Rayzoon Technologies LLC

[weaverid]

I am having trouble understanding the 3 jam modes and what all panels contribute to what I hear... and what is Jamstix really up to. So - for keyword jam ... what is it really? In the manual,the 1st sentence says what it is "NOT". It is "not" free to develop rhythms on the fly. This suggests that when in other modes - like manual jam ... it IS developing rhythms on the fly?? I ask because frequently when I try to play with jamstix (manual or free) ... jamstix seems to be all over the map! For example, does the keyword jam affect what is going on in manual jam??

Basically, when I read the manual trying to understand what key word jam is, it sounds like it is manual jam (loading in a rhythm library - or picking a theme of rhythms).

Plus - what is happening with the rhythm count? When I doubleclick on an available rhythm, it moves to the selected column and the rhythm count usually decrements . However if I select "basic", the number does not change.

I think I am just looking for clarification into what key word jam really is.
Thanks
IW

[GregHolmes]

When I first "discovered" Jamstix, I thought that "key word jam" was a mode where you'd shout certain words out (maybe into a microphone) in order to make Jamstix do what you want. After all, I do that now with live drummers!

"No. No! Two and four! #^&*! Just two and four! That's it. Now, let's go to half time. OK. Fine. 7 more bars of that, then a fill, then the chorus. Sigh."

(Apologies to drummers everywhere. Drummers are my best friends. It's just me. I'm bossy.)

That may seem funny, but I was serious! This fixation of course led to the Live Loops capability that Ralph created, but that's another story.

So, it took me a while to find out that "key word jam" is more like saying "Let's play some funk." Then everybody wraps their heads around that and gets some funk riffs at their fingertips.

So:

FREE JAM:
Jamstix plays whatever it wants, although it is influenced by your playing and the slider configuration.

KEY WORD JAM
Jamstix draws from it's repetoire of patterns that are consistent with a style (or set of key words) that you have chosen.

MANUAL JAM
You make up the rhythm patterns.

And it is perfectly fine to let Jamstix go wild in Free Jam or Key Word Jam the first time through a song. Then you can switch to Manual Jam and modify the patterns and arrangement that Jamstix has created. In this way, you "freeze" the song (or at least the drum parts), and they play the same each time. (Other than in response to certain randomizations and external influences).

Does this explanation help?
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[weaverid]

Thanks - that does help. Although maybe I am trying to use JS backwards. Until now, the only thing that made sense was to go to manual jam ... and load in a style that might make sense for the type of groove/style I was looking for. Then I was going to use the intro/fill/ending window to try picking usable fills etc. However I'm not sure which styles to pick for a fill. For now I was trying trial and error. Ultimately, I was going to dump out to a midi file ... and start all the editing I usually do.

Should I really be starting out in key word jam? The thing is it sounds like it is impossible to flesh out a song. It sounds like it I jump around between keyword jam and manual jam ... I lose the arrangement??

How are you laying the track for a song? I only feel safe in manual jam and the arrangement window. The other modes may be okay for experimentation, but I am trying to put some music together (like most of us I'm sure).

Thanks
IW

[Ralph [RZ]]

[weaverid]

thanks
... that helps clear it up.
IW