Help! What to do on your first jam session--Anxiety!!!

jlander9

So it seems that as awesome as gypsy jazz is (and let's admit, its pretty freakin awesome), in certain areas gypsy jazzers are a rare bread. I live in East Los Angeles home of people that love guitarist like Santa, Hendrix, Page but you mention Django and you get blank look . I have played with a few great folks in LA I found through this forum , but unfortunately no one that lives close by for a regular jam. This has left me to record my own backing tracks and play solo (which after a while gets a little discouraging).

Well, by mere chance, and i mean just crazy chance, I found a guitar player that has monthly GJ jam sessions down the street in the neighboring town! :shock: I was floored. We meet this Sunday. Here is the problem. I've been playing GJ seriously for a year now.. I know technique, some basic arpeggios, licks etc... but i only know how to play five songs really well.. they have become my learning songs... this is freakin me out! Also, I am not used to playing with other people... So, i don't know what to expect...any pointers, suggestions, comments? ...thanks in advance folks

dennis

must be angelo's jam!!! don't be nervous, just go in and have fun, and soak it all in! Those guys are all so friendly

Jim Kaznosky

What Denis said. Have fun and relax. Use the jam to learn songs you don't know, or to put on your list of tunes to learn. I'm sure you'll have a great time.
I'd love to hear how it all went for you when you come back.

anthon_74

Tell them the songs you know well. I'm sure they will oblige and play them. most beginning/intermediate players know certain songs really well, and others not so much. In fact, Lolo Meir said to start with getting really good at one song, then another, and so on.

Sure, the elite players like Dennis can solo on any song because they recognize all the patterns and changes in the style, but that's only the few.

Also, print the Django fakebook on this forum, bring it with you, and try to play rhythm on as many songs as you can, even if you don't know them well. If you get lost, you can always mute the strings with your left hand and pompe with your right until you figure out where you are

Assuming there will be several other guitars there, you will have plenty of rhythm support.

Have fun !

anthony

arjr

For you sake I would just pray....haha just kidding you'll have a good time.



See you Sunday at 4pm!!

Angelo

jlander9

HAHA! you found me man! :oops: what can i say... Youtube vids and back tracks don't scare me, .. human beings, whole other game!. really glad to have ran into you... really, sincerely looking forward to it! 8)

and hell yeah i'm prayin! :P

Bones

Sounds like fun!

I wish I wasn't all the way up in Santa Barbara. No one up here plays this stuff either.

Jazzaferri

The Django fakebook on this site has a number of errors in it some small some not so small.

I printed it for our violinist to learn some tunes and had to redo a bunch of the chords and some of the melody lines. :evil: be careful with it. Most are close enough

jlander9

Thought I'd give a quick update. Angelo's Jam was great. I was happy to finally meet other G.J.ers. I met a lot of good players and have since manage to play on a few more occasions. Finally putting all the work of the last year to use really show'd me where i need to improve and in many ways how to go about it. I still have a ways to go! I look forward to the next jam. ...One more thing, i wasn't prepared on how much my hands would shake... i mean man, that first jam i felt like my pick was gonna fly out... but i'm sure this goes away the more comfortable you get. haha. 8)