Jamming

In jamming now and again with a group of drum and percussion afficionados, I've become aware of a few ideas that, when taken into consideration, have the potential to greatly improve the groove. Here they are, in no particular order.

1. Have a variety of instruments on hand, featuring a wide range of materials, sonorities, pitch range, timbres, and whatever else might distinguish one "percussion toy" or drum from another.

2. Leave out any instrument that might produce, when played at a "normal" volume, a sound much louder than the rest of the instruments in the mix. A djembe is often the culprit in such a situation. There are many who feel most comfortable while playing their djembe; but it can be instructive and even fun to give these noisy drums a rest from time to time and explore other things.

3. Not everybody needs to be playing all the time. A group of eight people, for example, can have dialogues going on between any two instruments across the circle, or next to each other, while the other six are listening, appreciating, and running through in their minds what they might add to the mix once they jump back in. Everyone concerned, including any non-participant listeners, will find it refreshing and interesting not to be confronted with an ongoing tsunami of wall-to-wall sound.

4. In between numbers, give silence a chance to work its magic. Refrain from dabbling around on your instrument for a while. Wait for inspiration to hit. If one member decides to forge ahead out of the silence with a rhythm pattern (s)he is eager to try, let it sink in mentally for a short while before you jump in. Maybe someone else will jump in ahead of you. So be it. Now your job is to see how your contribution complements the two of them in their established duo. If the second person "stole" your idea, play a variation on it, or wait for another inspiration.

5. Whoever starts a rhythm--and whoever joins in--it is important that you have worked out in your mind/body just how that rhythm is going to be played, and come in confident and strong! Nothing sets an incipient groove to wobbling more surely than a feeble, shaky entrance. How to avoid that? Rehearse it in your mind a few times before you jump in, so you have a good idea just how you're going to play it, on what pulse you're going to enter, and so on. And if that takes several measures, so what? Is anyone expecting you to be there all the time from beginning to end? Let's hope not. (See number 3 above.)

6. When you're tired of your particular pattern, you have three options: (a.) keep on going and risk inattention or fatigue, either of which threatens the energy and integrity of the groove (so be wary of this option); (b.) drop out for a while and be thinking about another pattern you might interject, maybe on a different instrument, too, so as to add variety and new spice to the mix, (also related to number 3 above); and (c.) keep on playing, but add subtle, or not-so-very-subtle variations to your pattern, to keep yourself entertained and the group aware that you're still truly in the game.

7. If you are holding down a bass line or otherwise being counted upon to lend a steady beat to the groove, go easy on option (c.) in number 6 above! And make yourself not get tired or bored (a.) whatever it takes--people are counting on you! Maybe you don't have (b.) as an option when you're in this role. Think that one through before you bring everyone to a grinding halt out of sheer uncertainty and confusion about where the groove is going, or not going.

8. Eye-contact. A facial expression signalling engagement. A lively body language. You know the drill. Especially if people are watching! Who wants to listen to or watch a gathering of zombies?

9. Listen to each other as much as you can. The trained musician will hear everyone's contribution and adjust accordingly, or not, whenever appropriate. But the important thing is that everyone will be aware of the growing sense of togetherness that links all of you in the creation of a unique, in-the-moment, group composition.

There have to be more, but these are the tips that occur to me right now, and they are surely among the most important. Enjoy your next jam with these things in the back of your mind.