Jim Rumbaugh
1018 posts
Sep 03, 2014
9:43 AM
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I listened to a local jam fall apart because a few members of the group were unfamiliar with the tune and inadequate instructions were given at the start. From Joe Filisko I learned you need to give the Key, Tempo, Form, Grove and Intro before starting a song in a jam setting. Remembering those 5 items was always a problem until I changed the names, shuffled them around, and came up with my own catch phrase.
“To have a successful jam, you have to give G.I.F.T.S.”
Groove
Intro
Form
Tempo
Signature.
Groove examples: shuffle, straight 8’s, rock beat, waltz, rhumba, 6/8, swing, Bo-Diddley, Johny B Goode, Kansas City
Intro examples: ”take it from the top”, “come in on the 5 chord”, “hold the 1 chord until the vocals start”
Form examples: “standard 12 bar blues”, “12 bar blues with a quick 4”, “12 bar blues with a quick 4 and a 1-4, 1-5 turnaround” , “12 bar blues with the changes 44,11,44,11,55,11”, “16 bar with changes 11,44,55,11 and repeat”
Tempo Examples: slow, medium,fast, disco beat, very fast., 70 beats per minute, 120 beats per minute.
Signature examples : “Key of C”, “Key of E minor”
I hope the next time you’re asked to lead a jam, using these 5 items will help it go smoothly. I’m sure you will have to make your own modifications and use your own words, just as I did, but getting the 5 items across will help prevent train wrecks.
Jim Rumbaugh
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theharmonicaclub.com (of Huntington, WV)
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