Diractions for jamming...?

Well, first off all, realise that guitar players are always their own worst critics. I've been playing a while now and even though I know alot of people who think i'm a talented player, I still think i have quite limited abilities.

As far as jamming goes, it looks like you'll want to learn a few things: How to improvise well, learn scales and create a repertoire.

Now, considering that you've been playing classical for three years I'd imagine you know at least a few scales, and you're also probably familar with the word repertoire. I would think an important thing for you to do is to learn songs in style it is that you want to play. In other words, if your friends started playing Beatles songs in the jams, learn some beatles music. If they were playing blues, learn blues, etc.

Well... what were the others playing? They probably had some sort of a chord progression going or whatever? I'm pretty sure you should have asked for directions.

just improvise over cd's or mp3s or the radio or whatever. make up melodies, take a melody idea and mess around with the phrasing. play around with different rhythms, etc. if nothing else, you can play the chord structure, maybe arpeggiate it or come up with some cool strum patterns. it's a lot like making gumbo, just toss in whatever ideas you have laying around.

Why was the drummer calling the key? :twisted:

Margaret

That's an interesting question. Personally, I consider my self a decent solo-ist, improvising I mean. But, you hear some bands, and they are improvising the chord changes too. I don't really get it. Like, I can do that with a bass player, but not a whole band.

It would have been best to figure out what chords they were playing, and then try to copy them.

Your most important thing to work on now is soloing and improvising that way. Download some basic backing tracks, learn the pentatonic scale, and start messing around.

Maybe ask them for tips, they seem to know what they are doing.

I've been in that situation before, and what I did at the time was to look at what the bass player was playing, and try to work a melody out of that.

So if you can see he is playing the 5th fret of E then 8th fret of E, then 7th fret of A, you know something is going on in the key of A...Try to come up with a melody to connect the notes he is playing, maybe an octive uo.

Honestly, in my opinion, the key to jamming is stop listening to yourself. If you get locked up in your own head and your own playing you will go absolutely no where and you'll end up running scales. Not good.

Instead, listen to everything around you because that is what will spark new ideas. Play what the sax player is playing, echo the pianist, when someone else is laying down staccatos add some flavor. Everything around you can inspire your playing. I was once jamming with some guys and tied up my rhythm to the walking pattern of some girl that went by.

And don't be afraid you're not good enough. I can't remember where I heard it but my favorite jamming quote, period, is "How can you possibly be scared of being bad? Once you get past that, everything is beautiful."

jamming is about give and take. it is about listening and reaction. one throws something in and if it sticks cool.
jams live and breathe. they take on a life after seventeen minutes.
some jams become a jumble, non root note riot. some stay within a counted measure or twelve bar.
playing a song or just making it up jams are different, unpolished, unrehearsed, temporal.
they are here and then gone (unless you record).
there should be room for all skill levels. usually a good player stands out. you know, the fearless ones.

To do what you are suggesting, it seems like it would be essential to be able to play a melody that you hear in your head kind of on the fly; you've got to be very good at knowing how to immediately translate a melody that you hear or think of into the right fingering on the guitar. That's got to take a boatload of practice.

Am I right on this, and if so, what suggestions does anyobne have for developing such a skill?

[ what suggestions does anyobne have for developing such a skill?

play with people more. that is the best way. and you are right, that you have to think fast and on the fly.
one detriment would to have a preconcieved idea . what if no one knows the song in your head?
jamming is all about improv. you throw something out (offer up your lick, chord, what ever) if it is good the others jam on it...it then grows into something else.
I am describing free style jamming as I experience every week. been doing that for ten years now.

jamming on a known song is also good. it should be encouraged to change the song, maybe alter the tempo. otherwise, it is just playing covers. it isnt jamming.

so if you have little experience or a lot...the best rule of thumb is KISS

keep it simple stupid. a simple riff can be jammed on because there can be room. something complex could be misundestand as wanking. no one likes a wanker. they only hear themselves. they play way too loud.

what suggestions does anyobne have for developing such a skill?

I don't have the skill - yet. My guitar instructor has in the last few weeks started me on some exercises to develop it though. We started with a simple four bar chord progression for the rhythm and then started working on solos / leads over it on a single string only. At first just the scale, then the chord tones, then a few solos that my instructor had worked out, and then finally I just make up stuff. Using only the single string is tough enough so limiting it to that helps as stepping stone. In fact, right now I'm only using notes in the scale - we're going to add passing tones later.

The first parts with the scales, etc. gives me a feel for progression but the last part of making stuff up is kind of scary - you feel so "naked". I'm not any good at it yet but I can hear that I'm better at it than I was when I started (I record my practice at home) but it's going to take time. In my lessons my instructor plays the chords for me to play over but for use at home I picked up a Digitech JamMan looper (that's a cool practice tool - I've put down the rhythms to lots of things for my solo practice or for practicing the rhythms I've put down the bass parts).

you are taking a very good approach. hang with it.
I like the part of where you have to make up stuff.
Neil Young is a great one string lead player.

attitude is soooo important.