# Jamming Etiquette



## wnpgguy (Dec 21, 2007)

Just curious if any of you players have certain rules or general etiquette when just jamming?

I have started jamming with some friends and after a while I get so tired of playing with them because sometimes they just trail off on there own little riffs that can't be followed or make little attempt to collaborate. I find often I am initiating a good rythem and they go with it but never return the favour, (I'm always rythem, their always lead/solo). Usually you switch back and forth between lead and rythem, right?


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## suttree (Aug 17, 2007)

try setting a bar-length agreement ahead of starting. just say, we're going to trade off every 8 bars, or something. if they don't agree, find other jammers


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## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

Thats good advice... a standard... cant follow it... see ya.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Reminds me of a guy I saw shredding in a booth at 12th Fret a couple of years ago. Guy was great, but that's all he did. I tried a couple electrics and an acoustic - guy was still shredding. Tried an amp. He was still shredding. Never even heard a double stop let alone a cord. Wasn't sure if he knew any.

Guys like this don't need anyone to jam with. Anyone who wants to jam has to realize it's a _cooperative _activity.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Robert1950 said:


> Reminds me of a guy I saw shredding in a booth at 12th Fret a couple of years ago. Guy was great, but that's all he did. I tried a couple electrics and an acoustic - guy was still shredding. Tried an amp. He was still shredding. Never even heard a double stop let alone a cord. Wasn't sure if he knew any.
> 
> Guys like this don't need anyone to jam with. Anyone who wants to jam has to realize it's a _cooperative _activity.


I've jammed with good and bad. One guy, we wound up distracting and removed the fuse from his amp so others could play. He was not happy, but got the picture. 

As for the guys shredding in music stores--I often get the idea they're only there to show off--it tends to go on & on. They may not even be interested in buying the guitar, amp, effect or whatever--they're just showing off. When I plug in a guitar in a music store I'm not showing off, I am truly testing the gear. I play chords, single note melodies, soloing, and even just playing notes to test for intonation & dead spots--so a lot of it doesn't sound great, but is helpful.

But back to jamming--if the others just want to be doing stuff for themselves, I agree--find someone else.


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## Vincent (Nov 24, 2007)

Its hard to find other guitar players in which you can gel with...Its even harder to find other guitar players you can write with as well...If it feels like your always going against the grain or perhaps its an up hill battle you really need to find other players to jam with...even that might not work...have to keep looking untill you find some players that work well for you.


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## jimmy peters (Nov 29, 2006)

i dont know why , but a lot of guitar players always want to be a star.
just make sure you never put 1 in your band.
jamming is 12 bars and back off, at least that how i've always jammed, unless some says 1 more time.

good luck
jimmy peters


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## satch09 (Jul 26, 2008)

Yeah for me, it's always been an unwritten law for jamming, that everyone gets there spot. That being said, that's for jamming...When you're practicing or writing songs, to play a show, then the better guy (however you want to classify as "better") will always take the lead, when you play in a band you are pretty much assigned a role, so it may always be rhythm. However jamming with friends, and they're not letting you have you're shot, speak up, if they still don't listen, bye bye...


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