Why a Bluegrass Jam?
Bluegrass music is participatory… and making music with others is more fun than picking on your own.
All levels of pickers are welcome. Bring your guitar, ukulele, fiddle, mandolin, dobro or bass and come pick and sing Bluegrass, Bluegrass-adjacent, Country, and Americana music with us.
What is a Bluegrass Jam?
Three terms are often used interchangeably… they’re not 🙂
For this bluegrass jam we use #3.
- Open Mic – a group of musicians back up anyone singing or playing for an audience.
- Open Stage – typically individuals or small groups taking turns playing one or two songs for an audience.
- Bluegrass Jam – a circle of people playing music together. Bluegrass circle jams provide the opportunity to enjoy your instrument and voice without performance pressure. Each picker adds their instrument to songs led by others and can choose to lead a song or not. You choose how you want to participate. Some people some play rhythm and follow chord changes on their instrument; others lead a song; some sing harmonies during a chorus, some lead an instrumental tune or take an instrumental break.
Seating at a Bluegrass Jam
For those playing music:
- Bring a chair or stool
- Music stands, binders, fake books, tabs and/or iPads are welcome. If you’ve committed song lyrics and chords to memory, great. If not, no worries, bring something so you can lead your songs with confidence.
- All players manage the volume of their instrument so singers and instrumental breaks can be heard.
- Leading a song moves left around the circle.
- It’s ok to pass if you don’t want to lead a song.
- Breaks (the instrumental lead played by one instrument) also passes to the left. It’s ok to pass on taking a break.
For those Watching a Jam:
- Bring a chair or stool and sit in the circle around / outside those who are playing.
- Bring a beverage if you want one.
- If you’re smoking or vaping, please leave the circle and stand downwind.
We’re friendly. Come pick with us. Look at Bluegrass Jamming 101 for more info.
Need some bluegrass songs to start playing? Look here.