So when you meet up to jam, what do you actually play? Is it just a riff? And if there are two guitarists, how does that work? I’m really curious about how things go in a jam session.
Usually, one person plays the rhythm and the other plays the lead.
It can start with a riff that you come up with on the spot or one that you worked on by yourself and then propose to the group. If everyone knows a song, you can play that too. Sometimes it’s just a simple song with a few chords, so people can sing along, and then when they stop, someone can call out ‘Solo!’ and someone will take the lead.
If you’re at a jam focused on genres like blues, jazz, or funk, things get more specialized. These jams have their own unwritten rules, and they can get pretty complex.
But the magic of a jam session is the creation happening in real-time. You know that moment when everyone is in sync and feels like they’re really in ‘the zone’? You can just feel it, and it’s amazing. Everyone shares that look like, ‘Are you feeling that too??!!’ and it just feels incredible.
For that to happen, you need to:
- Be consistent on your instrument: play your part well, and keep the rhythm going smoothly.
- Be mindful of others: adjust your volume and pay attention to who’s playing and when to take a step back and let someone else shine.
- Be creative: if someone’s already playing rhythm guitar, maybe add higher notes or even play bass if the bass isn’t already covered. Know when to take a break and let other instruments shine.
- Be a good sport: showing off doesn’t help the jam, but a smile and being supportive makes the whole vibe better.
- Most importantly, focus on the music, not your ego. Just because you can play something doesn’t mean you should.
Above all, enjoy it and don’t take yourself too seriously—it’s about having fun. Be a good person because no one wants to jam with someone who’s all about themselves.
Jamming is an art, just like composing or arranging music. A bad jam can leave you feeling frustrated, but a really good one? It can be life-changing. Trust me on that one. I can think of just a few jams in my early days as a musician that made me think, ‘That was worth all the hard work.’ It sounds cheesy, but the feeling is real. Even for someone like me who isn’t very spiritual, it still hit me hard.
In simple terms:
- Pick a key (like C major)
- Pick a chord progression (like ii - V - I)
- Play the chord progression (e.g., Dm7 - G7 - Cmaj7)
- Let the other person play the lead part over the chords (like a simple melody using the chord notes)
- Mix and match, and see what happens.
A jam starts with a groove. Chords are good because they’re simple. You play the same chord and follow the groove, then take turns playing lead over it. You can also start switching up the chords as you go.
If you have two guitarists in a jam, you’ve got to be careful without a tone separator pedal. They usually cost around $50 used, but they help keep the sound of two guitars from clashing and making a mess of the music. I recommend the Electro-Harmonix ‘Threesome’ pedal because it separates the tones better than other pedals like the MXR Tonal Separator or Boss SP-9.
One person plays rhythm while the other plays lead, and you’ll switch back and forth. Knowing your scales, chord shapes, and keys is really important if you want to just jump into a jam and play on the spot.