On the evening of the main symposium day (Wednesday Oct 21) we will have our first OHDSI Jam Session! Many people have already signed up using the form, many promising to bring instruments that they are willing to share with others (drums, bass guitar, keyboard, guitars, violins), and there will be microphones for singing and other instruments.
In a jam session, typically 3 things can happen:
Free improvisation: someone picks some random chords, and everyone jams to them.
On the spot music selection: someone asks for a song (e.g. to sing to), and everyone plays along either from memory, by ear, or by quickly searching for the music online.
Pre-selected music: before the jam, people request the songs they want to play, and others sign up for the different parts. People prepare beforehand.
A good jam session (in my opinion) has a bit of all 3. But option 3 is most inclusive for all levels of musicians.
I would therefore like to invite everyone to sign up in this spreadsheet. Either add your name to a song already there, or propose a new song. If enough people sign up for a song, we can play it.
Everyone can sign up, even if they didn’t sign up using the form earlier. And you can assume an instrument will be there.
Don’t be shy in adding music. I started the sheet with two western songs (pop rock and jazz), but I would love to play music from around the world!
Several people have already signed up to play, and we officially have our first fully staffed song: Fly Me to the Moon!
To lock in the rest of the setlist, we need a few specific things from the community:
Join existing tracks: Please prioritize adding your name to songs that are already on the list so we can finalize them.
Drummers & Singers: We have several songs that just need vocals or a beat to make the cut. A drum kit will be provided at the venue, so there is no need to bring your own.
Bassists welcome: I have put my name down for several bass parts just to move things along, but I am very happy to step aside. If you want to play bass, feel free to replace my name. A 4-string bass guitar will be available for anyone to use.
How we are prepping:
There will be no formal rehearsals. Just practice along with the YouTube video linked for each song. If we all use the same reference tracks, we will be able to lock in together.
Most importantly, keep in mind that expectations for a jam session are low. Mistakes will happen, and having fun is the only real requirement.
We now have five more songs fully staffed, which gives us a great setlist already! However, there are two more tracks that just need one final person to make the cut:
A drummer for Wave
A singer for Sweet Home Chicago
On a personal note, I would love to see Kal Ho Naa Ho make the final list, so please take another look at the spreadsheet and consider jumping in on that one!
Great news—we have enough musicians to lock in two more songs for the setlist!
Wave
Mr. Brightside
For those signed up for Wave, I have a quick question. Most of the standard sheet music out there is in the key of D, but the YouTube video we are using as a reference is actually in D#. Do you all have a preference on which key we play it in?
