VIDEO: The Answer teach you how to jam

An exclusive jam session captured on camera

Total Guitar (The Answer/Chris Bird), Tue 17 Nov 2009, 10:26 am UTC

When Total Guitar joined The Answer recently at a pre-gig jam session, we watched them write a song before our very eyes.

A high level of musicianship is key here, but simple communication skills are also vital. While they might not sound like 'skills' exactly, maintaining eye contact and nodding at your bandmates to let them know your screaming solo is about to end will help keep you together.

It's communication like this that will help guarantee you a productive jam session and a good vibe onstage – as well as helping you find the best time and space to improvise.

Three-chord riffing

The riff from The Answer's improvised song is made up of three simple chords: E5, D5 and A5. This shows that great riffs don't necessarily require massive technical ability.

Guitarist Paul Mahon and bassist Micky Waters quickly came up with their riff by adding two or three extra notes to these basic chord shapes. Check out the tab in Example 1 and you'll be able to see how Paul uses the basic E, D and A chord shapes to produce his riff.

A key part of the creative process in jam sessions is developing your riffs into new parts – this helps your song evolve. A simple approach is to repeat your initial idea in a new key (transposing into a new key), but this usually sounds quite repetitive.

Instead, try to create a textural change by altering the rhythm, introducing new chords, adding an effect or even playing a solo. After their initial riff, Paul and Micky improvised two new powerchord sections, as shown in Examples 2 and 3. Finally, Paul makes up a solo on the spot. You'll probably find that most of your jam sessions will include solos like this, and while they're great fun, they're not all that productive.

When you're rehearsing an improvised solo section, stop and listen carefully to the rest of the band – it's important that your solos sound good with the backing. You can even use the notes from the chords in your solo.