Giving contact details at open jams

Not really sure if there's already a topic for this but my question is how do you
give out your contact details after a jam? Is there an ethical way of approaching your
fellow musicians when giving out your contact details?

Looking forward to hearing your experiences.

Thanks!

You have to be a bit diplomatic when you tell someone no thanks, but it's a good idea to have business cards with your contact info to give those players you ARE interested in hearing from again.

I've had all manor of people, that I have zero interest in working with, ask for my contact info. I politely tell them I'm not available, and they get no more than my first name.

I tend to be pretty picky and pretty private, though. It's up to you.

Unless I'm 110% sure I want to hear from the person again, I normally have them write down my email address (which is completely public anyway for anyone who has about 30 seconds to do a search for me.) A few people get a card that has my cellphone and web site (with email link.)

Bermuda

More than anything else, this is what open jams are for. Feel free to initiate the conversation saying ... "Nice playing! If you ever need a drummer...."

You can also start the conversation by asking for their contact info. If they dig your playing, or are just being polite, they will ask for yours as well. It doesn't have to be for any specific purpose. It can be 'just in case'.

Of course, who you want to have your info is up to you. I personally don't mind handing it out because while there are a fair number of folks I wouldn't really want to spend my free time playing with, if they came up with paying gigs I'd be in to it. You never know who their friends are that need drummers are too. You can always so no to a gig offer you don't want to do.

Just got my business cards printed because I'll attend an open
jam later tonight. I'm also choosy but like John said, you'll never know
when you'll get a worthwhile gig.

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and tips.

IDK, I think that anybody who asks for my contact info...I give it to them. A few reasons. First, not that many people actually call. Second, it's not polite to snub someone who likes you. Third, if they do call and have a situation, then is when I make the real decisions. Depends on how hungry I am at the time.

Everybody does it differently. I prefer to observe the jams and see who I want to play with. I'll observe them and try and figure them out and learn their stuff the way they like it. I lay back and don't push myself. I'm just there to have a good time. I do try and get onstage with the people I want to play with but I don't ask whoever is running the jam to put me up with them, because everybody does that and it's a big hassle for the guy running the jam. You don't want to be a PITA to that guy. So I just lay back, try and play great drums, and keep my eyes and ears fixed on the guys I want to play with. (when I'm in the audience and they're onstage lol).

The one thing I do initiate is compliments. If I like someone's playing, I will walk across the room to compliment them. Only if it's genuine. And I don't use the compliment to shoehorn my agenda on them. I bide my time. Good players are worth biding your time for. A drummer who knows what the others are looking for in drummers, and can deliver, will get the calls. You just have to establish your playing with them first though. Even if they don't talk to you initially, they WILL notice whether you are good or not.

In my world, if a drummer approaches a good guitarist or bassist and tries to get in with them....let's just say that it's better if they ask you. But that's just my approach. I lay back and bide my time. I'm don't like self promotion with words. I try to let my playing do the talking. I try keeping a good positive attitude and let them come to me. It's all about the playing and the attitude. Personal hygiene doesn't hurt either lol.

But contact info? Spread it around. That's the whole reason you're there, right? You just never know what people will offer you, or who you will meet in the process.

larryace said:

IDK, I think that anybody who asks for my contact info...I give it to them. A few reasons. First, not that many people actually call. Second, it's not polite to snub someone who likes you. Third, if they do call and have a situation, then is when I make the real decisions. Depends on how hungry I am at the time.

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I see your point, but I'm not giving my number to some slobbering drunk who raves about my playing and absolutely NEEDS me to work on his new slapabilly tub-thumping meditative holographic djembe project, just as soon as he can get his guitar out of hock. But it's OK, he knows a guy whose amp he can borrow, lol.OK, I may not have remembered all the adjectives he used to describe the project, but these are pretty close.

That's an extreme but real example of the kind of person I DON'T give my info to. If there is no chance in hell I'm interested, I just tell them I have too many commitments already, but thank you. That's often true, anyway.

Just came home from the jam with my wife and I had a blast! I gave my card to
a couple of people and one of them is actually auditioning drummers so I'm
thankful for the perfect timing.

pinoydrummer said:

Just came home from the jam with my wife and I had a blast! I gave my card to
a couple of people and one of them is actually auditioning drummers so I'm
thankful for the perfect timing.

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Excellent, that's great news!