harmonicanick
1537 posts
Apr 13, 2012
2:57 PM
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- get there early
- do not be dissapointed if you only play on 2 numbers
- be prepared for many guitarists
- do not suck up to the host, just put your name down
- harp players are fairly rare (except in some locations) you will NOT be able to use this to your advantage.
- beware of sax players, especially if the host is one!
- beware of bad sax players, there are many..
- good sax players are a boon to harp players, they understand
- bring your own mic thro pa but it will not give you fold back
- perhaps just go thro' pa mic
- ego's abound, just have a good time
- let the harmonica players unite!!
- drink and be merry
I'm tired any other tips???
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HawkeyeKane
876 posts
Apr 13, 2012
3:29 PM
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If the drummer is on an electronic set, pay attention to your own time and keep the count. Electrodrums can easily get lost in the loudening mix.
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Hawkeye Kane
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Oisin
935 posts
Apr 13, 2012
4:05 PM
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Here's what they say on the website of my local Jam in London
Jammin' at the C+H - The essential FYIWelcome!
On this page you'll find a few tips to help you get started and have the best possible time.
Mostly it's that common-sense stuff you already know, but read on...
1. The clue's in the name
It's a BLUES JAM, folks - not an open-mic night. If you're a budding singer-songwriter looking for a platform to showcase your latest collection of power-ballads, you've come to the wrong place. We play the blues.
2. Arrive as early as you can
We kick off at 8:30. Things can quickly get busy, so the later you arrive, the slimmer will be your chances of getting a turn onstage.
3. The Sign-in sheet
Just to the left of the door as you come in. Say hello to Vera and hand over your £1 Write down your name and what you do (singer...guitarist...drummer etc.)
It'll help a lot if you can write down your full name, not just "Pete" or "Steve K". This isn't compulsory, but it avoids confusion when calling people up to the stage - you wouldn't believe how many Petes, Mikes and Steves we've got! Besides, we like to give everyone a proper name-check in our weekly "Roll of Honour" on the website homepage.
From the sign-in sheet, Vera puts together random groupings of players. Half the fun of the C+H Blues Jam is that you never know who you're going to end up on stage with or just when your name will be called out.
Each set normally consists of three numbers. On exceptionally busy nights, we may have to cut this down to two, but we only do so with great reluctance. On the other hand, if by some happy accident you turn out to be the only bass player in the house, be prepared to have a busy time of it - lucky you!
4. Come equipped
Always bring your own instrument, cable(s) and tuner. In an emergency, a fellow player might well consider lending you their gear, but you should never just turn up and expect to borrow stuff.
Keyboard players and drummers can relax, though...
5. Make like a Boy Scout - BE PREPARED
As soon as you've got yourself a drink and found a seat, make it your first duty to get tuned up, check all your gear and be ready to roll. Arriving onstage unprepared and then spending the next 10 minutes tuning up and fiddling with your cables is a real pain in the neck for everyone else. It's disrespectful to the audience and it robs your fellow jammers of precious playing time - a guaranteed way to make yourself VERY unpopular.
6. You're a band-member, not a one-man show
On nearly every jam set, you'll find that the band is led by an experienced player/singer who will choose the songs and hand out the solos. They'll always try to make sure that every other player who wants to play a solo gets at least one opportunity per number. When that opportunity comes your way, go for it!
The rest of the time - no matter how impressive your chops might be - revert to being a member of the rhythm section. "Sit in the pocket" and give your fellow jammers room to breathe; squash that urge to fill every spare moment with a note or riff; don't splurge all over someone else's solo or let your rhythm-playing drown out their lead.
Above all, keep eye contact with your fellow players and WATCH THE BAND-LEADER for signals, stops and tempo cues.
7. Advice for new singers / band-leaders
When choosing songs, stick to material that falls into the kind of 'core' blues repertoire your fellow jammers will be most comfortable with. A jam set is not the place to break in new, obscure or quirky numbers. Likewise, don't expect anyone to be able to read sheet music.
As band-leader, it's your responsibility to call the songs clearly so that everyone else onstage knows what kind of number to expect. If it's a well-known blues standard, by all means give the title, but don't assume that everyone will know how it goes. Describe it. "Easy-going shuffle in 'A' - quick changes - watch me for the stops" - that's the kind of information your fellow musicians need.
Whatever the song, don't let yourself be a slave to the particular version you're familiar with. It doesn't matter how many verses / solos the original recording had: you have to ensure that all of your fellow jammers get a chance to play a solo if they want one. When handing out solos, make it very clear who it's being offered to, and make sure they've got the message. Big, definite gestures are better than a subtle nod or a vague waft of your hand.
