Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

How to not be the annoying banjo player at a jam

#1

I’ve been venturing out into the jamming world the past few months, and I am finding myself the “new guy” at several different recurring jams. Many of these players are light years better than me and some have been playing together for 5+ years. I want to make sure I get invited back to play again. I am probably about ten jams into my jamming career, and I have picked up on some basic jamming etiquette. It is a grave responsibility to be wielding the loudest and potentially the most annoying instrument in the jam circle.

What are some jamming tips or maybe some of your banjo pet peeves that I should avoid?

Here are some of the basic ones I already know
-be in tune
-play the right chord
-play in time
-don’t play too loudly with special attention to not overpower the singer or person taking a break

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#2

I think the last one is the most important step. Just play quietly when it’s not your solo, especially if there is already another banjo. Good jammers should appreciate strong, tasteful, rolling backup that’s in the background and not in the way.

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#3

Showing up- err, never mind

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#4

Definitely that last one is important for us banjo pickers. Something else people tend to appreciate is just being humble. Let folks know it’s important to you to follow proper etiquette. Tonight is only my 3rd to attend, so I tend to ask a lot of questions. For example, when it’s my turn to pick a song, I ask a couple of the guys around me “How about this song?” Since I mostly know the old standards, they’re usually fine with it, but my last turn last week, I had to throw out 3 songs before they said “Oh yeah, that’s a good one!”

I think people appreciate a newer player that’s willing to learn their ways.

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#5

Most jam sessions will welcome you. That said some may find you an intrusion into their private circle. Play quietly. if you can sing, sing. It’s a way of being accepted.

Definitely the last one on your list. There will come a time when they will let you shine but have patience.

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#6

How to not be an annoying banjo player in a jam? That’s easy. Don’t be the second one! A jam does not need two banjos! :banjo:

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#7

I think I somewhat disagree with @Luke_L. I’m not a closed jammer - 5 people only, one of each instrument, tight clique type. I like to be inviting but want all the extra people to use good etiquette and play quietly.

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#8

I’ve also been in some pretty tight jams with two banjos! It’s all about how people listen to each other.

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#9

Hot take!

Personally, I get turned off when a jam doesn’t feel like a band. I think I’m a very closed jammer :joy::joy: Plus, how likely is it (unless you’re Lindbloms :smile:) that you actually know the 15 people that you’re jamming with very well, how they play and like to play the same kind of music. Big jam circles always end up being very much a drag to me, musically and socially. It’s hard for that big a group to be tight, plus, don’t count on refining your sound and exploring new material that way. You’ll be playing Blue Ridge Cabin Home… again. So I always enjoy small jams the most with one of each instrument, except for fiddles and guitars which can blend together more easily.

Anyway, that’s my rabbit trail. I agree with others, nobody will have a problem if you’re playing too quietly. And @Luke_L is right on the money as far as I’m concerned :smile:

A lot of stuff depends largely on what kind of jam you’re in, the level, etc. If you’re respectful of your fellow musicians, things will more than likely work out awesome!

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#10

I know jams with 15 people are hard to hear. So no, that’s usually not fun. It’s the way people listen and react that makes a jam enjoyable for me. For example we know a local banjo player named Stephen who is often in the same jam as Timothy and they’re both really good and make the jam fun. Neither plays over the other.

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#11

And if you’re in a band with one of each instrument already, that rehearses 4 times a week and very often those rehearsals can get a little tense, you know that can get old and it’s almost more fun to change up the configuration sometimes while jamming. :rofl: So I’m ok with a jam not feeling just like a band. Haha.

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#12

There’s some instruments you can have a couple of. Banjo and bass are not them. But of course I’ll invite anyone into a jam- and I like to be invited. But if we’re gonna have a jam that’s fun and sounds good, I don’t like multiple banjos. Just my opinion anyway. Maybe it’s because I’m not good enough of a banjo player to keep up with other jammers… :thinking:

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#13

I almost think 2 banjos can be more fun sometimes because you can vary up the order of solos. For example, there’ll be a banjo solo in the middle, instead of just last because he did the kickoff. I have been in some very obnoxious jams unlike that though - Luke and I were in one at IBMA that was hilariously loud. Two banjo players just BANGING. They were both in official showcase bands, and it was just funny they liked to jam like that. So I’d say it depends on the people. The great thing about a jam is that there isn’t a very specific role for the number of players like in a band. As long as it’s not too big, and everyone’s a good, tasteful jammer, I welcome anyone. And I think @Shad should be encouraged to join his jam even if he’s a banjo player!

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#14

I think part of the reason why it’s more common to have one banjo and one bass is because banjoists and bassists also tend to play guitar, and it’s rarely frowned upon to just have an extra guitarist. Assuming the person can sing or solo, otherwise the 3 plain rhythm guitarists could get looked at like “why does this exist” :joy:

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#15

Yes. That was interesting for sure.

For sure!

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#16

I have only played bluegrass with a limited number of people at one time so made it easy to talk through how to proceed, so never had an issue.

Jamming in a rock format was a major dilemma with people showing up drunk and stoned. With only green tea as my vice of choice, I was seen as an outlier. Now days I wouldn’t even participate in such an environment, but back in the day, was the only way to get a gig.

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#17

There’s only one: Worrying about what guitar players think of the banjo. Don’t waste the effort. You are there to make & share music, not get all tense because a 3-chord guitar player.
Your four jamming tips are the important ones & are universal at every jam.

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#18

These are great insights… thanks, guys!

We tried two banjos and it didn’t sound that great. One can chop and the other can roll, but since there was already a mandolin chopping, it didn’t add much. I’ve been bringing my guitar in case we are maxed out on banjo, but I can’t do much beyond strum chords.

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#19

We had three banjos out of 11 pickers at last night’s jam. What I decided to do was watch where on the neck the others were playing and play the opposite end. So if the others were open rolling, I’d play mid neck. If they were open rolling and mid neck, I’d play up high.

I try to play in a way that adds something to the mix that isn’t already there. When in doubt, I just play quietly.

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#20

@Mark_Rocka

That’s a good tip… watch/listen to the other banjo player and make sure you’re not trying to do the same thing!

A lot of these songs I’ve never even heard before, so I’ve been trying to position myself across from one of the good guitar players to watch the chords they’re making. If I totally don’t know the song, sometimes I will just make the chords with my left hand and not even pick while I am trying to learn the chord progression.

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