International Cinema Festival of India

The reason most guitar jam tracks are not great is that they don’t have a cool rhythm. It’s hard to build phrases/solos when the track is just a power chord progression. In many of these, the whole track has the exact same rhythm as well. You aren’t even presented with an opportunity to change your phrasing because you aren’t given any rhythmic variations. Clearly, rhythm is a key factor when evaluating a guitar jam track.

One of the key elements of a good guitar jam track is a well thought out melody. This melody can’t take up all the musical space above the bass, but it should offer a more interesting upper voice to the track. The benefit of having a clear melody is that the player can hear the subtle interactions of their phrases with the melody. This can lead to a more interesting and fulfilling jam because there is a vocal quality to the leads. There is definite call and response characteristics and this puts what the guitarist is playing into more of a muscial context rather then just playing notes.

Length is a much bigger factor in determining the value of a guitar jam track then many people give it credit for. There is nothing more annoying then being in the middle of your best jam ever and having to stop because the track has ended. Yes, you can loop the track, but those that have been in this situation will understand what I mean when I say that it’s not the same. An ideal length is between 3-5 minutes. That way it’s not to short, but also not long enough that by the end you’re relieved that it’s over.

If you always pick jam tracks that are different then the style you usually play, you are giving yourself more opportunity to grow as a player. The reason for this is that they can force you to confront a key/mode/style you are not fully comfortable with and as a result you have to learn it. Not doing this is the reason you may be in a rut. The more you experience, the more tools you have when it comes to developing your own style. You may even come across a sound that you love but might never have found had you not done this.

A poorly recorded jam track is not worth much. If you can’t hear the small nuances of the composition, you are wasting your time. Using jam tracks is supposed to be fun and help you learn, but the worse the recording is, the harder it is for you to do either. This also goes for the dynamics of the tracks and the effects of the instruments. The more detail you can hear from the track, the more you will hear when your playing is over top.

At my blog Guitar Jam Tracks HQ, I have lots of great information about jam tracks and also links to other great pointers. Visit my page to get free guitar lessons and playing tips.