Etiquette for AVBA Jams

1. Remember, Jams are for the enjoyment of everyone (Players & Audience).

2. Only acoustic instruments are used (Guitar, Resonator Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin, Upright Bass and Fiddle) except an Electric Guitar Bass may be used if no Upright Bass available.

3. Instrumental breaks are indicated by the song leader (the person whose turn it is to sing). As a song leader, you choose who takes a break or solo. A nod towards a person in the music circle will indicate a request to do the instrumental. If the person nodded to, wishes to decline, just shake your head NO and the song lead may select someone else, do the break themself or skip the instrumental all together. Players should not hog the breaks, allow everyone a chance, even a newbie, if he / she accepts.

4. Be prepared to lead a song when your turn arrives. You can pass, but you should try one song at least. If you are going to pass let the person who would be next, know beforehand so that he / she is ready to take a turn. Make sure to let the group know the song’s name, what key it’s in and if there are abnormal chords or passages in the song. Keep songs simple, complicated chord changes or songs that have obscure chords are jam busters.

5. As a song leader, it’s your responsibility to give direction to the other musicians. When your song is approaching the end and doesn’t have a distinct and obvious ending, lift your foot to show others it is ending.

6. Know when to play softly. Back off when a singer is singing, or when someone is taking a lead break. Don’t play the melody over top of the singer or the lead instrument. Watch your volume!

7.Don’t noodle between songs. Noodling is the habit of continuing to play licks in between songs. It's very distracting to the other players.

8. Don’t steal the show. A jam is not a showcase for you. Nobody likes a show-off, so play tastefully and be mindful of why everyone is there.

9. If you don’t know the song being played, wait before playing and listen a bit. Don’t just jump in and play whatever you feel like. Remember, you’re there to help the song sound good.

10. Players who are new or still learning a tune may need a slower tempo than the song’s established beats per minute. Wait for them to set the pace don’t speed them up.

11. Tune your instrument before you join the circle.

12. Be ready when your turn in the circle arrives. Consider bringing along a couple of possible tunes so you already know what song to play. Time is precious in a large circle and to maximize the number of tunes played, when your turn arrives you need to be ready.

13. Some of the players may have health issues that can affect dexterity, so tunes may not sound as polished as the performer intended. Encouraging words will help build confidence.

14. Positioning the microphone close to your instrument when it’s your turn will maximize its sound. Conversely, if you are playing along and have a particularly loud instrument, try to reduce your volume to some extent so the others, including the one with the microphone, are not overpowered.

15. Come prepared to play tunes that reflect a range of proficiency and share some common ground. Jam circles benefit from hearing new tunes. However, jam circles are not the venue for individual showcasing at every turn. Jam “busting” can occur when none of your selections are known, or their speed and complexity excludes other players.

16. In the end, a successful jam is where everyone enjoyed themselves. Players shared songs, there was no noodling, everyone watched their volumes, and everyone was mindful of others.