Musicians participating in a jam co-operate to create music and have fun. Sometimes this can be tricky, because by its very nature a jam is an event that happens on the fly.

There is no one set of rules that fits all jams, and not even all bluegrass jams. Here are three good online articles about jam etiquette which you may find helpful:

If you've looked at these, you'll see that there is quite a bit of variation between them. What's common, though, is that the participants in the jam should treat each other with respect and that everyone should be given a chance to participate.

Sometimes the location or circumstances of the jam control what happens. A jam at someone's home, or a series of sessions organized by the same host, for example, may have specific rules set by the host which everyone follows. Jams at campsites at a festival, where there are several going on at the same time, may end up being sorted by speed or skill level, or with some being mostly instrumental and others all singing, as people wander from place to place and stop where they feel they will fit in.

Jamming at the club - the Circle Jam

At a venue like our club meetings, where the numbers and participants in the jam vary a lot, the most effective type of jam is the circle jam. Here's how that works, and some general etiquette:

• Circle jams don't generally need a leader, but sometimes one person will help keep the process moving if there are participants who don't know what to do.
• The jam begins when one person names a tune and a key, waits a moment for capos, and begins a song or an instrumental. The person who starts the tune usually calls the breaks, unless he or she asks someone else to do it. Other singers join in on the chorus of a song and/or add harmonies if they know the lyrics.
• As the tune comes near the end of a section, most often a chorus, it's time for a break. The leader will look directly at one of the other players and may also call out a name or an instrument; this is a request for an instrumental break. If not prepared play a break, the player should not make eye contact, or if they do, indicate with a small head shake as soon as possible, so that the leader can choose someone else.
• Breaks are usually done to the chords of the verse. If the leader wants something else, that should be mentioned beforehand. Everyone who wants to should be given a chance to play a break; the simplest way to do this is to go around the circle. It's okay to have more than one break between verses, or two split a break between two players.. Occasionally, if the circle is just too big, it may not be practical to include everyone every time, but then those left out should be sure to be included in the next tune.
• Once the first song or tune is over, the lead passes around the circle, and each person either leads a tune or declines. The process starts over again.

Etiquette for players in a circle jam

• Tune up before you step into the circle. Tune again between songs if you need to. If you need to retune after a song has started (and you're not leading it!), don't interrupt the song – step away for a moment.
• If you want a break during the song, look directly at the singer as the chorus of the song ends (smiling is always good...); if not, don't. Now is your chance to show off! Play something of your choice that fits with the rhythm and chords - it doesn't have to be fancy.
• When another participant is singing or playing a break, adjust the volume of your instrument so that the lyrics or break can be heard. Play something that doesn't interfere, such as a gentle rhythm, a soft repetitive roll or chop, or long slow notes, depending on your instrument. In particular, avoid playing the melody of the tune.
• When playing or singing along with something you know particularly well, resist the temptation to move into the circle and face the tune leader. Blocking other players' view of the leader with your back is rarely a good idea.
• A few comments between tunes are acceptable, for example while tuning is going on, but don't make others wait while you tell long stories, etc. Most people are in the circle to play. If you feel the need to have a conversation while the music is going on, move away from the circle so that you don't distract the players.

Leading a song or tune

• When it's your turn, either have a song or tune in mind or pass.
• When choosing a song or tune, consider the others in the circle; if you start up a tune from an unfamiliar genre, or with complex chord progressions, or in an unusual key (unless there's a good reason for it), you may not get the participation you were expecting.
• Choose a song that you can sing or play reasonably well. Be sure to say what key the song is in and give its name.
• Indicate a specific person when calling a break; try to give a few seconds notice; this takes some experience, so don't worry if you don't get everything to work smoothly at first - everyone's been there.

Show respect for others, whatever their skill level

• Overheard at a jam session (not at our club, thank heavens!): "When those yahoos that don't know what they're doing try to join a jam I'm in, I just start up a fast tune in A flat with nine or ten chords, and they don't hang around long."

Written by Anne Delong - others may have differing opinions!