For some it's all about the bass, no treble, and for others it's all about the fiddle.
Barry Nakahara, the vice president of Branch No. 1 of British Columbia's Old Time Fiddlers Association, gets to jam every Thursday at the Elder Citizen Rec Centre and invites everyone else with a string instrument to come join the fun.
Nakahara got involved with the Fiddlers Association after his daughter's instructor told him it was a good way to learn the instrument in a relaxed setting.
"So we started going out and there was other kids and families involved and that's what got us in the door," said Nakahara, whose daughter, Chloe, 21, still plays violin and studies music in Victoria.
The association is changing with longtime members aging out and the club is trying to find ways to draw in new musicians and people interested in fiddle music and the dancing that goes along with it.
"Of course, old time fiddle music has revolved around dancing so the two are tightly connected," said Nakahara.
During the Thursday night jam sessions, there's some instruction that comes in the form of a workshop where a very experienced instructor will introduce new tunes and after that the group goes up on stage to perform while those in attendance dance and socialize while listening to the music.
"The jam nights are a mix of a bunch of things," said Nakahara, who coordinates the workshop piece of the weekly jams.
Within the membership, children and teens seem to come and go and the trend now seems to be determined adults who have always wanted to learn the fiddle who are enthusiastically joining the club, added Nakarahara about the 137-member association.
Not everyone had the chance to learn an instrument as a child and when adults decide they want to learn, they seem that much more determined and focused, noted Nakahara, who understands plenty of about determination and focus in his other passion - long-distance running.
It's a great bunch of people who are like minded, said Nakahara.
"We're all learning together and developing together - and at different rates sometimes - but I personally find it so rewarding because we're all getting better and it becomes more and more fun as we improve and hone our skills," said Nakahara.
An annual event organized by the local Old Time Fiddlers Association is the spring Jamboree, that's multi instrumental, where last year about 60 people attended. There are group workshops and lessons, an instructor concert and dance to follow and Nakahara encourages people to attend. This winter, there are monthly dances held at the Pineview Hall where members perform, as well.
As a volunteer, Nakahara coordinates the playouts where members of the club perform in groups at seniors facilities on a monthly basis or by special request.
Usually between three and 10 people will go out to perform depending on who is available. The fiddlers perform at many venues, including at Kordyban Lodge and Jubilee, 1010 Liard and Laurier Manor, Rainbow and Parkside.
"A group going out to a seniors' home could include fiddles, guitars, mandolins, keyboards and sometimes an accordion - it's a real mix of instruments," said Nakahara.
"And they just play for an hour and sometimes take turns leading songs and sometimes there's a bit of singing or just instrumentals. It's a bit different every time because we mix up the players and I try to mix them up so they're playing with different people so it's experience for them."
Nakahara, who is a manager at WorkSafeBC, tries to get children engaged by gathering them together to attend a playout so they get used to performing in front of an audience.
"It's really about creating opportunities for people to play together and for other people," he said. "I really like seeing people come together and learn and have a lot of fun doing it. There's lots of people who study and play music at the odd recital but this just makes the opportunity to play, perform and develop your skills much more accessible and that's what inspires me to volunteer," said Nakahara.
For more information about the local branch of the BC Old Time Fiddlers call 250-563-1025 or visit bcfiddlers.com/prince-george
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"It's a good hobby for adults and we've got a lot of people between the ages of 20 and 60 that are taking it up," said Nakahara. "The adults that get involved in music seem very passionate about it. It's a challenge and they're willing to work on becoming better musicians and it's fun."
