From: bogul@nospambog.net   
      
   LOL... U guys still going at it?   
      
   I went to my town's bluegrass jam last night. 1 acoustic bass, 1 elec   
   bass, 1 banjo, 5 acoustic guitars(why I took up other instruments), 1   
   elec guitar, one 8-string dobro(old fella who appeard to be a old time   
   steel player), one accordian, 1 fiddle, 2 mandolins(myself being 1) and   
   one 6-string dobro(me when my fingers got sore from mando).   
      
   The "jam" is mostly run by whoever is willing to start the most songs. As   
   such there are several "old tyme" country lovers who dominate the   
   selection. I've learned to just insert myself here and there with a song   
   that I can fit on one page. I'm the youngest usually by a good 20 years   
   or so... although last night there were a couple of younger observers.   
      
   What most of these "jams" need is a plain paper projector and a screen.   
   That way any song totin dude can show up, plop down his song and at least   
   everyone else can see the changes. Otherwise you have to rely on scanning   
   the nearest guitar who does have a view and follow him or rely on your   
   ear... but since I can rarely hear my own instrment that is problematic   
   as well.   
      
   While I don't have all the issues AM has with the jam setup... I do find   
   that folks generally just play to loudly. And depending upon the   
   arrangement, it means that they can't hear the "tempo keeping"   
   instruments. This of course means that the song breaks down at some point   
   leaving most player to have to stop... look confused... and rejoin when   
   whoever is singing starts back up.   
      
   So I find myself at several points in the evening just doing the   
   proverbial mandolin chop to try to establish some sense of tempo. This is   
   usually in vain. But, my chop is improving.... :)   
      
   Through all the various frustrations of the evening, I've learned to   
   simply view it as an excercise in patience and human nature as much as it   
   is about music. I made a few contacts which expressed the desire to hook   
   up and play in a smaller environment where folks could actually hear what   
   they were playing and work on songs... perhaps the best use of such   
   events.   
      
   bogul   
      
   Feeling free to express myself beyond the conventional norms of spelling   
   and grammar and the egotistical use of those norms to bully and   
   intimidate folks.   
      
      
   "Lane Gray, Czar Castic"  wrote in   
   news:opsrzw7kll8955ol@stylgar:   
      
   > On Mon, 6 Jun 2005 21:42:47 -0600, AM  wrote:   
   >   
   >>>   
   >>> Don't tell me, you're the sort of person who'd take up a job as a   
   >>> cook  at   
   >>> an Italian restaurant, then complained your creativity was being   
   >>> stifled because they wouldn't let you cook General Tso's Chicken.   
   >>   
   >> All I know is that if Jesus, Himself wanted to blow a litte shofar at   
   >>  any of   
   >> these so-called contemporary American open stages - - - He'd end up   
   >> overturning the mixers of the mother-fuckin' moneychangers.   
   >>   
   > Only to the extent that the open stages happened in churches.   
   >   
   > What a pity.  The group gets a new troll, and he's not even fun.  And   
   > won't address points raised at him.   
   >   
   >   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)