Posted by mudbug on Monday, September 12, 2011
I got invited to a jam this weekend, by a drummer that I used to gig on guitar with, who now plays guitar and blues harp. I brought my fiddle and viola. It was an old New England farmhouse with REALLY low ceilings, so I grabbed a chair, even though I've never played sitting down. There was a drum set drummer, an electric bassist and two electric-acoustic guitarists and me. Songs were folk-rock, rock and blues. I didn't think or ask about what key the song was in. Ditto on scales. I just grabbed either the viola (which I've had for 3 weeks now) or fiddle, whichever I thought would fit better and played. Songs like "Eight Miles High" and "Soul Kitchen" and 12 bar blues. Just pure improv., by the seat of my pants, and I noticed that this was the first time, playing fiddle with other musicians where I wasn't self conscious playing fiddle. I just played.
TimK Says:
Monday, September 12, 2011 @5:12:42 AM
Sounds like a good time and a confidence builder to boot!
FiddleJammer Says:
Monday, September 12, 2011 @6:24:56 AM
Yay!!!
nancymae Says:
Monday, September 12, 2011 @8:24:38 AM
That's awesome mudbug...I will be glad when I get to the point of knowing what I'm doing at a jam! Congrats!!!
richdissmore Says:
Monday, September 12, 2011 @12:17:13 PM
thats the way to do it
Andah1andah2 Says:
Monday, September 12, 2011 @2:43:16 PM
Yeah Steve!
mudbug Says:
Tuesday, September 13, 2011 @2:26:41 AM
Thankyou, friends.
Endif Says:
Wednesday, September 14, 2011 @7:23:55 AM
Yes! drop into the groov and zone out.
stew692 Says:
Thursday, September 15, 2011 @6:38:37 AM
What fun!!! Congratulations!
mudbug Says:
Thursday, September 15, 2011 @10:36:10 AM
Thanks, Endif and Stew.
richdissmore Says:
Friday, September 16, 2011 @4:31:40 PM
no blog at this time???nothing to say
mudbug Says:
Saturday, September 17, 2011 @3:56:56 AM
Ahh, Rich, you left me with the sound of one hand clapping.
eerohero Says:
Saturday, October 1, 2011 @11:36:56 AM
12 bar blues, the best improvised stuff ever for the fiddle ! or Viola or any instrument incl. song, of the reason that it is 12 bar blues .
Tickling experience , just like learning to ride a Bicycle, then falling down on the steel frame.
Yes, I will go to my room for now......
cardinalwookie Says:
Sunday, October 2, 2011 @4:31:35 PM
jealousy abounds (one day perhaps)
mudbug Says:
Monday, October 3, 2011 @2:15:56 AM
Thanks, Eero.
Wookie, no need to be jealous, just keep at it. Early on, I made a point of jamming to CD's as part of my practice. Go through your CD's and write down songs by key ( I found D easiest at first) and just keep jammin', trying things out and mimicking what you hear, that you like, whether it's a fiddle lick or pedal steel. Get comfy in each key. I'm still working on it.
fiddlepogo Says:
Friday, October 14, 2011 @11:25:24 AM
Congrats! Yeah, I need to do more fiddling with my blues jamtrax.
mudbug Says:
Saturday, October 15, 2011 @2:37:20 AM
Thanks, Michael.
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