Toronto Guitar Meetup

The Toronto Guitar School is holding our monthly Open Jam night for musicians of every instrument. Normally held on the second Friday or every month this month due to Thanksgiving it will be held one week after Thanksgiving Weekend (Oct 10-13th). Open to all ages and levels of players.

This time we will have 2 open stages. One for late beginner / early intermediate and one for intermediate and advanced singers and instrumentalists. Each stage will have a mimimum of 2 instructors facilitating the jam. Also we will have limits for each type of instrument so please R.V.S.P. in advance to avoid dissappointment.

ABOUT THE TORONTO GUITAR SCHOOL'S JAM NIGHTS

Due to our location, right in the heart of the biggest music scene in the country, as well as our access to top of the line equipment for performance and recording, the Toronto Guitar School is uniquely positioned to offer incredible jamming opportunities for the Toronto music community. The Toronto Guitar School also has been running our highly popular Rock Band and Ensemble program for over 10 years.

If you are new to our Open Jam Nights please arrive early (10-15 mins prior / 5:45 PM) so we can assess your skill level and musical interests in order to place you with musicians of similar skill level and stylistic preference. A brief audition ensures that you are matched with like-minded and amicable band members so that no time is wasted playing in a group that is either too basic or advanced for you. Our Open Jams occur on a monthly basis at our facility for the nominal fee of $10 for Toronto Guitar School or Mint Music Members and $15 for those not connected with the school. The jam is very well organized and runs a total of 2 hours in multiple rooms that are perfectly outfitted with everything you will need to rehearse and make great music together.

OPEN JAM SCHEDULE

6:00 PM – Orientation and Auditions. For those who have already attended our Open Jams or participated in our Band program you can immediately proceed to our band rehearsal rooms and start jamming with others.

8:00 PM – Open Jam ends

INSTRUCTOR INVOLVEMENT

The bands that are formed in our open jam nights are intended to function in a self-directed fashion with people sharing the chair for certain instruments (i.e. guitar and bass) so that everyone gets a chance to play. For ease of convenience we have binders with music charts for each specific instrument (e.g. piano, guitar, bass, drums, voice, saxophone, trumpet, ukulele etc.) to make it easier to play the tunes together. We are constantly updating and improving our song lists so if there is a piece you think should be added to our rehearsal binder please let us know and we will do our best to add it in time for the next session.

While music instructors will be present at the jam, they are not there to direct the Open Jam, assign songs, or any other heavy handed roles. Instructors are present at the event in case that a musician or band should want advice or assistance and to make sure things run smoothly without technical glitches or any other major issues.

WHAT IT COSTS

If you are already a student of Mint Music or The Toronto Guitar School the discounted rate for the Open Jam is $10. This amount is paid upfront before you enter any of our three rehearsal rooms. Each participant gets a wrist band and can stay as little or as long as they like. You will find that we have many people participating in our jam nights so please bring exact change to speed up the payment process. If you are not a student of Mint Music or the Toronto Guitar School the Open Jam will cost $15. This fee helps go to covering the cost of the rooms, upkeep of equipment, and instructor fees for the evening.

WHO CAN PLAY?

Our Open Jam is accessible to all ages. Our band program is primarily geared to adults but if you are a teen we do have a teen band so please contact the school office in advance so we can be sure to connect you to other teens your age at the jam.

PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES

The Toronto Guitar School is proud to organize three live band showcases each year open to our students. A full PA, backline, and sound engineer are provided by the school, again at no extra cost to participants. Our last major showcase was held at the Jazz Bistro in Toronto. Some of our bands even pursue their own performance opportunities outside of the school’s involvement.

RECORDING OPPORTUNITIES

The Toronto Guitar School features a top of the line recording studio that bands can use to record demos, and bands have also used our facilities to record professional music videos.