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT SOLO LENGTHS: Time-wise, soloists are always given "twice round the block" - i.e. two complete 12-bar progressions. Any shorter than that and they won't have time to develop what they're doing, and both the musician and the audience will feel cheated.
8. Harp amps welcome!
Although we have a full backline, harp-players are welcome to bring along their own (preferably small) amp and we'll always do our best to accommodate it. Stage-space is limited, though, so if more than one harp-player arrives with an amp, they usually agree amongst themselves to use just the one for the whole night. It saves a lot of rigging/de-rigging of gear - and that avoids wasting our most precious resource: TIME.
9. Volume ...I said VOLUME!!
Don't worry: we'll let you know if you're not loud enough - and we'll let you know if you're too loud. Keep it sensible. Remember, it's the back room of a pub, not Wembley Stadium! The Blues is a subtle genre, full of dynamic highs and lows. If you start out at ear-bleeding level, you'll have no dynamics to play with - and, very quickly, no audience to play to. They'll all have buggered off into the bar!
AND FINALLY...
10. Calm down, dear - it's only a Blues Jam
It's your first time with us. You don't know anybody (yet). You've summoned up the courage to put your name down on that sign-in sheet - well done! - but now you're nursing a drink and feeling a bit nervous: worried that when it comes to it, you'll lose your way in the middle of a number, make a fool of yourself and "let everybody down"...
Relax. This isn't the X-Factor! Nobody's here to judge you, least of all your fellow jammers, 'cos we've all been where you are now and we know what it feels like. Every week at the Coach and Horses, players at every level of talent and experience - from complete newcomers to seasoned pro's - get up onstage together with one simple aim: to have fun playing the music we love. And y'know what? It works!
Maybe that's why we've become renowned as the friendliest jam in London.
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Oisin
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bluemoose
725 posts
Apr 13, 2012
5:02 PM
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Stuff not to do, as aptley demonstrated last Tuesday:
1. Jump on stage mid song with your very drunk friend and start singing Mustang Sally. (But it does help if you are two hot babes. The band will switch to MS in mid verse for you but only because they can. But just this once.)
2. Be very drunk and beg one of the jam hosts to let you sing Red House with the assurances that you won't embarrass him and then shout the lyrics with no sense of melody, timing or anything while reading them off your iphone. (But if you are six foot three and built like a brick shithouse and are friends with the hot babes from #1 we will patiently wait for you to decide when the chord change may happen. But just this once.)
MBH Webbrain - a GUI guide to Adam's Youtube vids
FerretCat Webbrain - Jason Ricci's vids (by hair colour!)
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Willspear
138 posts
Apr 13, 2012
5:25 PM
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be humble
thank the hosts and your band mates
complement great playing
if you have nothing to add musically don't play just because you can.
arrive early, leave late. I am a firm believer of listening to the entire night out of respect.
buy something from the bar and tip well. Jams last if people spend money with no money coming into the bar they get removed from the calender in some places.
I provide my own amp when I play but generally I offer it as the backline for harp playing. It goes on stage before the jam starts. My jam amp is a bassman which works regardless of player as it is tubed as such to not be a feedback machine.
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BronzeWailer
452 posts
Apr 13, 2012
5:39 PM
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Do not play your harp from the audience, especially when the guy on stage guy is playing his own harp in a rack. I don't care how good you are; I wanna hear the guy on stage. Don't play over his singing, either. Finally, if you are soloing all the time, there is no light and shade.
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easyreeder
298 posts
Apr 13, 2012
8:12 PM
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@Oisin
I may just have to move to London. That sounds like a great night out.
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Oisin
938 posts
Apr 13, 2012
8:21 PM
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Easy...have a look at the website...they record all of the sets each week. Some great harp players attend the jam.It really is an excellent jam. If you look closely you'll see my profile on there somewhere.
www.coachandhorsesbluesjam.com
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Oisin
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Frank
613 posts
Apr 14, 2012
9:56 AM
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Does the "frontman" if he's the harp player too, get to take as many solo's as he wishes and solo for as long as he wants to or is that bad policy?
Last Edited by on Apr 14, 2012 9:57 AM
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eharp
1787 posts
Apr 14, 2012
10:16 AM
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the frontman should be getting as many people the chance to play, even at the expense of his playing time.
he should play a coupe of tunes at the beginning, depending on how big the crowd is.
hosting a jam is not an opportunity to show everyone who has come for a chance to play how great you think you are.
it is like hosting a party. the idea is for your guests to have fun!
