is pretty much the basis of improvisation.

[Efrim]

One of us starts playing a line/riff or whatever, and everyone else starts playing noise and/or moving with the line.

[FU.CKY.OU]

I think you can consider anything a jam, unless it's something you like schedule weekly. Hookin up every now and then with someone/some people, that's just a jam. But if you and the same other 3 guys meet weekly on mondays, wednesdays, and fridays. thats not jamming, thats practice/rehearsal.

[EADG]

I think there is a distinct different between a jam and a practise. A practise is more of a formal organized thing where your intention is to get work done, write and perfect songs, and just overall be ready to play live.

A jam is more like a few guys (very rarely in an actual band) just playing for fun.. we usually dont do a lot of writing, just improv, and do covers. It's laid back and there's a lot more experimentation and humour involved.

[thelowsoundofbass]

The people I play with, usually someone just starts playing and we sort of figure out what they're doing and start joining in. Usually without discussing a key or chord progression. That's probably 75% of the time we spend playing.


What you said.

lowsound

[Jody LeCompte]

I kind of think like Ralph Towner.

No rules, don't even use real notes if you don't feel like it. Just play something that sounds good, and if you can pass it off as a written part, you win.

[Pluperfect_Arson]

Jamming is a process in which you can actually learn more about yourself.

[Damrod]

Like it was mentioned before: When we jam in one of my (basically) four bands, it usually starts with one playing something and the rest tagging along.

Example: In this one band, it often starts for warm up with me just playing a simple bass line that just comes to my head. The drummer usually tags along, as our guitarist is often busy with tuning his guitar and setting up his effects. While he does, he listens what we are playing, and comes in with something fitting to our basis. It's always good times :)

[pitchfork]

Yeah lol jamming just involves somone playing something and you joining in.
Really good way to get ear training down.

Its how we compose like half of our stuff in my band.
Just last week we randomly composed a rock battle with a samba drum beat out of thin air, took a little tapping solo about halfway through, I was happy.

[Son of Magni]

Well, this is good. I was afraid that most people took a more structured approach to jams, I'm glad you don't.

Follow up question, how often to you record jams so that you can listen to them later and analyze your playing or to transcribe into tunes. We usually do...

[Pluperfect_Arson]

Well, this is good. I was afraid that most people took a more structured approach to jams, I'm glad you don't.

Follow up question, how often to you record jams so that you can listen to them later and analyze your playing or to transcribe into tunes. We usually do...

Never. :upset:

[Left Shoe]

Well, this is good. I was afraid that most people took a more structured approach to jams, I'm glad you don't.

Follow up question, how often to you record jams so that you can listen to them later and analyze your playing or to transcribe into tunes. We usually do...

always

[Manticore Guy]

Well, this is good. I was afraid that most people took a more structured approach to jams, I'm glad you don't.

Follow up question, how often to you record jams so that you can listen to them later and analyze your playing or to transcribe into tunes. We usually do...

probably around 80% of the time. I'm probably gonna have my first jam session in a month or so on sunday, stupid marching band killing all free time:angry:

[m-dirnt_fan101]

jam=to play informally with one or more people
its awesome because you can spend hours with your buddies and no one has to say a word

[Jody LeCompte]

I often wonder how many people who talk about music in such a spirital and enlightening manner actually feel that way, and how many of them are just quoting their idols from bass guitar world...

[SixnStones]

You can't jam properly unless you've had AT LEAST two hours of preparation, setting out a time signature, chord progression, verses aand choruses etc. Anything less is wasting valuable time that could be spent on actual music.

[The jazz metal flum]

You got it in one mate. I love jamming, gives me a chance to try out new things.

[Radiobass81]

I call jamming anything that involves just playing around, whether it's jamming to a song already made (improvising over it, changing things here and there, playing it the way you want), improvising over chord changes,r just playing anything, really.

[IPolkaLikeThis!]

Blues is the easiest for me to jam to. Just need to walk a little bit, and boom come up with sexy fills.