There is also a great summary of how to prepare yourself to play at jams,
and what the protocol is, basically the answers to all you asked in the
back
of the $5 little book "Music Theory Made Easy" by David Harp. As you might
guess from his name, he's a harp player but the book isn't specific to
harp
(although he does use it for an example many times, and while he does
discuss all sorts of music and the associated scales and chord
progressions
he does focus on blues). It's a great book that has the basics of music
theory that all musicians should know (and you should if you are going to
jam). I just hate the shape of the book, very tall but easy to fit in your
pocket or case. It's a good resource to bone up on the basics and to keep
handy as a reference.
There's another, much bigger and thorough book that has exercises, etc and
it's *very* good. It's Edly's Music Theory for Practical People (second
edition) by Ed Roseman.
If you get up there to jam, or sit in with any band, you have to know the
lingo about this stuff - not only to be able to play along and sound good,
but to pick the right harp in the first place (unless you are a position
wizard).
Bill Hines
Hershey, PA