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12gagedan
218 posts
Apr 14, 2012
11:06 PM
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There is only one hard-fast rule: the only "rights" belong to the person paying the rent. Signing a list does not grant you any rights.
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12gagedan's YouTube Channel
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harmonicanick
1541 posts
Apr 15, 2012
12:57 AM
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@Willspear
'buy something from the bar and tip well'
I totally agree with the first point but tipping the staff when you are paying nearly £4.00 for a pint here in uk?!
Is tipping in bars in US common practice?
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Frank
617 posts
Apr 15, 2012
5:27 AM
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@eharp, I meant, if your one of the paricipants who signed up and your fronting the 2 or 3 songs while your up there...
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Willspear
142 posts
Apr 15, 2012
6:13 AM
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Tipping is common practice here
Pints are probably $2-$3 for cheap swill beer to $5-$6 for good beer. Just as an example guiness is usually $5, pbr is $2-3.
Most bars here have a special on certain drafts certain nights so good beer is like $2-$3.
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eharp
1791 posts
Apr 15, 2012
6:13 AM
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frank- still bad etiquette.
a bit self-centered and conceited.
this all goes back to when you were a kid; the things your mom would yell out the window to you and your friends.
"play nicely TOGETHER."
"everyone gets a turn."
it's like being a good NBA point guard. things go much better if you are feeding the ball to anyone that wants it.
think about it. at the end of your 3 songs, all players had multiple chances to shine. you dont think they will all be want ing to play in your group next time as opposed to if you took the majority of glory time for yourself??
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hvyj
2329 posts
Apr 15, 2012
6:14 AM
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"Does the "frontman" if he's the harp player too, get to take as many solo's as he wishes and solo for as long as he wants to or is that bad policy?"
It's not so much that it's bad policy--it's bad musically. It's always better to tailor what you play so it fits well will the overall performance, even if it's a jam. If you do that and do it consistently well, you'll inevitably get to play more because other musicians will want to play with you and will invite you up when it's their turn (assuming, of course, that you can handle the variety of material they may call). Unfortunately, there's nothing more common at jams than harp players who overplay.
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Frank
620 posts
Apr 15, 2012
6:23 AM
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How about if you let any other soloist, solo for as long as they want to too?
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hvyj
2330 posts
Apr 15, 2012
6:39 AM
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Again, it depends on what fits the music. A good soloist will take you somewhere and bring you back--the solo will have structure and dynamics. LENGTH of the solo, per se, is not actually the important consideration. Then, if you have a compatible guitar, sax or keyboard player, sometimes some trading or swapping of solos goes on, which usually involves shorter solos but more excitement.
So, it's not about the length of the solos--IT'S ABOUT THE MUSIC. I had a band leader tell me that the difference between a professional musician and an amateur is that the amateur is preoccupied with what he's playing and what he's going to play while the professional thinks about how what he's playing fits with what everyone else is playing. Pretty good advice i think.
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Frank
621 posts
Apr 15, 2012
6:45 AM
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So, if it fits the music - "it's perfectly acceptable" to go solo crazy...Now that we solved that, What do you think about givin the drummer and bassman some?
Last Edited by on Apr 15, 2012 6:46 AM
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Littoral
508 posts
Apr 15, 2012
6:47 AM
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Listen.
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Frank
622 posts
Apr 15, 2012
6:54 AM
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and listen some more.
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hvyj
2331 posts
Apr 15, 2012
6:58 AM
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Yeah, bass and drum solos are fine, but not on every tune.
Btw, if what goes on "fits the music" no one will think about it as being acceptable or not---they'll just like it. Part of getting experienced at live performance is developing the ability to LISTEN to what the other musicians are doing while you are playing and learning to adjust what you are playing so it fits what the rest of the band is doing, while leaving enough space to let the music breath. It's this INTERPLAY aspect of performance that can't be practiced or learned alone at home. That's what jams are good for. It's very difficult for some players to listen and maintain an awareness of what's going on around them while they are actually playing.
Last Edited by on Apr 15, 2012 7:00 AM
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hvyj
2332 posts
Apr 15, 2012
7:05 AM
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Another thing, a good leader will sometimes ask (in words or gestures) if a player wants a solo before giving him one if the material being played is a little difficult or unusual. For example, some players are not all that comfortable in minor keys--they may be able to comp ok, but would struggle if they had to solo.
Which brings up another point--If you are called up at a jam but are not calling the tunes let them know AHEAD OF TIME if you can't handle minor keys. Or if you are good in minors (which a lot of harp players aren't) it doesn't hurt to tell the leader, "minor keys are ok with me" or, if you can handle a variety of non-blues material (which a lot of harp players can't) and it's not strictly a blues jam, it doesn't hurt to tell the leader, "Hey, it doesn't have to be blues for me." A little communication is never a bad idea.
