In this video
Fraser and Tom take over the second half of the Monday live stream for something a little different: a live guitar and drums jam session that doubles as a practical guide to jamming with other musicians for the first time.
The session opens with a blues jam to get things going, then Fraser and Tom share their top tips on how to prepare for a jam before diving into songs.
Fraser's top three preparation tips are:
Know your role — are you playing rhythm, lead, or mixing between the two? Find out who else is in the room before you show up
Have a jam-ready repertoire — five to ten songs you know well enough to play loose and in the moment, not necessarily note perfect
Know your keys — having a working knowledge of the Nashville number system (one, four, five) means you can respond if someone calls a key change on the fly
Tom adds: check your gear works before you arrive, keep eye contact with your bandmates, play with confidence and above all have fun.
Songs jammed live include:
A blues jam in E — the opening session, using the one, four, five and demonstrating how dynamics, palm muting and eye contact between players communicate changes without words
Hey Joe by Hendrix — used to demonstrate how to keep time without a drummer, how to use your foot to stay locked in, and how percussive guitar playing can substitute for a kick and snare
Sweet Child O Mine — mixing rhythm and lead through the verse and chorus, with a good moment on starting the tempo slightly slower than you think you need to
Stand By Me (Oasis version) — a deliberately unrehearsed run through that perfectly illustrates what happens when you don't know a song well enough, and why it is fine to put a song down and come back to it
The session ends with an honest debrief on what worked, what didn't and why: how to recover when you go out of time, why getting into the zone comes from playing repeatable things you know confidently, and why mistakes in a jam are part of the process.
Andy's Open Mic Night Stream
Before Tom and Fraser took over, Andy streamed for an hour sharing his tips on getting ready for your first open mic night. Watch it here!