Rhythm: For every good guitar jam track online, there are tons of mediocre ones. One of the biggest reasons for this is that many of them lack an interesting rhythmic component. They consist of a simple power chord progression that really doesn't give you much to build your phrases/solos off of. Also, many of these jam tracks have the same rhythm the whole track. They don't even give you an opportunity to change your phrasing by presenting you with several rhythmic variations. When deciding how valuable a guitar jam track is, rhythmic complexity should be an important factor.
A unique melody is a crucial component of any jam track. Obviously, the point of guitar jam tracks is that they are devoid of a lead guitar track or at least have plenty of space over top of the guitar track(s) that is there for the player to construct their solos/musical phrases over. With this being said, having some sort of melody in the track is important. It allows the player to hear how what they are playing interacts with the nuances of the melody(s) of the track. Their improvisation can then consist of responses to this melody and not just phrases with no melodic context. The end result being a much more complex and interesting jam.
If you shoot for a jam track that is between three and five minutes in length, you will probably find that it is a comfortable length. If the track is to much shorter, you may be cut off early (a real annoyance), and any longer, you might find yourself wishing it would end. Length is important in a jam track and choosing one in this range may ensure you keep coming back to it. Don't think that looping a shorter one is the same either because the fact that the track ends, even for a few seconds, is very annoying and can contribute to a lot of unnecessary frustration.
If you always pick jam tracks that are different then the style you usually play, you are giving yourself more opportunity to grow as a player. The reason for this is that they can force you to confront a key/mode/style you are not fully comfortable with and as a result you have to learn it. Not doing this is the reason you may be in a rut. The more you experience, the more tools you have when it comes to developing your own style. You may even come across a sound that you love but might never have found had you not done this.
Sound Quality: The quality of the sound on the recording is a big factor in determining the value of a jam track. The reason being if you can't hear the nuances and subtleties of the playing, it means that the jam track is not particularly good. Obviously, you aren't going to be able to hear subtle details if there are none, but that in itself makes for not a very good track. You want the jam track to be as clear as possible. Both in its composition and its tone/the tones of the recordings. This will help ensure that you get the most out of it.
A unique melody is a crucial component of any jam track. Obviously, the point of guitar jam tracks is that they are devoid of a lead guitar track or at least have plenty of space over top of the guitar track(s) that is there for the player to construct their solos/musical phrases over. With this being said, having some sort of melody in the track is important. It allows the player to hear how what they are playing interacts with the nuances of the melody(s) of the track. Their improvisation can then consist of responses to this melody and not just phrases with no melodic context. The end result being a much more complex and interesting jam.
If you shoot for a jam track that is between three and five minutes in length, you will probably find that it is a comfortable length. If the track is to much shorter, you may be cut off early (a real annoyance), and any longer, you might find yourself wishing it would end. Length is important in a jam track and choosing one in this range may ensure you keep coming back to it. Don't think that looping a shorter one is the same either because the fact that the track ends, even for a few seconds, is very annoying and can contribute to a lot of unnecessary frustration.
If you always pick jam tracks that are different then the style you usually play, you are giving yourself more opportunity to grow as a player. The reason for this is that they can force you to confront a key/mode/style you are not fully comfortable with and as a result you have to learn it. Not doing this is the reason you may be in a rut. The more you experience, the more tools you have when it comes to developing your own style. You may even come across a sound that you love but might never have found had you not done this.
Sound Quality: The quality of the sound on the recording is a big factor in determining the value of a jam track. The reason being if you can't hear the nuances and subtleties of the playing, it means that the jam track is not particularly good. Obviously, you aren't going to be able to hear subtle details if there are none, but that in itself makes for not a very good track. You want the jam track to be as clear as possible. Both in its composition and its tone/the tones of the recordings. This will help ensure that you get the most out of it.
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