Harry Potter The Moives

Rhythm: For every good guitar jam track online, there are tons of mediocre ones. One of the biggest reasons for this is that many of them lack an interesting rhythmic component. They consist of a simple power chord progression that really doesn't give you much to build your phrases/solos off of. Also, many of these jam tracks have the same rhythm the whole track. They don't even give you an opportunity to change your phrasing by presenting you with several rhythmic variations. When deciding how valuable a guitar jam track is, rhythmic complexity should be an important factor.

A unique melody is a crucial component of any jam track. Obviously, the point of guitar jam tracks is that they are devoid of a lead guitar track or at least have plenty of space over top of the guitar track(s) that is there for the player to construct their solos/musical phrases over. With this being said, having some sort of melody in the track is important. It allows the player to hear how what they are playing interacts with the nuances of the melody(s) of the track. Their improvisation can then consist of responses to this melody and not just phrases with no melodic context. The end result being a much more complex and interesting jam.

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.

The thing to strive for when picking jam tracks is to look for tracks that are in a different style then you would normally play. That way you will be forced to get out of your comfort zone and as a result, will grow as a musician. Always playing in the same key or style is a surefire way to get yourself into a playing rut. The key to developing your own style and improvisational voice is to experience as many different styles and rhythms as you can. Doing this may introduce you to a style/key/mode that you would never even have thought of yourself and it might even become a staple of your own style. Just remember that as far as jam tracks are concerned, different/unique is good.

To help ensure you get the most out of a jam track, look for one that is recorded well. Sound quality is key because you need to be able to hear the subtle details of the track to best understand the rhythm and melody of the piece. Once you can hear and understand these, you can work on composing more interesting phrases and solos. None of which is possible if the jam track was recorded poorly. As well, the tones of the instruments and the dynamics captured play a large role in creating a good jam track.