I'd like to share some thoughts on jamming etiquette. It's cool to see how many jams there are listed on our Island, from the blues jams in Victoria (blues jam capital of the world), to Saturday afternoons at the Arbutus Pub in Courtenay, to the living room jams that take place in houses and around campfires all over.
These jams should have one thing in common, some form of manners and jamming etiquette. Unfortunately, however, this isn't always the case. Bad jamming etiquette has driven many of the more experienced players away because they are not fun to participate in. Often at Festivals, I perform at, the "advanced jammers" meet in private to share their music because they are sick of the lack of etiquette at party jams. That sucks.
Here's a few thing to consider if you are at a jam.....
Good music is often like good conversation. This means one person speaks at a time while the other participants listen. Give room for the soloist to speak their thoughts. Also, pay attention to the soloist and if you can't hear what they are doing, turn down or play at a softer level. Many times I have heard the backup players at local jams being completely unaware of the fact that they are drowning out the lead instrument.
Here's a simple rule to follow... if you can't hear the soloist, you are too loud. Many musicians think this is the sound man's job, to adjust the player's volume levels. Wrong!! The sound man's job is simply to reproduce what is happening on stage as honestly as he can. In a perfect world, it is the musicians on stage who set the dynamic level.
If you walk into a jam session and there is magic happening, be sensitive to whether or not you can ad anything to this magic. If the playing is way above your level, respect that and learn from it. Likewise, always try to play material aimed at the group of people you are jamming with so you don't alienate anyone with obscure or hard to play material. This is like trying to start a conversation at a party on brain surgery. You are not there to lecture ... you are there to jam and share a musical experience with those around you.
Tune, Tune, Tune your instrument
Be aware of your level of intoxication in relation to the others you are jamming with. One drunk or stoned musician can really wreck a jam unless the sentiment is shared by all. Then again....one sober musician can really wreck things! Just joking here....
Be aware who is leading the song. If it's you, be sure to call solos and include everyone who is jamming
Don't be a jam hog. Share the circle and let everyone have a chance at leading.
Never, never enter a jam uninvited or in the middle of a song. It's just like budding in on a conversation.
In closing, might I suggest that if you are at a jam and someone is being rude or bullying those around them, gently tell them. We will all benefit from teaching each other how to participate.