Jams are a fun and important part of the Festival experience. And rest assured, the schedule for the Colorado Dulcimer Festival has several jams planned to occur throughout the Festival, but especially on Friday night, 9:30 – 11:00 p.m.
Don’t worry about your skill level—there will be jams for all level players, from Beginner to Advanced. And if you’ve never participated in a jam, there will be a “Jams for Beginner” workshop to help you learn the basics.
To help you plan ahead a little, here are some tunes that will be played at the following Jams:
- HD Beginning Jam: Angeline the Baker, Southwind, Wildwood Flower
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HD Intermediate Jam: Swinging on the Gate, Andy de Jarlis Jig, Schottishe du Stockfish
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MD Beginning Jam: Angeline the Baker, Cluck Old Hen, John Stenson’s #2
Sheet music for tunes specifically identified for playing in this year’s Festival can be accessed from Jam Tunes. From there you can print out pdf files for the tunes and practice them before the Festival happens. We’re not talking “performance ready”—just “Jam ready.” Get “good enough” that you can play them with other people, but without music.
For sheet music for other commonly-played jam tunes, as well as guidelines, and other jamming resources, go to Jam Tunes & Resources.
The Jams will be conducted in the true oral tradition spirit—without written music—and your teacher will help you play the tunes you know, learn the tunes in the context of the Jam, or play chords when you don’t know the tune. It’s a different way of playing than with music, very freeing, and we’re thrilled to be passing these skills along to you.
Bring your instruments and your adventurous spirit, a few songs to suggest, and Voila! Instant jam!
