You practiced your scales and the intricacies of the I-IV-V progression. Hey, you even know what a I-IV-V progression is. You practice along with both your own CD collection and your dad’s. You know a variety of songs from several decades, and you have a bowling shirt and hat you are just itching to try out. You’ve practiced for hours in front of the mirror and are ready to go out and show your stuff. It just might be time to go to an open jam everyone at the music store has been talking about. Sure, it is on the other side of town, and when you get home, you will have to take a Silkwood shower to get the smell of stale beer and despair off of your skin and your gear, but you wanna rock! Here is what to expect (and how to act) when you show up in an unfamiliar place, playing unfamiliar songs with musicians you have (likely) never met.

The Reality

Open jam nights are usually held at bars. They are also held on weeknights, to get more people in the place. Musicians will fill the place up and drink, and suddenly Tuesday won’t be an ‘off’ night for the bar. Remember that playing in a jam situation is different than playing with friends in your garage. For one, you are playing with friends vs. playing with strangers. Your gear will sound different at home and you are more relaxed, so you are more likely to play better. I use an open jam situation to break out of that comfortable spot, and to further train my ears and eyes. I know I will not always be playing songs I know, and I won’t always know the skill level of the other musicians. But everyone on stage has the same goal- to make great music. Knowing this will get me through any rough spots.

Prepare Thyself

I bring my trusty 805 with me in any jam situation.

In open jam situations, it is common to use the amp supplied by the hosting band. You bring your guitar, and when called up, plug in and go. Quickly. Knowing how to get a serviceable sound on common amps (Fender, Marshall, Vox) in about 30 seconds is a skill that will serve you well. If you have a favorite overdrive pedal, you should bring it, but also bring a cable. Using unfamiliar gear won’t ever allow you to get your sound, but you will get the experience of playing under conditions that are less than ideal, which when performing, is most of the time.
It might be a good idea to check out the jam a week before you intend to play. Listen to the tunes and look at the house amps available. Get an idea how long each musician stays up on stage*. See who picks the tunes to play. Usually it is the host band, or a trusted friend who has come to the jam for a long time. Remember, if you don’t know the host band, they have no idea how or even if, you can play.
* If you are a bassist, keyboardist or drummer, you will get to play most of the night.
Bring your guitar (not your most expensive- it is a bar after all) and during a break, introduce yourself to the host. Quickly explain what you do, and ask if you can play. Being nice goes a long way. Remember, it isn’t enough to be a good guitarist- you have to be a guitarist that plays well with others.

Do you know that one Slayer song?

Don’t bring this ’59 LP to the dive bar across town!

Generally, asking this is not a good idea. Chances are that no one knows it, and no one at the bar on a Tuesday night wants to hear it. When unfamiliar musicians get together to play, there has to be some common ground. This goes back to the origins of our electric instruments and the blues. Blues songs are harmonically simple, in that they usually have just a few chords, and most musicians can hear when the chords change and can guess what chord they change to. So knowing the blues chord form is a great start. Many blues and blues rock songs follow a I-IV-V progression, so know them in multiple keys- and not just ‘guitar keys’ of E, A, G, C, & D either. If you don’t know how a 12-bar progression goes, time to get some learnin’ done, or else you will be lost up on stage.  Common open jam songs are Crossroads, Gimme One Reason*, and the ol’ faithful Mustang Sally. For you more advanced musicians, don’t ask to play Giant Steps. No one wants to hear that, either (though it rocks, ’cause it’s Coltrane).
*For some reason, this is the only song women want to sing at open jams. Enough.

It’s your turn. Go!

The Joe Bonamassa Custom Shop set won’t make you play better, but will make you sound like you do.

When it is time for your solo, know what key you are in! Also, play a solo that is stylistically appropriate for the style of music. No whole-tone madness over ‘The Thrill is Gone’. No one will think you are clever, and it won’t sound good. For a blues soloing primer, check out Peter’s Perfectly Pentatonic lesson here. The key when soloing is to honor the song, yet elevate it with your own story. And if you want to sound great while you play, check out Scott’s guide to pickups suited to blues.
Not all open jams are blues-based, but they are the most common. Listening and watching are the two most important skills to have in an open jam situation. They are great places to meet musicians, test your skills, and see if this music thing is for you. They provide a great sense of community and camaraderie among the musicians in your area. You never know when you might want to put together a band, or a band might need a guitarist. We all don’t start out as good players in open jam situations, but we always come out better players, with a few more friends.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsjFi4KkOZc
For many more tips on open jam etiquette, check out a recent thread on the Seymour Duncan User Group Forum and join in the discussion.
Do you go to many open jams? What is your favorite song to play?