Community Music Circle
A Facilitated, Participatory Music Making Experience
Tips for the Facilitator of a Community Music Circle
Facilitator Tips
This list will provide helpful hints for anybody who wants to start a circle.
1. Make sure everybody tunes their instruments before playing. An electronic tuner is essential. My favorite, and the best value, is the Korg tuner.
2. Play one or two very quiet songs during a two hour session.
3. Why so serious? Have FUN!
4. Some folks like the words and chords in front of them. You may want to provide some copies. I encourage my participants to wean themselves from the paper and look around and listen to others.
5. Be generous with compliments and support. If you model that behavior participants will do the same.
6. You will also need to model the behavior of switching instruments. I have had success switching instruments in mid-song. After I do this the participants are willing to give it a try.
7. Participants enjoy a variety of musical styles. Make sure you include songs, or parts of songs, from as many musical styles as you can: blues, reggae, bluegrass, country and western, rocknroll, etc…
8. I have had success making up simple musical grooves that are not “songs”. For example, just play one measure of Am7 and then one measure of D9th over and over until you establish a groove. Participants then take turns jamming over that chord progression.
9. I tell participants we will take lead breaks in the order in which we are seated.
10. Each group will be different. Some groups will like loud, fast, and furious jams; others are quieter, while others are in between. Groups also vary in the type of music they like. You will want to keep your antennas out and learn about your group.
11. A 5 minute break is a good idea for every 55 minutes of playing.
12. I have had success starting each circle with an extended 12-bar blues jam. This works well because everyone relates to the 12-bar format, the pentatonic scale is a lot of fun to use, and participants can warm-up and loosen-up their appendages.
13. I have success repeating songs with the same group of participants.
14. Pieces of songs can work very well for a jammable groove. For example, the GG/BflatBflat/CC from “Free Bird”, or the Em/Am/Em/Bm from, “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed”, by the Allman Brothers. There are many, many more. Just keep your ears open!!
15. When I was a kid we bought anonymous apples in bags. These days each apple has a little sticker. The purpose of the sticker is to make each piece of fruit distinctive, or different from the others. Do the same with each song you play. Make it special by telling a personal story about it or some factoid that distinguishes it from other songs. This helps make the song memorable and more enjoyable. It also gives a small, needed break between songs.
This list will provide helpful hints for anybody who wants to start a circle.
1. Make sure everybody tunes their instruments before playing. An electronic tuner is essential. My favorite, and the best value, is the Korg tuner.
2. Play one or two very quiet songs during a two hour session.
3. Why so serious? Have FUN!
4. Some folks like the words and chords in front of them. You may want to provide some copies. I encourage my participants to wean themselves from the paper and look around and listen to others.
5. Be generous with compliments and support. If you model that behavior participants will do the same.
6. You will also need to model the behavior of switching instruments. I have had success switching instruments in mid-song. After I do this the participants are willing to give it a try.
7. Participants enjoy a variety of musical styles. Make sure you include songs, or parts of songs, from as many musical styles as you can: blues, reggae, bluegrass, country and western, rocknroll, etc…
8. I have had success making up simple musical grooves that are not “songs”. For example, just play one measure of Am7 and then one measure of D9th over and over until you establish a groove. Participants then take turns jamming over that chord progression.
9. I tell participants we will take lead breaks in the order in which we are seated.
10. Each group will be different. Some groups will like loud, fast, and furious jams; others are quieter, while others are in between. Groups also vary in the type of music they like. You will want to keep your antennas out and learn about your group.
11. A 5 minute break is a good idea for every 55 minutes of playing.
12. I have had success starting each circle with an extended 12-bar blues jam. This works well because everyone relates to the 12-bar format, the pentatonic scale is a lot of fun to use, and participants can warm-up and loosen-up their appendages.
13. I have success repeating songs with the same group of participants.
14. Pieces of songs can work very well for a jammable groove. For example, the GG/BflatBflat/CC from “Free Bird”, or the Em/Am/Em/Bm from, “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed”, by the Allman Brothers. There are many, many more. Just keep your ears open!!
15. When I was a kid we bought anonymous apples in bags. These days each apple has a little sticker. The purpose of the sticker is to make each piece of fruit distinctive, or different from the others. Do the same with each song you play. Make it special by telling a personal story about it or some factoid that distinguishes it from other songs. This helps make the song memorable and more enjoyable. It also gives a small, needed break between songs.
Tags: facilitator, leader, musilitator, tips
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Pete Govert on
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The problem: hearing lead breaks and quiet vocalists.
The solution: 2 mics in the middle of the circle. One mic set at about 3 feet off the floor to pick up lead breaks from the guitar sound hole and another mic at about 5-6 feet for the vocals. Whoever wants to take a lead stands up and walks to the mic and plays.
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