Acoustic Jam Classes - Naperville area

Unfortunately, with life changes and the pandemic, I’m not doing classes. We are spending time with my wife’s dad out of town and if I get a few weeks in Naperville, I will try and get a class going. Sorry, I had a blast doing these and want to do them again. Keep practicing, step out and try a jam group if you can.

An intimate look at the stringing process

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Introduction to Mastering the Jam

Between my wife's retirement (which is a good thing) and Covid (which is a bad thing), my ability to find time to hold a Mastering the Jam class went up in smoke. So I thought I would try to put some of the concepts on paper. Yeah, it isn't going to be as good as in person, but when it doesn't make sense, you can email me and we can chat about it. I break this course down into bite size pieces and normally we play a lot. Unfortunately, that doesn't work here on even online.

First about me: I've been playing for a very long time but not in jams until about seven years ago. I wanted to, I really wanted to, I really didn't know who or where to go, what to do. A friend of mine told me he was yelled at for not following some unwritten protocol. Finally through an acquaintance, I went to a jam. I stood in the back and played softly, kept my head down and somehow got through it. Importantly, I was greeted and encouraged, so in the end it was...fun? Kinda, sorta. But I felt I could go back and I did. Which led to more events and more and different environments.

I've tried to help people get into a jam frame of mind, to make people comfortable at least enough to know you are not going to be yelled at, to know the unwritten etiquette of jams. And how to not look like a noob. Unlike the professional musicians that teach this stuff, I was there. I was a true noob, I remember being scared, I remember not wanting to play too loud or to know enough to not embarrass myself. These posts are to cover as much as I can without being in a room with you all. So lets begin. Oh, I'm pretty sure it will be fun.

Hey friends, Man, life can throw some rotten fruit at ya some times. My wife retired a couple of years ago. She wanted to travel, see the kids, see her dad, see things. In order to do a good jam class, I needed six weeks with maybe a week off between sessions somewhere, but it never worked out. Now, we aren't traveling at all and there is no way to get a group together to play. I don't think this can be done on Zoom correctly. I think I'm going to write up some jam group ideas and put them here. It isn't going to replace getting together.

Keep playing, if you play with others, keep safe, keep a mask up as much as you can.

This will be over someday.

If I can help you in anyway, drop me a note at [email protected]. I got time to talk about music.

Keep on rocking and grassing and folking out there.

I'll have to remember this one! ;)

Looking at possibilities for next year's Mastering the Jam. If you are interested, drop me a DM or an email at [email protected]. I have to look at our schedule etc but I'd love to have one.

If you have an interest in my class but aren't sure if you 'good enough', 'too good', 'not sure you can play in front of others', 'don't know the chords', and on and on, here is an idea. Just sign up. At the end of the first class, you decide if you want to continue. I suspect you are 'good enough', 'not too good', 'can play with your new friends', 'know enough chords' and on and on. Try it, you might love it.

I'm starting up a Mastering the Jam class starting in October and running though early December. It will be six weeks. The dates will be Oct 21, Nov 4, 11, 18 and then Dec 2 and 9 (missing Oct 28 and Nov 25 (thanksgiving weekend). They will be held at Tobias Music in Downers Grove in their performance space from 2pm to 5pm. The cost will be $120 for the six weeks.

Mastering the Jam is a easy introduction to playing in a group on about any style for any acoustic instrument. We will be playing every week. The goal of the class is to make you ready to walk into most jams and feel comfortable about playing.

For more info, DM me here or email me at [email protected].

If you've ever wanted to play in a back yard get together or jam, this will get you started.

Hey all. As summer rolls down, thinking of starting up the Mastering the Jam class. This would get you ready to join any jam group and play. It would probably be Sunday afternoon starting in September. Let me know if you are interested or if you need more details, email me at rharrington1219 @ gmail.com.

Sorry to all, but no more classes this Spring or Summer. We will see how Fall works out.

When I started these classes, I really felt that people would like an extension of the first introduction class to polish the rougher edges off and then go off into the jam world. I really enjoy doing these classes, but this year is rougher for me that usual. I have accomplished most of my goals as well as expanded my music book with you all.

That said, I'd love to start up an introduction to Jamming class, somewhere. Tobias Music is a great place, but unfortunately with the School of Rock right in front, it is impossible to hold classes during the week there. So if you know of a place that can hold 10 people comfortably and had light, heat, bathrooms etc, I'm willing to talk to them about a class. Let me know.

What makes my sessions different? I'm a jammer and I want to make more jammers. My classes are about making you comfortable in a big jam, small jam, backyard jam, a few friends with guitars jam. I'm not interested in making you performers. If there is interest, I'd do that, but frankly there are way more opportunities to play with friends and strangers than on stage.