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How to Make Your Own Background Music Jam

Musicians and songwriters have to practice in order to maintain their "musical chops." However, there are often times when fellow musicians or band mates are not available to practice. One good way for you to practice, even without a backing band, is to create a background music jam. Because musical styles are so diverse, this how-to article will focus on creating a background music jam for general rock music and will be geared toward novice musicians.

Things You'll Need

  • Instrument of choice
  • Recording device
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Instructions

    • 1

      Set up your recording device. Before creating any music, you must have a way to record your music. You can run a microphone into your computer (you will need recording software for this option), or you can record directly into a stand-alone recording studio (these are often referred to as four-track or eight-track recorders). If those two options are not possible, you can always record the old-fashioned way: using a tape recorder.

    • 2

      Write and practice a simple riff. The easiest way to record your own background music jam is to write a 3-4 chord riff. This will be a simple phrase that you will repeat during the recording process. An example of a simple, and often used, riff is C-G-A-F. Practice this progression until you feel that you are ready to record it.

    • 3

      Record your riff. Use your recording device to record the riff or phrase that you've practiced. Record the phrase for as long as you would like to jam. It is recommended, however, that you repeat the phrase for at least 3 to 4 minutes. If you are using a computer-based digital recording device, you can record 8 to 16 bars of the phrase and then digitally copy the phrase as many times as you would like. It is also recommended that you use a metronome to keep time. Digital recorders will often have metronomes built into the software.

    • 4

      Play back your riff. Listen to the riff you have recorded and make sure that it is satisfactory to you. If it is not, repeat Step 3.

    • 5

      Jam with your background music. Once you have created a background music jam that you are satisfied with, play along with the music. You can solo over the background jam, or you can create textures by adding another rhythmic pattern.

Recording Music

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