Re: [Harp-L] "I don't feel ready" to join a Jam

[Alfred Barten <vr1139@xxxxxxxxx>]

I recently found myself unexpectedly in my first-ever jam. I came prepared
to play some things on my sax, not realizing it would end up as a jam.
Fortunately I had a harmonica in my pocket and was able to at least play
some drone notes (1st and 5th in the scale) when they were playing in a
different key than my harmonica was in. Whew! Great fun, though.

-- Al
-------------------
Alfred Barten
Retired ... *and all that jazz!*



On Tue, May 1, 2012 at 1:54 PM, Scott Hicks <dscotthicks@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>
> When I started playing a couple years ago, I had just picked up a harp to
> play for just one or two songs with a band I sang in, didn't really know
> much about it at all. I didn't have designs on being a harp player, just
> really goofed around a little. About 5 or 6 months later, I was at a really
> loose open mic and whipped my harp out (I had only one, and I had done very
> little practicing), and about that time, a real harp player walked in with
> his own harp mic and a slew of harps. He joined us for an extended jam,
> then sat down with me afterwards and not only gave me real, honest
> encouragement, but some real honest advice (about laying back). I began to
> get more serious about harp after that, and I have never forgotten his
> advice. I guess my point is, although I didn't play particularly well, I
> never would have gotten that advice or encouragement if I hadn't gotten up
> there, "ready or not."
>
> Scott
>
> > On Tue, May 1, 2012 at 7:54 AM, John F. Potts <hvyj@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> > > I think the most significant "jam ready" consideration is whether the
> > > player hears music in his or her head.  That is, as music is played do
> they
> > > "hear" something they feel they can add to it.  If so, it's just a
> matter
> > > of getting sufficient technical control over the instrument to be able
> get
> > > it to come out of the harp, and jamming is a step in that process.
> > >
> > > Theory knowledge is a very helpful roadmap to assit the player in
> finding
> > > the notes he/she hears in his/her head. But if the player doesn't have
> > > anything in mind they want to play, I think the player will struggle
> more
> > > in a jam setting using purely theory to figure out what to play. In a
> jam a
> > > player has to be able to go with the flow--it's not like playing to a
> > > pre-recorded back-up track.
> > >
> > > I am of the opinion that (assuming a beginning player has at least
> > > rudimentary skills) a beginner will learn more in 20 minutes playing
> live,
> > > onstage with other musicians than they will learn in a month of
> practicing
> > > alone at home.
> > >
> > > FWIW.
> > >
> > > JP
> > >
>
>