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BLUEGRASS JAM
 ETIQUETTE & JAMMING TIPS

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Beginner Jams, Slow Jams, and Partly Bluegrass Jams exist in the area, but this isn't one of them. 

This jam is mostly where you come to play, not to learn.

It runs on an intermediate level, in front of restaurant patrons, so it's not a good place for beginners to learn-by-playing.  

The jam is pure Bluegrass. Participants may actually LIKE Ernest Tubb, Merle Haggard and John Denver styles &  material, but music like that belongs somewhere else, so please keep it there.

It's not a place to come show all the Bluegrassers how well you can do C&W, Folk, etc. or to trot out C&W versions of a song that has been recorded in both C&W and Bluegrass styles.  

If you aren't on an intermediate level, it's a good place to come listen, or to play along quietly WAY outside of the circle, but it's not a good place to try and participate beyond that. 

We don't have lot of hard, fast rules. Just please observe Jam Etiquette in general and Keep It Bluegrass. It's largely just common sense and courtesy.

1. PAY ATTENTION! Remain aware of what everyone else is doing.

All the tips below mean nothing if you don't observe this one closely. 

2. Control your dynamics. This is one of the most critical things to observe.

When someone is singing or playing a break, back off your volume, so you don't drown them out.

3. Don't sing verses along with the primary lead singer.

Unless specifically requested, hold your singing down to joining in vocally on choruses.
Bluegrass songs are typically done exactly that way, and at a jam, it also gets around the problem of song lyrics that can differ greatly due to the age of the songs, etc.

4. If you don't know a song, ALL of it, please don't call the song. 

Everyone occasionally gets into a  song then realizes that they don't remember it, but please at least THINK you can get through a song before calling it.

5. Pay Attention to who's about to solo

Don't deliberately play a break at the same time someone else is soloing.  Lead instrument players may want to pre-arrange who will do solos when, or the primary vocalist/instrumentalist may direct it on the fly, by calling out instrument or player names.  The best way, if possible is to simply keep good eye-contact and nod heads or otherwise signal who's going to start the next break.

Since this is an open jam, rather than a rehearsed show, double/triple starts WILL happen accidentally.   Resign yourself to it, and enjoy it as a normal part of spontaneity of an Open Jam.

If two (or more) lead instruments should start up breaks at once, just pare it down to a single one.   Find a way to drop out quickly but gracefully (if possible) and take the break when it comes around again.

There again, you must be paying close attention to things so you can spot when to NOT take break, or quickly spot when more than one person takes off at once.

6. If you are the leader of a particular song, try to include a break for each lead instrument who wants to play one. That includes multiples of the same instrument. Two banjo players or two fiddlers will not play identical breaks, so it will sound good, and after all, it IS a jam.    If there is a large number of lead instruments, this may involve singing extra choruses, or even repeating verses.  

If you can't handle the distraction of singing and directing breaks at the same time (it is NOT easy), you can arrange (quickly) before you start, the order that lead instruments will play breaks, or just tell them to decide among themselves. 

During someone else's breaks or vocals;

Banjos should shed volume by picking or vamping above the head, over the lower portion of the fretboard, and softly (if possible).

Mandolins should chop quietly, or  play accents soft tremolos, etc. also high over the fretboard, around the 14th fret. You can gain about 1/3 extra volume by holding the headstock away from you, so the back isn't in contact with your body. Please hold it in against your body when chopping.

Guitarists can also strum high above the soundhole, and more softly, and/or use palm-muting (Slap-Rhythm) to shed volume when strumming.  Please don't crowd the circle with strummed guitars.  That makes it harder on vocalists. 

We NEED one pure rhythm guitar player, and a lead guitarist in addition is good also,  but more than that should really switch in and out of the circle by mutual agreement. 

Lead Guitar players, try to shed volume when not playing a break. Four lead players who strum when not taking a break amount to 3-4 extra rhythm guitars.  Please remember to hold down strummed volume.

Fiddles should do single-note or chord chops, or pizzicato, or play subdued long-bow fills only, when not playing a break.  It's not uncommon for a fiddle to quit playing entirely during portions of a song. 

Bass should usually play a little softer during vocal verses. Because of the low frequencies involved, bass volume also isn't often a problem, though reduced volume may be necessary, depending on who is singing or soloing.

If the "star" of the moment wants you to sit out on something they'll ask you to do so. Not every instrument or playing-style is appropriate to what someone's trying to do at the moment.

So please don't be offended if you're asked to sit out on a piece, AND don't be afraid to sit in. If you want to sing a song, or do an instrumental, you just say so!