Basics of Jamming?

I wanna get into jamming to songs, most primitive yet effective way this guy taught me a while ago was knowing the key of a song and using scales in the same key. This kinda limits when I want to jam, cause I'm trying to find out the key (physically searching books, scores on the Net etc). So I got bored and got disinterested for a while till now...

Is there a little easier way or formula in jamming? Or do I have to go thru that "spend hours just jamming away experimenting with tons of scales till I develope that beasty instincts" routine like many other players, to get good at it?

Well, when we say you should "figure out the key of the song" you don't need to do that by looking it up. After practice, you can determine the key of a song by ear. If you play some notes over a song, say A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and all of the notes sound good except for the B, you try a Bb instead. If that sounds good, then what do you have? F major or D minor. Basically when jamming you experiment a little to hear the key of the song and work from there. I can pick up the key of a song within seconds nowadays (but that's after years of practice).

Originally posted by TheDirt
but that's after years of practice

I see practice leads to beasty instincts :cool:

Andy, quite funny. no more comment for me. Experiment being paid!

Andy82, quite funny. No comment from me. Experiment while being paid is a great teacher. As for practising, practise and play to what you hear. Radio, TV, CD, DVD, tape, cars, trains, busses and boats passing by your house, any and everything. You'll be surprised.

Man, what's all this key stuff and scales in rock. The key is either E, A, or F# and then just lay down its respective minor scale ontop of all the chord changes. If it's major (haha right) take the root note and go down 3 frets from it and play that minor scale, it'll work.

If you don't know what key a tune is in, play the first chord in the chorus. That's the key. Then pound that chords minor scale over top of everything. boom.

Well well... I thought there might be easier way fo finding out the key and jamming along with it. I always did try to do the following...
e.g. sit down figure out the stuff (took a while..)
or just go my instincts and play what feels right (sounds okay but seems to be like guessing the answer)

well i'll have time after the exams to fix this prob..

The last chord in the song is the key tone 90% of the time. The only time it isn't is if it's jazz, where they tend to end on a chord other than the tonic. Or some weird "incomplete' effect. Most music will end by returning to the tonic chord because it sounds like home, giving the movement a sense of completeness.

Watch the first chord in the chorus, alot of times this is true but there are songs that will change keys for the chorus. Usually relative keys, so if the verse is in A minor the chorus might be in C major.

Doesn't seem like an issue but it's a good idea to keep the tonic note in mind while jamming because it's a goal in music to get there at some point. Ending a A minor sequence on C will sound off.

Listening and feeling is the most important thing in music.

If your having trouble figuring out chord progressions and keys to songs by ear, try another appraoch.........learn the theory of where chords come from, how they relate to each other, and how scales apply to chords. It isn't really all that difficult, and it will train your ear to hear progressions and identify keys. A little knowledge will get you a long way.

As far as what your teacher showed you before as being too limiting......it takes time to be a good improvisor. The problem I find with most students is that they want to run before they can walk. This sense of over eagerness usually leads to frustration. I find there are 3 steps in utilizing a scale successfully, 1) you must 1st technically master the scale on the fretboard, you must be able to play through the scale at a decent speed without being able to think about where your fingers go. 2) You must be able to hear the scale. If you can sing the scale, you can hear the scale. 3) Being able to identify where the sounds or "licks" are within the scale that you are hearing within your head.

Be patient, it is a neverending learning process. Knowledge is the key for expanding your musical vocabulary. Lessons do work. Try out different teachers until you find one that suites your needs, save your "beasty instincts" for your girlfriend.

Thats the **** I was looking for, thanks for the good pointers. I know, I want to "run" all the time and in the process I miss out the essentials.

Originally posted by chris mood
save your "beasty instincts" for your girlfriend.

Dont worry mate, I've got that one already covered :) I guess what I wanted to say was.. developing like a sixth sense for the music.

Thanks again for the tips.