So I just faked my way through my first jam in four years. The last jam I attended was pre covid. It was really nice to get out and socialise with some old friends. I had been working up to this for a few weeks and I made a list of tunes I felt confident I could work through but my head just wasn’t in it tonight as I crashed and burned pretty much every tune. I can honestly say it wasn’t nerves. My head just went blank. @BanjoBen how do I fix this?
Attended my first jam in four years tonight
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Archie, that’s a brave re-start! I understand you "fake"d and “lost” your Banjo way. 
But don’t lose heart, I’m sure Ben or someone will help you find your way back!
The phenomenon is pretty much like “cramming” for an examine all night the night before a big test, then getting it in front of you, start staring at a blank answer sheet and nothing comes out. Can’t remember anything. More than likely a nerves/tension response, though you might “feel” relaxed. While you had been working this for some time the anticipation and tension from being out so long caught up to you. 'Brainlock". The best fix I’ve found back in the day, is not to think at all… Just listen ( or watch the hand of the guitar player) to the chord progression on the song and just start doing basic rolls, walking into each chord. If it’s a song you know sometimes the cork will pop free and the “data” starts flowing out again (haha). Usually once you really relax and feel comfortable with the chord progression(s) of a song and the group, things start loosing up and you will get back in the groove. Hang in there.
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Well done & congratulations for jumping back into the pool!
Having experienced a similar phenomenon, I must agree with Ol Papa: Brainlock happens, and the more you think about it the worse it gets.
For me it tends to happen when I focus too much on playing well & forget to have fun.
27 March I have a chance to pick with others. I should wear fireproof clothing for the “crash ‘n burn” opportunity.
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Hi @Ol_Papa Chuck I was fine playing backup vamping & doing fills which ok for the most part I was playing by ear and I was able to anticipate the chord change/progression. Guitar players were sitting too far away for me to see what they were doing. Where I crashed out most was on the tunes I had chose to play. It all fell apart on the kickoffs and I just couldn’t recover from it. That said it was a fun night.
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Gonna do a lesson addressing some of this this week! But congrats on going to the jam @Archie…huge accomplishment!
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I am trying a new practice strategy. Instead of playing along with the TablEdit Audio as I normally do I am practicing by ear and from memory. The key seems to be getting the the kick-off and ending in my head. Let’s hope next time I attend the jam I muddle through. Looking forward to your lesson.
Tunes I have been working on are Red Wing Alan Munde Adv Arr, John Henry Int Arr.
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@Archie, are there bluegrass jams where you live or is it something totally different with some bluegrass thrown in?
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Hi @Shad To my knowledge not many. The only one I know of is the one I attend. It’s been going since I started out learning to play banjo about 16 years. In the beginning it started out as a house session but as the group grew in size the session moved to a pub, now it’s held in a social club. Mostly bluegrass tunes with as you say something totally different thrown in. Over the years several folks have come and gone.
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As a newcomer to a local jam, it’s the pressure of kicking off a song that gets me, too. As the song leader moves around and starts getting close to me, I get more and more nervous - "do I remember how the song goes?..should I do potatoes?..what tempo? - don’t go too fast!..etc. After a couple crash and burns, I’ve started to realize that I need an off-ramp to a simple version of the kick-off that leaves out the trickier parts and just follows the basic melody until we can get into the song and I can relax. Might be worth giving that a try.
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