The Joy of Jamming: Why Playing Guitar Should be Part of Every Musician’s Life.
The guitar is the most iconic instrument in the world of music, and for good reason. From blues masters to rock gods and folk troubadours, the guitar has made its mark on virtually every genre imaginable. It’s also one of the most accessible instruments in the world, with models and accessories available for all levels of players, from complete beginners to seasoned guitarists. So why would anyone choose not to learn how to play guitar? There’s only one answer: because they don’t know the joy of jamming.
Jamming is the art of playing guitar alongside other musicians in an improvisational, spontaneous fashion. It’s the heart and soul of playing guitar, and it’s something that all guitarists should strive to do. That’s because, despite the almost unbeatable feeling of playing a rock song on your own, nothing compares to the sense of ecstasy that comes from jamming out with like-minded people. So why should every musician strive to learn the beauty of the guitar? Here’s why.
First and foremost, guitar jams are incredibly fun. When you’re jamming with others, you get to put your improvisational skills to use and create music in the moment. There’s no need to sit in a practice room for hours on end, just turn on the amplifier and let your creativity take over. Every jam session will be different and you’ll never know what might happen—it could be an epic improvisation or a train wreck of notes.
Second, playing guitar in a jam is often a great way to pick up useful techniques and concepts that you may have no experience with. When you play with other musicians, you can learn from their techniques and get inspired by their playing. For example, if you’re playing blues, you might pick up a few licks that another guitar player throws in, or if you’re playing rock, you might learn some power chords that weren’t part of your repertoire. Learning other people’s techniques and applying them to your playing will help you become a more well-rounded musician.
Third, the more guitarists you play with the better your timing will become. When you play with another guitarist, you’ll quickly learn to play in time with them without having to think about it. This is an invaluable skill for any musician, and it doesn’t take much practice to get the hang of it. So if you want to perfect your timing, the best way to do it is to jam with another guitarist.
And lastly, guitar jam sessions can help you build relationships and foster connections. While jamming is a great way to practice and learn new techniques, it is also a great way to make friends and form musical connections. When you get to know other musicians, you can help each other improve and grow as musicians, collaborate on writing songs, and build a lifelong friendship.
At the end of the day, jamming may seem intimidating at first, but it’s actually incredibly enjoyable and important for a musician’s development. Regardless of whether you play blues, rock, folk or funk, jamming will help you hone your skills and give you the opportunity to really express yourself as a musician. So if you want to develop as a guitarist and have fun, it’s time to start jamming. Who knows, you just might find yourself in the middle of an epic performance of the blues, rock or funk masterpieces that we all know and love.