The aim of this website is to publicise and provide details of all open music sessions currently taking place in Milton Keynes and the surrounding area. The information it contains is hopefully current and accurate. However this depends on your input so if you know of any new sessions, sessions that have become defunct, cancellations, alterations or spot any errors please send details here or leave a message on the board.

Music sessions are most often described as "Open Mic" or "Acoustic".

Open Mic sessions usually have a PA system available and musicians are invited to take turns at performing. Types of music can be very varied.

Acoustic sessions are non-amplified and once a musician has started a tune other players can join in. Types of music can be varied but folk tunes usually dominate though a few sessions are more biased toward guitar/singers.
Some acoustic sessions are "round the room" where players are invited to take turns at starting a tune (these are generally those that are more guitar/singer based).
The more instrumental & folktune based sessions are less formal and anyone can start a tune at an appropriate moment. However, this requires a degree of etiquette so that all players get a fair chance to play tunes at their own level of ability or confidence.

Jazz sessions have their own format which usually relies on the ability to read from musical arrangements and being able to improvise.

Please help keep this list accurate and up to date so that no-one makes a wasted journey (e-mail)
For contact details see the session finder.

The Albion, Ampthill
(acoustic) 2nd Wednesday 8.30pm
The Artizan Arms, Northampton
(acoustic) 1st & 3rd Mondays 8.30pm
(acoustic) last Saturday 8.30pm
The Ashwell Arms, Leighton Buzzard
(acoustic) 1st Friday 8.30pm
The Bull Hotel. Stony Stratford
* on hold at present
(acoustic) last Monday 8.30pm Main Bar
The Cannon, Newport Pagnell
(open mic) every Thursday 8.00pm
The Carpenter's Arms, Slapton
(acoustic) 2nd Sunday 8.30pm
The Cock, North Crawley
(acoustic) 2nd & 4th Wednesdays 8.30pm
The Cock Hotel, Stony Stratford
(open mic) 2nd Tuesday 8.00pm
The Crauford Arms, Wolverton
(open mic) every Monday & Wednesday
The Cross Keys, Woolstone
(open mic) every Monday 8.30pm
(acoustic) last Friday 8.30pm
The Gamekeeper's Lodge, Chesham
(acoustic) 3rd Friday 9.00pm
The Globe, Dunstable
(acoustic) every Tuesday 8.30pm
Hanslope Working Men's Club
(acoustic) 1st Sunday 12.30pm
The Monk & Tipster, Towcester
(open mic) 2nd Tuesday 8.00pm
The New Inn, New Bradwell
(acoustic) 1st Sunday 8.30pm
Old Farm Inn, Totternhoe
(acoustic) every Monday 9.00pm
The Open University Folk Club
(acoustic) 3rd Tuesday 12.00pm
(location varies so check this website for current information)
The Queen's Head, Long Marston
(blues jam) 2nd Monday 8.30pm
(open mic) last Monday 8.30pm
The Royal Oak, Woburn Sands
(acoustic) 2nd & 4th Thursdays 8.30pm
The Stag, Leighton Buzzard
(open mic) every other Thursday 8.30pm
Stony Stratford Fiddle Club
(acoustic) 1st & 3rd Wednesdays 8.00pm
Andrew Metcalfe 01908 265365
The Swan, Old Stratford
(acoustic) 3rd Sunday 8.00pm
The Swan, Stewkley
(acoustic) every fourth week on Wednesday 8.30pm
The Three Horseshoes, Drayton Parslow
(acoustic) 1st Sunday 8.30pm
The Unicorn, Cublington
(acoustic) 2nd Tuesday 8.30pm
The Vault's Bar, Stony Stratford
(acoustic) every Sunday 12.30pm
The Village Hall, Woburn
(Open Band jazz) 1st, 3rd & 4th Thursdays 8.30pm
(Jazz open session) 2nd Thursday 8.30pm
The Walnut Tree, Blisworth
(acoustic) 3rd Monday 8.30pm
The Watershed, Newport Pagnell
(open mic) every Tuesday 6.00pm
The Wheatsheaf, Bow Brickhill
(acoustic) 4th Sunday 8.30pm
The Woolpack, Buckingham
(open mic BAC ) every Thursday 8.30pm

MK SESSIONS CHAT is a forum for all who support our local sessions. It is administered by this website so welcomes any input that helps to promote sessions and encourages new players to join our ranks.

Midi files can be of great assistance in learning new tunes. Unlike normal music formats such as mp3 etc, midi files are tiny as they are only a set of instructions for the synthesiser on your sound card to play a series of notes. With the appropriate software the files can be automatically converted to notation which will visibly follow the notes as the tune is played. A free basic player/converter is available below. More advanced player/converters allow the speed to be varied and the key to be transposed. This more versatile software usually has to be purchased. There are thousands of midi files available covering all types of music....the links below should give you access to many downloads.