Portland Casual Jams (for Musicians and Singers)

Build a Song Workshop is a fun, challenging exercise in creating a new song from scratch with a group of musicians. We are NOT looking to invent the wheel, or reinvent it, our only goal is to effectively complete a full song within a 2.5 hour session.

Sometimes the heart of creativity is best accessed by jumping into the deep end and just going for it. When time is of the essence, this approach can be especially helpful.

Each session will begin with a randomly chosen prompt or phrase that will get briefly discussed by that week’s participants. A short improv jamming period will follow, helping us define verse and chorus structures. Participants will be encouraged to improvise vocals during this period to begin laying the foundation of lyrics and song direction.

Midway through the session, participants will split into two separate groups to focus on musical development and lyric writing respectively. After the separation period and a short break, all participants will reconvene and work on merging the music and lyrics/vocals together for the remainder of the time.

Come unleash your creativity with fellow musicians in a safe, welcoming, inclusive environment. Please note that this is a very participatory event recommended for people with intermediate music playing skills and some previous experience in songwriting is advised. This is not a songwriting class.

Please show up 15 minutes before jam start time to help us get sound levels set for instruments and mics so we can start the jam promptly at 4:30p. Thanks

NOTE: In the new CJ Studio, all amplified musicians will go through the mixing board/PA. Amps are not allowed, but you may bring pedals to plug into our in-studio amp modelers. For the Build a Song jam, we strongly recommend you bring an acoustic guitar vs electric unless you are very likely to play lead parts. In fact, there is almost always an overabundance of guitars so please consider another instrument if you are able.

Sessions are limited to 10 participants.

Want to start playing lead with others, but you aren't yet comfortable with more complex songs or keys?

Still getting comfortable with amplification and leads, and need songs that are predictable and comfortable?

These sessions aim to be more akin to 'campfire sessions', easy to follow along, and simple to join in.

Musicians with electric instruments, please arrive 15-30 minutes ahead of the event start time for setup.

These sessions specifically allow our friends to play leads and have fun exploring their instrument, with songs that are iconically easy to jam along with.

Simple blues songs, blues-rock, slower country and folk songs, and campfire songs would all be appropriate. Cowboy chords, sticking to one sharp or flat, and repetitive, simple patterns are the order of the day.

We'll be selecting from a VERY-limited list of simpler songs (instead of our normal library of over 2k options), to help us focus on having more fun nailing down the instrumental sections. Most Beatles songs won't make the cut, but some Tom Petty songs will!

What's more fun than trying ANY song, possibly in ways you've never thought of? This jam is focused on making music with an open mind, excited and adventurous, where we promise not to refuse any request we make of each other!

Musicians with electric instruments, please arrive 15-30 minutes ahead of the event start time for setup.

The Studio is a digital sound stage where we plug directly into the stage itself! Amps aren't required, but if you wish to bring tone control of your own, feel free! Please do not adjust the sensitive equipment yourself, but instead simply ask for a sound-person to mute the appropriate channels and then assist you.

You can't do it wrong if you're making it up yourselves!

Our improv jams are a chance to improvise both lyrics and melodies together over simple chord changes. We all try to make space for each other to create 8 to 12 minute improvised vamps, together.

The Studio is a digital sound stage where we plug directly into the stage itself! Amps aren't required, but if you wish to bring tone control of your own, feel free! Please do not adjust the sensitive equipment yourself, but instead simply ask for a sound-person to mute the appropriate channels and then assist you.