First, a little “research” is in order
If you haven’t already done so, check out the Santa Cruz JamShops Meetup page. This is the longest-running JamShop group. Make sure you read the JamShop Overview on that site. It will give you a good overview of the JamShop from a participant’s perspective.
By the way, notice that this group is hosted by Meetup.com. This paid service makes organizing and scheduling JamShops and classes much easier. We will help you set up your own Meetup page, and the ToneWay Project will pay for the service as long as the group remains active (as determined by the amount of activity on the Meetup page). Your group will also be linked from on ToneWay.com.
The “How and Why” of the JamShop
We have refined the structure of the JamShop to give the optimal experience for the new and growing musician. Like our home page says, our success rests on the three pillars of Method, Repertoire, and Community.
Method
JamShops require is little (if any) explicit “instruction.” The goal is not to teach people music! JamShops are a way to learn through doing—on-the-job training, in other words. In fact, “teaching” in a JamShop often does more harm than good! All the jammers need to do is play, play, play… to consolidate what they already know cognitively until it becomes second nature.
That said, sometimes a jam coach will need to answer questions like what chords are being played, how to take breaks, etc. In these situations, jam coaches must comprehend and follow the “ToneWay way.” That means using the 1-4-5 system for chords, a Picking Pattern-based approach to playing melodies (as opposed to tablature and so on), etc.
Why? In the JamShop’s “learn through doing” environment, consistency is essential to avoid misunderstandings and the ensuing loss of confidence and cohesion. Introducing anything else will only complicate things; mixing paradigms confuses and dilutes.
If you’re not yet familiar with the ToneWay Method, we recommend both a) ordering Get Started Plus: Core Songs Edition, and b) watching the free online workshop video.
