acoustic jam songs

[mercy]

Im thinking of starting a jam. I want to have binders for the people that come the 1st time, if anyone does. What would be songs that are known by most, fairly easy that would be good for a first meeting. Also songs to add later.

[merlin666]

The jams I attend are dominated by fiddlers and mandolin players and they all have dozens of fiddle tunes memorized. When it's the guitar players time to pick songs old style country songs like Hank Williams or Bob Wills songs are often appreciated.

[Cypress Knee]

I would suggest well-known songs with only a few chords to begin with. The more advanced players can fingerpick or play leads, while your beginners will not be as intimidated.

EX
Leaving on a Jet Plane - John Denver
Knockin' on Heaven's Door - Bob Dylan
Lodi - Creedence

CK

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by Cypress Knee

I would suggest well-known songs with only a few chords to begin with. The more advanced players can fingerpick or play leads, while your beginners will not be as intimidated...

One excellent reference I've used is the Rise Up Singing anthology, available through GC, Amazon, etc. - with 1200+ songs to choose from (most well-known, none difficult) there's something for everybody, and enough material to sustain a couple years' worth of jams...

[Cameleye]

In the jams at my place folks just take turns, come up with their own songs and we play along.
If you're just talkin' beginners I'd guess providing some tunes printed out would be a help. I'd also vote for "Rise Up Singing" Vol. 1 and 2. Great material there.

[Wade Hampton]

Mercy, my question to you is what kind of music do you enjoy and like to play? As the host your taste will inevitably influence what others choose to play.

My suggestion is that you start small with just a few songs in a notebook, and don't cling to that as being the only or even the main option. Many players, especially accomplished ones, will want to play by ear rather than have to stick to the printed page.

Spontaneity and being able to go with the flow is important in making song circles work, and if that element's removed those gatherings are usually a lot less fun.

So, short version: print out a few songs that you already know and like and which are easy enough to play at first glance, then see where the sessions and the participants take things from there. As these gatherings continue you can always add more songs to your notebooks, but try not to make the notebooks the main focus or become overly reliant on them.

Hope that makes sense.


Wade Hampton Miller

PS: The Rise Up Singing books that Steve mentioned are an excellent resource, but - again - I've seen music circles where over-reliance on them has created a sort of dogmatic approach that can throttle creativity in its cradle. We all have our favorite songs that we like to play, but keeping things as loose as you can while still keeping things rolling is vital.

[mercy]

Thanks for the great ideas, Im starting to see things a little more clear. I thought it would be fun to just play with other acoustic players. As far as I know theres none in the little town I live in. No doubt larger towns have one or so but Id have to drive at least 45 minutes and I dont want to do that on a regular basis.

[semolinapilcher]

The Weight by The Band
Rocky Top

[guitarwebguy]

I agree with what has been already said, as someone who participates in jams, bring you like to play and encourage folks who might come to bring their favorites as well, a couple of pages of easy songs (maybe just chords and words) can be handy to get things going and sometimes a resource for someone who did not bring anything. It can be a fun, encourage, and learning experience. Jams I’ve been a part of are pretty open to any acoustic instruments (we’ve had accordions, flutes, woodwinds, as well as a variety of stringed instruments and a variety of percussion instruments as well and some folks who just like to sing (;-))

[lowrider]

I'm also starting a new jam group right now. We'll have our first meeting on July 23 and I'll have the players just do what ever songs they want. I don't think it's necessary to have a big book of songs. In fact, I think it's a distraction. In one group I went to a few times, they all had big ring binders of songs and they could never decide what to do. I stopped going because they just waisted to much time.

Just tell your players to be ready and know what they want to play, introduce the song, announce the key and get it going. And don't be afraid to ask for what you want the others to do with your song.

I was driving an hour and a half, though Long Island rush hour traffic, to a jam group that I played with for the past year and a half. I finally had to give up after getting rear-ended for the second time on the Southern Parkway. I just went back out there on July 4th afternoon to play with them again. They are very good players and very good friends.

Jam groups work great as long as you keep it moving. Don't let things get bogged down between songs and don't let anyone dominate. The better players will carry to load, but the newer players also need a chance to have their songs heard.

All songs work as long as it's a cooperative effort.

[The Bard Rocks]

Each jam has its own style and yours will probably evolve. Some take turns, going in a circle. When your turns comes, you can sing or play one, make a request of someone else - or pass. In others, there are no turns and you hope no one hogs all the time. Usually others join in or sing along if they know the song. Sometimes, sheets on what you intend to play are handed out so everyone has the words and chords, the music if you are so inclined.

Some use the Rise Up Singing books regularly(for older folks, they like the larger versions better), but none I have attended have insisted upon using it. Other jams are genre oriented - country, a cappella, bluegrass, Celtic, old-time, sea shanties, older rock, pop, originals.... and they will often tolerate something not in the official genre as long as it kinda fits.

Usually, cheat sheets are used but I know of one jam where you are expected to be performance ready, with it all memorized. I usually make my own selection (when it's my turn) to be something different than the last one(s), which often makes it more fun for the others but often precludes being prepared with handout sheets or anything memorized.

Normally, any acoustic instrument is acceptable (there must be rock jams out there where they expect you to be wired?). Drum sets, less likely, but something simple like a bodhran or cajon seems to go over. Sometimes electric basses with small amps are OK; a standup bass always is. And acoustic guitars (or fiddles) tend to predominate.

[tonyo]

It really varies depending on the group you jam with. I'm fortunate to have a great music club within an hours drive of where I live, there we have a number of old favourites that always get played. Wagonwheel is one of them.

I also travel to other gatherings some a few hours away, some much further. What fascinates me is how each of them have their own favourites, their own genre / feel.

My advice, come up with a few songs that work for you, for jamming it's better if they have a straight forward chord sequence that's easy for others to pick up on, then adjust that list as you get others involved in your jams or as you go to other jams.

Blues is also a great genre for jamming.

[pjroberts]

I also think it will largely be driven by the group, frequently organizer. Also blues is a great ice breaker. My close group of varied skill has particular fondness for Neil Young jam tunes: Cinnamon Girl, Down by the River, Powderfinger, Southern Man, Cowgirl in the Sand ... I’m forgetting a few.

[lowrider]

My first jam with the new group went absolutely great. We had nine players with one full time on banjo and another very good player played guitar, banjo, and harmonica. We had 4 very good players. Myself and the banjo player at that intermediate level where you're not good yet but you're not bad either. The good guys really carried the night.

We also had three players who just wanted to feel their way into this. Which is just fine. The problem was that they all happened to sit next to each other and it left a big hole in the circle. When it came to their side, I'd wait to see and then have to ask the next guy what he had. Next time, I'll be sure to break them up and make it clear that if you are going to pass, you have to say that you are passing. One guy I know will be prepared next time and I have hopes for the other two.

I've also had a lot of interest in the two weeks following the jam. I hope to have an even bigger turn out August 27. Can't wait!

One last thing; I think it's good to keep doing a lot of the same songs month after month. The group I just left mostly does the same stuff all the time and they've all got to know the songs and each other's moves. It works out great.
The other group, everyone seems to do different songs every time, so everyone is just learning and hanging one. With my group, I'm going to encourage everyone to repeat songs so we can figure out how to make them rock! We might have a clarinet player coming and I want to ask him if he can play the Ry Cooder' slide guitar part on Willin while I keep it going on guitar. It might work, we'll have to give it a try!