https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/inside-cabin-camp-jam-survival-anxiety-and-q-a-beginner
I hosted a panel about jamming & anxiety with the pros at my fall 2024 banjo-only Cabin Camp! I know you’ll benefit from the wisdom of Alan Munde, Katy Lou Clark, Bill Evans, & Kristin Scott Benson!
A great insight as to how our hero’s survive a Jam Session. I particularly enjoyed the story that Alan told right at the end of the Q&A. “That Jimmy Martin look.” I have witnessed that look on a few of his video recordings.
I would just like to say thank you for posting these sessions from the camp. I was there and I thought I’d remember what was said. Sadly, my memory isn’t what it used to be, and so being able to revisit this information at any time is very helpful. Also, one thing that struck me was the sense of humor everyone demonstrated. It seems to match the instrument…banjo is fun!
Ben - would you mind sharing the jam you mentioned “outside Atlanta”? I’m still trying to find a local jam and wondered where this jam is. Thanks - Roger Hill
I sent you an email, thanks!
This was wonderful for those of us unable to attend a Cabin Camp. The insights are priceless, often humorous and very honest.
I wish I could be there in person, but the strict dress code makes that impractical.
LOL! Leave it to Alan to take it out on a high note. 
I play in a bluegrass jam every Saturday. When I try to play on banjo the song melody plus fills from the sheet music , I go at a slower temp than what the group does. I find it easier to just chop chords, however in some songs they change chords quickly and this is difficult to make the shift fast. So sometimes I will sing instead of play to keep up with the group. Any ideas to help me? Maybe I should learn more by ear and get rid of tab.
TAB is a tool for study & helping you learn how to play your instrument. Don’t take sheet music to a jam session. Your ear is a tool to help you play with others. My advice for FWIW is to learn 3 tunes that you can play off by heart. My go to tunes were Fireball Mail, Worried Man Blues and Old Spinning Wheel I can kick these off and I can end them. Everything else I did at the jam was banjo noise. Just don’t play loudly. Singing is good, jam buddies always like a singer probably because they can’t sing. Singing helps build your confidence over time you will learn to play more tunes. Just don’t beat yourself up because you can’t play fast.
I like everything Archie said.
To add to it, I’ve found Ben’s Jam Session lessons helpful, even if I didn’t know they were at the time. For me, the most valuable parts of those lessons ended up being how to arrive at melody notes using licks. For example, when playing I Saw the Light, the words in the chorus “I saw…” are B notes and they fall down to the G during the word “light.” You can just play those straight, but a simple way to dress it up is to slide up on the 3rd string from the 2nd to 4th fret. That lands you on the B. Then you can use a 3/2 to 0 pull off on the 3rd string to land back down on the G.
Things like that are where those jam lessons really helped me out. You can also get them in the build a break lessons or in the lick lessons. For whatever reason, they resonated more for me in the jam lessons.