Looks like you had a real nice display there--and some good live advertising. Thanks for those great notes for us new players about jamming. Thanks for posting!

That's what it's all about, right there!

That's wonderful Robin! Looks like you all had great fun with this. Thanks for the advice on jamming. My first experience with jamming was at Wartz last October. I understand what you mean about mistakes and being able to pick up again in rhythm...I made plenty of mistakes

Many thanks - it was great fun

Watching the video again I've spotted a few bluegrass/old time jamming conventions that we are all doing pretty unconsciously. Once the tune is started (the first instrument setting the speed and rhythm - in this case the dulcimer) all play together for a round and the the lead is being passed between the instruments with a glance or nod - this is most noticable at 1:33 and 2:05. The other instruments back off when not in the lead and either go to off-beat chucks or harmony parts. You can see this back-up being played on the dulcimer at 2:05. On the last Part B, towards the end of the banjo lead, we all begin playing together (like at the start) and this indicates that everyone is ready for a finish - there are a few glaces around to confirm this and Nick lifts his foot (out of shot) to indicate that's where we are heading.

Jamming is not a rehearsed performance it is a creative activity. Although we all know each other, that particular 5 piece had not sat down and played together before that session last Saturday afternoon. It is the interaction between the players that is really the exciting part of jamming. You cannot just 'play the tune' the way you normally dobut have to work with those musicians around you and pay attention to the whole sound.As you can see, there is no place for TAB at a jam session. You have to know the tune and then be prepared to move the way you play it to fit with the session. This may mean changing phrases slightly or altering the rhythm. I normally play Ark Trav in the key of D (as we are here) but using a 'd' tuned melody string. Here my melody string was tuned to A (too thick to go up to 'd') so I had to switch my start point down4 frets and change the end of my usual run down to an octave up.

If you are interested in learning how to jam then my top tip would be to spend some of your practice time playing with a metronome - it will train you to listen to what's going on around you and you'll learn how fit your playing toa rhythm set externally. A jam will not stop or break rhythm when you make a mistake and nor will a metronome - so learning how to pick the tune up again, in rhythm, after an error is a crucial skill.

Robin

What fun, and so nicely done. Toe tapping type of music.

That was fantastic!!!

Thanks

I was at the North Wales Bluegrass Festival last weekend. Nick (banjo), Shirley (guitar), Roger (bass) and Eryl (mandolin) stopped by my stall so we played a few old time tunes. The dulcimer I'm playing is a Prussia Valley Box Dulcimer that I bought second hand a couple of years ago. I've not played it for a while and I took it to the event to sell on the stall - but after playing it at this little impromtu session I decided to keep it