Iāve never actually done this, but I feel that someone should take Mixing as their main role. Depending on how crazy you want the drums to be, maybe the drum role could also be the mixer role.
This is easily sorted in advanced by chatting with your mates and deciding who is doing what. Are you going to sync or not? And are you going into a mixer or computer etc.
Define all those tech parameters 1st, make a set up plan. then people turn up, follow the set up plan and bingo.
Yes, definitely. I hate these sessions when we just try to figure some technical shit out. But thatās part of the process. In my experience it doesnāt hurt to plan a bit before but in the end there will be technical problems anyway. So iād say just wait for the others and solve that magical puzzle together.
You and the Model Samples are the metaphorical āturntables ā let your friend with the drone be the mixer. You and the Model Samples sync via midi clock only, the Drone guy can run free and mix both of the other instruments. This will allow for the most cohesive set imo.
My honest feeling about a jam session with other people is that the more you try to control it, the less fun it is. It is 100 times more rewarding to just see what happens when you feed off of each otherās unscripted creativity than it is to try and give in to a conventional structure. You really have to trust in the creativity of others and of yourself and that, to me, is one of the benefits of the jam session format: people feeding off of each otherās creativity in real time.
I might have one melodic pattern, or one drum pattern set up ahead of time so that you can break the ice by just playing that and letting the others have a chance to build something on top of it while you mess with your pattern. Itās like an ice breaker so that the session has a bit of a direction, same as a blues jam or any other, then you can evolve into something more free form.
Collaborative writing sessions are a different story though, you need structure in those so know what your intentions are at the outset. If itās a jam, then jam. If your goal is to make a track, then make a track. Iāve found that jam sessions can turn into the foundation for a track very easily, but if you approach a jam session as though itās songwriting, itās not very fun and people are rarely on the same page.
Not discrediting anyone elseās experience with this, and I guess it also depends on whether the people youāre jamming with have any kind of musical ability or not, but you should notice if things are going off the rails (in a bad way) and only then would I try and steer it towards any kind of fixed structure.
In my opinion and experience, the heart of the jam session is keeping it freeform and thus experiencing and interacting with other peopleās creativity is equally important to the output. It requires a bit of trust but helps to relieve the stress of talking about what needs to be done and puts you in a position to just do it.
Setting up your audio path, however, and making sure that everything works correctly and sounds good ahead of time is a separate thing altogether, and that process should be structured to ensure the least amount of distraction and interruption possible from the task at hand while youāre actually making noise.
just have fun and listen to your jam mates more than yourself. Once you all feel comfy playing with each other, things should just start to fall in place organically. A casual, fun and an encouraging vibe goes a long way IME
Exactly this! I wouldnāt be too strict on assigning roles in advance, unless thatās something you want to do. Just listen and feel what the others will do and if your vibe matches, everything will evolve organically. Just be aware to listen and feel to when someone is introducing something new and then step back for a bit. And come back when the other personās idea gets a bit stale or youāve come up with a new element that adds to it or takes things into another direction. In short: all of you should take a lead role sometimes but also feel when they have to step back. Thatās also the best thing about jams imo, you donāt always have to do everything and others will surprise and inspire you.
About gear: use whatever youāre comfortable with. For me, something more immediate and less complex like SH1 is ideal for live.
Be indulgent if itās not good from the first session.
It takes time to listen and understand each other, and find a path where you collaborate to a sound that please everyone.
Record the jams. It can be interesting to listen to it later and find nice things.
Prepare sounds and patches. But maybe not too many patterns.
Keep alcohol for afterwards.
Most important thing is to learn to not play and let others have their moment, and be bold but not too long when youāre having yours.
Try to complement each other.
Typically in a comic improv class or creative writing seminar, rules are established to focus the participants. The rules and the creative liberties donāt exist in a zero sum relationship; rather, they work together. I donāt see setting rules as a bad thing. When children play games without adult supervision, they frequently quarrel over the rules. This is a natural thing. They are trying to establish consensus so they can move on with the game. Most of us on this forum are accustomed to making music on our own. We are not used to having other people tell us how, what and when to play. However, if you are, for example, a drummer in a band, itās legit for a band mate to say itās too loud. So, I think a lot of the ārulesā for playing in a band would apply in this situation. To keep things fresh, you and your friends could take turns setting the rules / guidelines.
