Jam Session Philosophy
1. Keep the Music Flowing
Our jam is built on one simple idea: the groove never stops. I’ll hold down the rhythm, and everyone else plays along muted. At any time, one person can step into the spotlight, unmute, and solo or lead. Then, when you’re done, just mute again and let someone else jump in.
2. Playable Chords for Everyone
To join the jam confidently, you’ll need either:
• basic barre chords
• or a capo (I’ll help with transpositions).
This ensures we can all play in any key and keep the energy moving.
3. Boil It Down, Don’t Get Stuck
If a chord seems intimidating, simplify it to its core type.
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Major → can cover major7 or major9
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Dominant (7) → can cover 9, 11, 13
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Minor → can cover minor7, 9, 11, 13
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Half-diminished → learn this one chord or use a diminished triad
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Diminished7 → play a diminished7 or triad
It’s better to play a simpler chord confidently than get lost chasing a complicated one.
4. Follow the Form
Your #1 job is to stay in the form.
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Don’t worry if you miss a chord or two.
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Stay oriented and keep strumming.
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If you get lost, I can call out “Top,” “B,” or “Third line” to get everyone realigned.
Form is everything in a jam.
5. Groove is Creative
Comping isn’t just background noise. It’s where most of your time in a band happens.
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Try different strumming patterns
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Use triads, embellishments, fingerstyle, muted hits, or chord extensions
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Make the groove feel alive — even if the chord progression repeats.
6. Soloing is Exploration
While muted, you can solo as much as you want. Experiment with scales, phrasing, and rhythmic ideas without pressure. When you want to share your solo, unmute and take the lead.
Soloists follow the groove — not the other way around.
7. Working with Songs from Spotify
We can jam on almost any song you like, as long as the chords and form aren’t too complicated.
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I can transcribe things quickly, but that does mean everyone has to wait.
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Chords from sites like Ultimate Guitar often lack bar lines or use capo keys, so it’s best to make a clean chord chart ahead of time.
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If you’d like to bring in a tune, send me your chord chart at least a week before the next jam. If you need help making it, send me your draft and I’ll work with you to finalize it.
8. Technical Setup Makes a Big Difference
A smooth jam depends on clear audio. A few essentials:
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Enable “Original Sound” on Zoom when you lead.
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Play to an audible metronome so everyone can follow even if your internet introduces slight tempo fluctuations.
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Use headphones or stereo speakers (not laptop speakers), especially if you’re playing acoustic — otherwise, you may not hear the groove clearly.
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If you play electric and don’t have a good playback setup, you may need to play unamplified, but that likely means you won’t be able to lead.
9. Reflect After You Play
Every jam is a mirror. Notice what worked and what didn’t.
Write down your takeaways after each session:
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rhythmic strengths
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chord vocabulary gaps
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scale knowledge
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ear training moments
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phrasing discoveries
I’ll check in with you individually to help turn those reflections into focused growth.
10. Broaden Your Musical World
We’ll jam over a variety of grooves, styles, tempos, and time signatures. Even if a genre isn’t your main thing, it’s a chance to grow. There’s something to learn from every style.
11. Keep It Playful
This is a jam, not a recital.
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If you mess up, keep going.
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If you don’t know a chord, simplify it.
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If you get lost, find your way back.
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If someone else is soloing, enjoy supporting them.
12. Community Mindset
When one person leads, everyone else is supporting.
Muting your mic isn’t silencing you — it’s creating space. The real music happens in the collective groove.
