Find your circle
Discover nearby musicians and jams that fit your instruments, favorite styles, and comfort level.
BLUEGRASS, OLD-TIME & FOLK JAMS NEAR YOU
Find your Pickin’ Folk.
Less “we should play sometime.”
More “one more song?”
Meet musicians nearby, host a laid-back jam, and find friends who love the same tunes. There’s a chair in the circle for you.
Free to join · All levels welcome · Brand new, so come help start the fun.
ROOTED IN ACOUSTIC MUSIC
Bluegrass · Old-time · Folk · Gospel · Celtic · Americana
OUR MISSION
Music has always brought people together.
For generations, neighbors gathered on porches, in kitchens, and in church basements to play the old tunes and learn new ones, and that’s how strangers became friends. Pickin’ Folk is here to help bring that back: real friendships and real community, built around the music traditions of the past and the ones still being written.
We’d love to be part of yours.
— Pickin’ Folk team
FROM HELLO TO HARMONY
A little less planning. A lot more playing.
Pull up a few chairs
Choose a place and time, tell folks what to expect, and invite the instruments your jam could use.
Make music. Make friends.
RSVP, say hello before you arrive, and turn a shared love of music into a reason to get together.
THE CIRCLE IS JUST FORMING
Be the first chair in your town.
Don’t see a jam near you yet? Start one. Every picking circle began with someone saying “come on over.” Set a time, pick a place, and you’ll be the jam everyone else finds.
MAKE ROOM FOR A JAM
Good company. Any setting.
A LITTLE PORCH. A LOT OF MUSIC.
Your place. Your people. Your jam.
A few chairs and a few favorite tunes are all it takes. Set a time, share the kind of music you love, and invite your next picking circle.
EVERY PICKER STARTS SOMEWHERE.
Make room for the first-timers.
Host a slow jam, trade a tune, and learn a little from each other. Let people know the pace and experience level so everyone feels at home.
TURN SOMETIME INTO SATURDAY.
Start a tradition worth keeping.
Bring your favorite people back together. Sort out who’s coming and what they’re bringing, then settle in for one more song.
BRING YOUR PEOPLE
It’s better with a full circle.
Already have a few folks you play with? Bring them along. Set up your jam, invite your friends in the app or share the link, and everyone knows when, where and what to bring.
Start a jam & invite friends →GROW TOGETHER, ONE TUNE AT A TIME
You don’t have to be great to get together.
Start playing with other people from the very beginning. Get together with friends, bring the chords you know, and let the music teach you something new.
Paraphrased from his advice to Tony Trischka, via ArtistWorks ↗
When one person taps out a beat, while another leads into the melody, or when three people discover a harmony they never knew existed, or a crowd joins in on a chorus as though to raise the ceiling a few feet higher, then they also know there is hope for the world.
Pete Seeger: The Power of Song, via OUPblog ↗
Music does bring people together. It allows us to experience the same emotions.
Goodreads ↗
Every jam is a chance to sharpen your timing, train your ear, and find your confidence. The next step in becoming a musician might just be pulling up a chair.
GOOD QUESTIONS
Before you pull up a chair
How do I find a bluegrass jam near me?
Open Explore to see public bluegrass, old-time, folk and acoustic jams near you, with the time, place, style and experience level for each. RSVP to let the host know you’re coming.
I’m a beginner. Will I fit in at a jam?
Yes. Hosts note the pace and experience level of each jam, so you can look for slow jams and beginner-friendly circles. Everyone starts somewhere, and playing with others is one of the best ways to learn.
What’s a slow jam?
A slow jam plays well-known tunes at an easy tempo so newer players can keep up, learn the chords and take a turn. It’s a relaxed way to get comfortable playing with other people.
Is Pickin’ Folk free?
Yes. Joining, finding jams, meeting musicians and hosting a jam are all free. An optional Jam Pro plan adds extras for regular hosts.
Can I host a jam at my house?
Absolutely. Make it a private jam and invite just the friends and musicians you want, or make it public so nearby pickers can find it and RSVP.
There’s no jam near me yet. What should I do?
Start one. Set a time and place, say what kind of music you’ll play, and invite a few friends. Your jam is then on the map for other musicians nearby to find.
YOUR NEXT JAM IS OUT THERE
Come join the fun.
Grab your instrument, bring a friend, and get picking. Pickin’ Folk is free on the web today, and the iPhone and Android apps are coming soon.
Join free and get picking →