The Birth of Live Jam Tracks: Jamming in the Digital Age
Live Jam Tracks for all the passionate music enthusiasts and hobbyists out there!
Have you ever felt the urge to just pick up your guitar and jam live with a group, to feel the rhythm and sync with other musicians, but found it incredibly challenging to organize such a thing? Syncing up with multiple recreational musicians, overcoming time and location constraints, is no easy feat. This sentiment is something Jurgen Bettonviel, a seasoned guitar player since his early twenties, deeply understands.
Jurgen's musical journey has been a vivid tapestry of experiences. He played in bands like Johnny's Pitbull, an Iron Maiden cover band, and a Beatles cover band. He even showcased a brief selection of his self-composed tracks on his Soundcloud channel. One of the notable collaborations in Jurgen's musical journey has been with his long-time friend, Janneke van Heeswijk, a true multi-instrumentalist. Together, they delve into the realm of acoustic 17th-century dance music, Van Jottum.
An amusing tidbit from his past is his attempt to enlist at three Dutch conservatories in his early 20s. He was, in his words, "rightfully so" rejected. At the Tilburg conservatory, Eric van der Westen was one of the faculty members and was involved in Jurgen's rejection.
Yet, the world of music is round and mysterious:
Fast forward a few years to around 2008, Jurgen, Eric van der Westen, and Hans Timmermans collaborated on a pioneering service based on Ninjam. This aimed to allow musicians to come together online and jam in real-time, cutting down on latency and making the experience as organic as possible.
However, while the tech was promising, many musicians preferred the raw, analog feel of live jamming.
Enter YouTube – a vast platform filled with a plethora of jam tracks. However, despite the abundance, there’s a crucial element missing: the "live" aspect. It's about seeing the drummer’s intensity, the bass player's groove, and feeling as if you’re right there with them.
This was the inspiration behind the creation of livejamtracks.com.
Jurgen envisioned a platform where you could not only listen but see professional musicians performing jam tracks live. A space where you could jam with them, right from the comfort of your home. The idea was to bring this experience to life by inviting professional musicians to perform these live jam sessions.
The response? Overwhelmingly positive!
Now, with Eric van der Westen also on board with LiveJamTracks, and with the participation of talented artists like Janneke van Heeswijk, it feels like things have come full circle. Perhaps, with this platform, we've finally hit the sweet spot of online jamming?
So, Why 'Live' Jam Tracks?
- Real-time Experience: Unlike regular jam tracks, livejamtracks.com offers a visual component, bringing you closer to a real-life jamming experience.
- Professional Musicians: Jam with experienced artists and learn from their techniques and styles.
- Flexibility: Jam anytime, anywhere. No need to sync up schedules with multiple people.
- Exposure: For our wonderful musicians, it’s a platform to showcase their talent to a wider audience.
LiveJamTracks hopefully becomes more than just a platform; but a community where you bridge the gap between the physical and virtual, creating a space where music thrives and connections are made.
To all the budding musicians, the passionate hobbyists, or anyone looking for a rhythmic escape – plug in, play on, and let’s make music together!
Stay groovy and jam on!