Social Music OTSjam

Read about Social Music By Ian Young.  This monthly, daytime jam focuses on singing and playing acoustic instruments, while the Sunday OTSjam Old Time String Band jam focuses mostly on fiddle tunes or banjo led tunes.

Basic Guidelines for the Social Jam OTS Jam

1. We all sit in a circle and we all get a turn as we move around it clockwise.

2. The host/emcee leads the first song or chooses the first person to lead a song.

3. When it’s your turn you can choose whether to a) lead a song, b) ask anyone else to lead a song, or c) pass.   

Choosing or passing should be done without a lot of delay or negotiation with others.  The host/emcee will move the turn if choosing takes too much time.

When you are leading a song, you are in command of the song’s five elements– tempo, rhythm, key, melody, form, and you are responsible for starting and stopping the song. No one else should step in unless you ask for help.

4. Beyond those five elements, which are up to the song’s leader, do whatever you please. Listen, be nice, and have fun!