The Fukuoka Sessions Project is an ongoing jam session project that seeks to assemble together adventurous and open-minded musicians of all nationalities for friendly music-making. Anybody can join, all it takes is courage!
The sessions take place almost every month (some months we take a break) at different band rehearsal studios located around Tenjin, Fukuoka. The session date, time, location, and (if applicable) theme is announced in advance, and session group members can reply back as to whether or not they will be able to participate. Prior to the session date members can make announcements and/or share information and ideas, such as suggest songs that they want to play at the session, make requests for special accommodations like instrument rentals, indicate to others that they will be bringing special instruments, etc.
The session itself typically lasts 3 hours. Of course people are free to take breaks anytime. The people who come to the session and the instruments that are brought are different each time so no two sessions are the same.
After each session there is an optional "afterparty," which allows session members to go out together for a little camaraderie, drinking, and merriment.
Who can participate in the sessions?
Essentially anyone can participate. Technique/skill and jamming experience is always good to have, but open-mindedness, perseverance, and a willingness to just try things out is essential. All instrument types are welcome, and multi-instrumentalists (or people simply willing to switch instrument(s) occasionally) are especially welcome. Nationality doesn't matter, of course.
Do I have to speak English to take part in the session?
English is NOT a requirement, nor is Japanese. Both languages are spoken at the sessions.
What sorts of people come to the sessions?
The participants vary from session to session. There are regulars who come, and new people often show up. The ages are wide ranging with the majority of participants being in their mid-20's to late-30's, although there are a few participants in their 50's who are "young at heart". In terms of skill, there are "virtuosos" as well as novices. There is also an eclectic mix of Japanese nationals and foreigners.
What sorts of music do you play?
Unless a specific theme is specified (e.g. folk, hip hop, Christmas, etc.) all musical genres are up for grabs, and typically many different musical styles are covered over the course of a jam. We play covers, originals, and improvised material too. What is played depends entirely on who shows up. And that really is a key point: because the players and instrumentation change with each jam there is a certain element of uncertainty or "chaos" at the jams. You really have to embrace that uncertainty and just go with the flow. In any case, each person at a session will have a chance(s) to start, or "lead", a jam, so you can use such opportunities to play any particular cover or style of music that you wish.
We started a You Tube channel where you can listen to some of the tracks we've performed: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsLtea8HelHSIiXpDBNXq_Q
What is the flow for the sessions?
After entering the studio each person claims a space for themselves--and maybe an stool, amp, or a microphone--and begins tuning their instrument and setting up their gear (e.g. effects pedals, bongo drums, etc.). When everybody is about ready we perform a sound check (we try to record all the songs that we play for posterity). The setup process takes about 20 minutes. After that we start the session. We try to play anything that anybody suggests--although not necessarily well--and each person is afforded the opportunity to start an individual jam. Typically, a few people will switch or share instruments during the course of the jam, sometimes playing instruments that they don't normally play or are unfamiliar with. We wrap up the session 15 or so minutes prior to the session end time. After cleanup is over we head out to the "afterparty" location for drinking a merriment.
What should I do to prepare for a jam?
First of all, you should have an instrument of some sort, unless you are a singer. Secondly, you should probably know how to play the instrument that you possess. If you don't, you should probably practice.
While technical skill with an instrument can be improved by practicing at home, unfortunately "jamming skill" is not as straightforward. While not easy to define, being a good at jamming probably involves having a high level of peripheral awareness, listening ability, and musical intuition. In other words, being able to hear what other people are doing in a jam, anticipate the transitions and and changes, adapt what you are playing when appropriate, and sometimes taking the lead and changing the direction of a song. I've known a number of highly skilled musicians who are terrible at jamming. As you can probably imagine, proficiency at jamming can only be improved by jamming with other musicians.
If there is any particular song or cover that you want to play, you can put out a request on the Fukuoka Session Project Facebook Group. All session members of the group will see your request. To to receive a link to the Facebook Group simply write us a message via the contact form and introduce yourself.
If you bring copies of guitar tabs or other documentation indicating the key/chords/etc to the jam, it will greatly help other people play your song.
What does the session cost? / What is included in the studio?
The studio rental fee can be anywhere between 5200 and 6800 yen depending on the size and quality of the room. However, there may be additional fees, such as for extra rented equipment. After including rental fees, the total cost will probably come to somewhere between 5800 and 7500 yen. We typically split the total studio cost evenly among the participants, so the more people there are the cheaper it is for everyone.
We tend to rent largish rooms that are between 14 and 18 jo (tatami mats) in size, which translates to 250-320 square feet or 23-30 square meters. The studio room will always contain a bunch of equipment that can be used for free, like a drum set, two to three guitar amps, a bass amp, a piano or keyboard, three microphones with stands, and a PA system with a mixing board and speakers. Most session participants bring their own instruments, but rentals are almost always available.
In terms of rental and other extra fees, guitars and basses can be borrowed for 200 yen an hour. Most studios do not provide snare drums and drum pedals so they will need to be rented for 100 to 200 yen an hour (MI Studio never charged for snare/pedal rental; R.I.P MI, you are truly missed). Extra microphones can be rented for 100 to 200 yen per hour (some wayward studios charge you for mike stands). Some studios charge a one-time membership fee, which is typically 500 yen per person (although some studios are more strict about this than others).
Are you interested in jamming with us? Contact us!