This is an excert form Bluegrass Jam Etiquette: What You Need to Know written by Erik Rolfsen on Rosewood+Hog. Click the button below to read the full article:

“Bluegrass jamming will open up a whole world of musical fun for you, but only if you get over your hesitancy to dive into that first jam.

I showed up at my first jam with a nylon-string guitar and no knowledge of bluegrass jam etiquette whatsoever. Sure, I felt a little out of place. Everyone does. But bluegrass folks are extremely welcoming and love bringing along new converts.

Knowing how to play in a bluegrass jam can make you a little more confident heading into your first jam, so I’ve collected here all the unwritten bluegrass jam rules I can think of.

You don’t have to study them and remember them all. Eventually they’ll become second nature. If you only remember two things, remember to stay in tune and stay in time. The rest is mostly common courtesy.”