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It was so cool!! I was the only one observing. It is held in a store so customers and people taking lessons were coming and going but it was not distracting at all.
I was disappointed because there was no fiddle for me to observe. There were 5 guitars, 2 8 string mandolins, 2 basses and 1 banjo. One of the bass player switched to steel guitar about half way through and the banjo player switched to a guitar for a couple of songs and then back to the banjo. They played for 3 hours. I recognized 3 tunes and only one - Angelina Baker which I would be able to play with them!! There were of course different levels of playing.
It seemed very relaxed. A man came in late and they asked him for a song and it was one they had played already, but it was the only one he would be able to lead so they played it. He did back up on a few of the songs but mostly sat out. A few people made mistakes but it was no big deal, they would cringe during the song and apologize afterwards, to which everyone said good job, nice song, something to compliment the person.
The last 15-20 minutes they ran out of ideas for tunes - my head was busting from resisting the urge to shout out possibilities!!!
I can't wait until next week!! Oh so many tunes to learn and not enough time!!
Violinist start date - May 2013
Fiddler start date - May 2014
FIDDLE- Gift from a dear friend. A 1930-40 german copy, of a french copy of a Stradivarius. BOW - $50 carbon fiber. Strings - Dominants with E Pirastro Gold string.
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Sounds like fun.
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. ~Herm Albright
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It's lots of fun, isn't it? I've been going to jams for about four years now (my boyfriend plays guitar) and I love it. And since I'll have the traveling violin for the next few weeks, I plan to bring it to some of the local jams and let a few folks play it.
Let the bow flow.
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@fiddle chick Yes the 3 hours flew by way too fast!!
Tell me ALL about yours?
So have you ever joined in?
When did you feel comfortable to join in?
Do they repeat the some same favorite songs from session to session?
Did you know the other players the first time you went?
Anyone else can jump in and tell about their JAMS.
Violinist start date - May 2013
Fiddler start date - May 2014
FIDDLE- Gift from a dear friend. A 1930-40 german copy, of a french copy of a Stradivarius. BOW - $50 carbon fiber. Strings - Dominants with E Pirastro Gold string.
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Most of the ones we go to are held in restaurants. There are usually no less than 10 musicians, but sometimes as many as 20. They play mostly bluegrass, country, and gospel. It's round-robin style, where they go around the circle taking turns on what song to play. Whoever's turn it is picks the song and sings it while everyone else plays along and sings harmony.
They do repeat a lot of songs week after week, but they also try to do some new ones. The restaurant owners really enjoy it because their business has picked up a lot since jammers started meeting there.
I go only as a spectator. There are already so many other musicians there that it gets really loud sometimes and it's hard to hear yourself play (or so I'm told).
They have quite a following. A lot of people come to those restaurants on the night of the week they know they're going to be playing. We've all gotten to know each other really well. We're like a great big family. In fact, I've come to refer to all of them as my jam fam. Great folks!
Some of the jammers have even gotten together and formed their own bands. My boyfriend is one of them. He plays guitar in a bluegrass band along with 4 other guys he met during the jams. He really enjoys it a lot.
Another thing they do around here is camp-and-jam. One of our jam friends owns a campground and twice a year they have a week set aside specifically for the campers to come and jam all week. Lots of people come from all over the country and jam with the other campers. And they keep coming back, year after year. They form little groups here and there throughout the campground during the day, but in the evening, they'll have a big potluck dinner and a big jam session where everyone joins in. It really is a lot of fun!
Oh, and no, we didn't know anyone else there when we first started going. We just happened into the restaurant one night when they were playing. Went back the next week with guitar in tow, and we've been going ever since.
Let the bow flow.
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@fiddle chick Thank you for the information! AWESOME!!
Violinist start date - May 2013
Fiddler start date - May 2014
FIDDLE- Gift from a dear friend. A 1930-40 german copy, of a french copy of a Stradivarius. BOW - $50 carbon fiber. Strings - Dominants with E Pirastro Gold string.
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2nd Jam observation!!
A few of the same people from last week, mostly new people but same instruments 8 guitars, 2 mandolins, 1 bass, 1 banjo but 2 different people. NO fiddles!! All new songs but I knew more of them!!
One new guy banjo player sat outside the circle watching and practicing in silence. Which I decided I would do next week.
At the end of the jam I asked the man leading the group if there were any fiddle players. He said only every so often. Very excitedly he asked do you play? I told him I was new, had never jammed and needed to observe a fiddle player. That I knew only solo parts no back up and was hoping to observe fiddle player. He said, "Bring your fiddle next week and join in. The mando players can help you figure out the back up. Just do it!!"
I am going to next week!!
Violinist start date - May 2013
Fiddler start date - May 2014
FIDDLE- Gift from a dear friend. A 1930-40 german copy, of a french copy of a Stradivarius. BOW - $50 carbon fiber. Strings - Dominants with E Pirastro Gold string.
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How Exciting!!! I'm sure you will be great!!!
Patience is necessary to learn the violin: But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.-James 1:4
When I get discouraged: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.-Philippians 4:13
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