Last Edited by on Apr 15, 2012 7:12 AM
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Frank
624 posts
Apr 15, 2012
7:09 AM
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"It's very difficult for some players to listen and maintain an awareness of what's going on around them while they are actually playing."
Yeah, you got to be able to multi-task no question when performing, that's the only way you'll be and feel a part of the band - by seeing the forest for the trees and hearing not only the birds but also the bee's....
Last Edited by on Apr 15, 2012 7:59 AM
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Frank
625 posts
Apr 15, 2012
7:22 AM
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"A little communication is never a bad idea"
Right, you can't be afraid to speak up and relate what your about...Everyone will appreciate it and love you for it...
There is a rendition of "Red House" floatin around with William Clarke playing on it that is AWESOME, you gotta hear it...
Last Edited by on Apr 15, 2012 7:27 AM
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hvyj
2333 posts
Apr 15, 2012
8:11 AM
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"you can't be afraid to speak up and relate what your about"
Actually, the communication suggestion is NOT about telling the other musicians what you are about--it's about sharing what sort of technical things you can handle or not handle musically in a group performance situation. If you are not calling the tunes, it won't matter what you are about--BUT some communication about what you can handle competently may have a beneficial influence on the sort of material that gets selected by whoever is calling the tunes.
Besides, one of the cool things about jams is that you get to/have to stretch out of your comfort zone by playing stuff the leader is about which may not be stuff you would ordinarily choose to play. That's how we learn and grow.
Last Edited by on Apr 15, 2012 8:16 AM
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eharp
1792 posts
Apr 15, 2012
8:17 AM
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do not go solo crazy!
you are there for 2-3 songs.
it will not be appreciated by most people if you decide to turn little red rooster into some 10-15 minute solo party.
if you got someone nailing it, i would let him roll 2 or 3 times at the cost of my solos.
i dont know about you folks but i have seen many acts where a solo might last for 2-5 minutes. and no matter how good the performer is, it begins to loose continuity after 2 or 3 times around.
heck- i've even forgotten what the song was that was being played by the band until the vocals start back up.
i've seen ricci do this. i think the songs is sometimes an afterthought to his solos.
the idea is to leave them wanting more.
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hvyj
2334 posts
Apr 15, 2012
8:30 AM
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It's an exceptional soloist who can hold the audience's emotional interest for a 2+ minute solo. And those soloists who are capable of doing that usually need help from the rest of the band as they go in order to pull it off--and you are not likely to get that sort of ensemble cohesion at a jam.
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Frank
626 posts
Apr 15, 2012
8:36 AM
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"relate what your about" or "sharing what sort of technical things you can handle" all the same donut really...the important thing is don't be afraid - it's all good!
"roll 2 or 3 times" yeah, 3/12's should tell the crux of the story....
Last Edited by on Apr 15, 2012 8:37 AM
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harmonicanick
1542 posts
Apr 15, 2012
10:35 AM
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Harp solos, twice round the block max, unless the leader calls for more.
Make it count
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Frank
634 posts
Apr 15, 2012
10:56 AM
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If it's obvious that the soloist is able to "build" a solo from the ground up, he or she is usually given 3/12's...The reason why is the listeners can tell or "hear" that a story is being told and everyone wants and needs to hear how it ends.
Last Edited by on Apr 15, 2012 10:57 AM
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eharp
1794 posts
Apr 15, 2012
11:18 AM
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drum solos can just be too dam loud.
a bass solo is very cool if he knows his way around the fret board or if the bass is driving the rhythm of the song.
i give my bass player a solo on mojo working and he is the sole player while the singer goes thru the first chorus of cold pizza, warm beer. (it can really set the mood for the song.)
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bluzlvr
467 posts
Apr 15, 2012
3:32 PM
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When I'm waiting to get up at a jam, as a singer - harp player I plan on what I want to call out for if asked to do so.
If the previous jammers have just finished a slow blues for instance I'll go for a change of pace - a shuffle perhaps.
Also, keep the songs simple. Precious time can be wasted trying to teach people complicated chord changes.
It's frustrating sitting out in the audience waiting for the jammers to learn something that usually ends up sounding like crap anyway.
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myspace
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tbirdflier
38 posts
Apr 22, 2012
10:32 AM
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Listen
Make sure you know the key the band is in
Look at the person leading the tune so you know when the stops happen
Don't over play
Tip the bartender
Compliment people even if they were not all that great
Leave your ego at the door
Have fun!!!
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