Can a new player — or just anyone — come to listen?

Yes you can come to a Pickin Potluck and just listen! But I think you’d have an even better time bringing your guitar and play what you can–even if it’s only a couple of chords. Lots of folk at the potlucks are more than happy to help a newbie get started! I know several people who came a time or two played a couple of chords, and now play every month!

Is a harmonica an acceptable instrument?

Sure ! But just like any instrument, please familiarize yourself with the Ten Jamandments and follow jam etiquette.

Is there a song book you guys use?

 I couldn’t tell you where to start! People bring music, mostly from having played (no music), sometimes fake books, sometimes just things they’ve picked up. Come with or without music and you can still learn by just jumping in with a group and doing the best you can!

Depending on your instrument and musical interests, you could check out Amazon and search for a fake book on the genre you are interested in. Most at the potlucks (in my opinion) tend to be bluegrass or folk focused, there’s also some acoustic jazz, Django, Moroccan, Irish/Celtic, Hawaiian, …. Anything that can be done acoustically that people bring is fine.

Here are some titles that might be helpful…

Rise Up Singing and Rise Again (Patterson & Blood)
Bluegrass Fakebook (Casey)
Fiddler’s Fakebook (Brody)
Mandolin (or Banjo) Pickers Fakebook (Brody)
The Folksong Fake Book (Hal Leonard Corp.)
Real Books (Hal Leonard Corp)
(Real Books come in all flavors, not just jazz. Musical styles include jazz, bluegrass, Broadway, rock, R&B, dixieland, blues, vocals, etc)

Hint: You can save some pocket change by searching for used versions of these books.