Jam sessions are a great way to grow as a musician, build community, and make music with new friends. Elon’s jazz jam sessions are open to everyone, from beginners to experienced professionals. If you’re new to jazz or new to jam sessions, welcome! There are just a few things you can do ahead of time to make your first experience more comfortable and enjoyable.

Before You Sit In

  • Come check it out first! If you’ve never been to a jam session, consider attending one as an audience member before you perform. You’ll get a chance to see how the session works, hear the kinds of tunes people play, and get a feel for how musicians communicate on stage. You might even discover a few tunes you’d like to learn for next time.
  • Choose a tune that others are likely to know. For your first jam, pick a commonly played jazz standard with a familiar form, such as a 12-bar blues or AABA tune. Jam sessions work best when the musicians have a shared musical vocabulary, so original compositions and pop/rock favorites generally aren’t the best choices for a first jam. Choose something the house band and other musicians are likely to know.
  • Learn the whole tune, not just the melody. Before you sit in, make sure you know:
    • The melody (and lyrics, if you’re a singer)
    • The form
      • You should know the form well enough to follow it while other musicians are soloing. That way, you’ll know exactly where you are when it’s time for you to take a solo or when the melody comes back.
    • The chord progression
    • The key you want to play or sing in
    • Any intro or count-off
    • How the tune typically ends
  • Be ready to improvise if you’re comfortable doing so. If you’re an instrumentalist (or a singer who enjoys improvising) plan to take a solo. Choose a tune that you’re comfortable improvising over rather than one that you’re still learning. Before the jam, try playing the tune with some friends, running through the form together, or practicing along with a recording. Singing or playing along with recordings can be especially helpful for getting the melody, form, and feel into your ears.
  • What Equipment Will Be Available? The house band will typically provide some basic equipment for the session:
    • A drum kit and cymbals will usually be available.
    • If the house band has a bass amp or guitar amp, musicians sitting in can generally use them.
    • If there is a piano or keyboard, it will typically be available to musicians sitting in.
    • Vocalists: You may want to bring your own microphone and cable, although a microphone may also be available at the venue.
    • If you’re unsure about equipment, just ask someone in the house band before the session. We’d rather help you get set up than have you worry about it!

A Few Jam-Session Etiquette Tips

  • Keep cases out of the audience area. Instrument cases should be left backstage or in the designated storage area rather than taking up space in the seating area.
  • Keep your instrument quiet when you’re not playing. Between songs (and especially between sets when the house music is playing) give everyone a chance to listen. Save the practicing and noodling for somewhere away from the performance area.
  • Wait for an invitation to come on stage. Don’t worry about figuring out when to jump in. If there’s a sign-up sheet, add your name to it. Otherwise, talk with someone in the house band before the performance or during the break to find out how musicians are being invited to sit in.
  • Be mindful of your volume. Listen to the room and to the musicians around you. You don’t need to play loudly to make a strong musical contribution. In fact, learning to play with an appropriate dynamic level is one of the most valuable skills you can develop at a jam session.
  • Be flexible with your tune choice. If you call a tune and the house band doesn’t know it, no problem! You can suggest another tune that you know the band plays, or simply stay in the audience and enjoy the music. Pay attention to the tunes that are being played, then learn one or two of them and bring them with you to the next session.

Most Importantly: Come Listen and Have Fun! You don’t need to be an expert to participate in a jam session. Listening, preparing a few tunes, and being willing to learn are more important than having years of jazz experience. Come hear some music, meet other musicians, and find a tune you’re excited to play.

And remember: your first jam doesn’t have to be perfect. Everyone who plays at a jam session was a beginner once. The goal is to make music together, learn from one another, and become a little more comfortable each time you come back.

More information linked below…

For singers

For horn players

For rhythm section players

How to begin and end the tune

List of common jam session tunes