How can musicians meet up and start “jamming” with little to no pre planning

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For example: we had some guests over while my dad was playing guitar, one of the guests just picked up a spare guitar and started playing with him.

Or [that one video of the two sax players.](https://youtu.be/1_9IMZcbKHQ)

They hadn’t spoke before and they just started making music with each other.

I’m sorry I’m not very good at describing it but how can a musician just start a duet without talking. It seems like magic.

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Anonymous 0 Comments

> with little to no pre planning

No, there are years of preparation that goes into this, same as with language, sports, construction. Generally, you learn how to handle your own instrument, then you learn how to play in time and in tune with others, then you come to understand how popular music is structured, and how far you can wander while still remaining inside the framework.

There’s plenty of room for improvisation given just a key signature (which notes are considered in-key or out-of-key), tempo and time signature (underlying rhythm). There are also plenty of well-known songs to start from: anthems, jazz standards, carols, etc.

It’s just like balancing on a wire—easy to stay in place, easy to fall off entirely, but challenging to move about, play, and recover while remaining aloft.

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