Rayzoon Technologies LLC

[genmce_1]

I often use Reaper to record several different versions (multiple musicians/instruments recording) of songs back to back in the same project. It saves the time of setting up a new project etc.

I have made a song with several parts in Jamstix.
So I press record/play at the beginning of timeline in Reaper and Jamstix rocks just fine.

So we finish that version and talk about it a bit, then we want to do another right after that last one.

I want to leave a little silence, move forward in the timeline a few bars say to bar 45 (of the same project) and then start a new version of the same piece. I already use this workflow in Reaper successfully.

I need to know how to get Jamstix to come along for the ride for another version (same project). We often will do 3 or 4 run thrus, sometimes more.

I need to know how to tell Jamstix to begin again?

Does my description make sense?

Is there a midi command or something I can send to Jamstix to begin playing the entire song, regardless of timeline position in Reaper?

Thanks much

[Ralph [RZ]]

Jamstix is designed to always be synched with the host so I can't think of a way to do this but I'll keep chewing on it.
_________________
Ralph Zeuner
Rayzoon Technologies LLC
http://www.rayzoon.com

[genmce_1]

Thanks for prompt reply.

I still want it to sync with host but from a different bar, than the beginning of the timeline.

It could start from beginning of next measure, or even use a couple of measures to "get synced up". Then play on.
Like - I press play/record at bar 42 in reaper. Jamstix waits a bar or two (or however many it takes) to get synced then starts playing again.
A replay button or restart.

Please consider this, it would greatly enhance the flexibility of the program. It would help my rehearsals and I am sure other's a bunch. It could even be a switch in settings - that would allow the option to prevent accidental use.

Another suggestion would be some sort of midi command to a footswitch,
that says "hey start playing again at the next beat or beginning of next measure." Most of my stuff will have an intro so the stick count would happen so all of the players would hear it and know what is coming. Everything would could sync up fine. I hope.

I tried using the lock button to see if it would start later on in the timeline but it did not work.

[Kevin_W]

Just an innocent question here, but what's the reason you don't use "takes" for this? Seems like you could do everything you're doing, just like you currently are, except that the different versions would be the respective takes, rather than sequential in the timeline.
I realize this would be a different workflow, but I'm interested in learning different approaches, and your method might have some advantages I'm not seeing immediately.

To then switch to your different versions, you would have to group the items (not the tracks) and use the actions to switch takes ('T' by default, I think.) unfortunately, clicking on one of the takes with the mouse would not switch all takes in the group (but for some reason it works with the keyboard).

Anyway, maybe this is a workaround until JS has the ability to start at an offset bar. Which would be cool.

[genmce_1]

Yeah - considered takes but that would be very combersome.
I have an macro built, triggered by midi footswitch that
- sets markers and a region saves the project jumps ahead and starts recording again. For me - takes works great if I'm putting down one track at a time, maybe even up to three, and I have used it. but if there are 8 tracks recording simultaneously that become the editing nightmare or even a playback issue.
Vocalist says lets hear the one three times ago. I am playing too, I have stop the creative flow and engineer now. While I am getting better at shifting gears between playing and engineering the potential for possible screw ups on my part increases exponentially with each new take with that many simultaneously. I also have many nested tracks...
The other issue is we may be composing and decide to change the structure and need to tweak jamstix song sheet. We then will want to listen to the results to assess and compare versions. That process would be very comber some if trying to do takes.
I will experiment with your suggestion, however it does seem like an awful lot of extra prep, maintenance and potential for large mistakes on my part when a start/stop button on Jamstix would fit the bill very nice. Although I don't know the coding nightmare it might be.
Thanks for listening and I hope you consider my request.

I haven't tried this in Ableton Live yet, pushing the start stop clip play button to see if that works the way I am thinking/hoping. I will try and report back.

-EDIT - I thought Live would give me a clip to play but it does not.
If I work in the timeline with Live it will follow the position in jamstix so I can't restart it that way.
You must be taking song position from the host, I think you said that already. This might be much tougher than just adding a start stop button. Offset - shouldn't be too tough get current position from host, and calculate offset. Make it wait until it gets to a nice bar with all zeros except the leading integer. OR tell us it must be at a nice bar to begin again and maybe a program message to pickup the reset... wow... I really don't know what I'm talking about now...



I suppose I could export the midi track and then play that.
Still I'll have to paste that track in before I can play it, hmm...

[Ralph [RZ]]

I'll see what we can do.
_________________
Ralph Zeuner
Rayzoon Technologies LLC
http://www.rayzoon.com

[Ralph [RZ]]

@genmce_1:

Please check out 3.5.1 Beta 2 and see if it works for you. It has two new options in the song menu under 'Host Synchronization' so you can set and reset a song offset. Please first add this line to Documents\Jamstix3\jamstix3.ini under[GENERAL]:

AlwaysSync=1

Here is how it works. Whenever you click anywhere in REAPER's timeline, Jamstix will jump there even if stopped. Now click 'Assume Current Position As Zero Offset' (or CTRL+F12) and Jamstix's bar counter will reset to 1:1:0. That way you can play from this point in REAPER and Jamstix will treat it as bar 1. You can reset anytime with 'Remove Zero Offset' (CTRL+F11).
_________________
Ralph Zeuner
Rayzoon Technologies LLC
http://www.rayzoon.com

[keys_reaper]

One method for repeats is to copy/paste multiple parts in the JS songsheet. I certainly would use such a feature! - or is that possible now in some way?
I currently copy/paste one part at a time...a bit long winded.

Keys.

[andean_w]

Copy/paste multiple parts would be awesome. I often change the stuctures of my songs during composition, so this would be handy.

[Ralph [RZ]]

Hold SHIFT and click parts to select a group, right-click->Copy->Copy Part. Right-click target part and paste.
_________________
Ralph Zeuner
Rayzoon Technologies LLC
http://www.rayzoon.com

[andean_w]

Nice! How come I've missed this, I guess I've overlooked it if it is in the manual, . Everyday I'm finding out some kick-ass features in this program. Well done, Ralph!

Edit. It's on page 25!

[keys_reaper]

Way to go! Thanks Ralph. Fantastic support again. I am really pleased with the results I'm getting. Great product.

[Azimuth]

One thing that I've noticed regarding the zero offset feature is that just shifting focus to the Jamstix window is not enough for this to work. You must also "click" within the Jamstix gui. Has anyone else noticed this? The dropdown menu indicates F11 & F12 as the keystroke for this, not ctrl+F11 & ctrl+F12. Just minor things I've noticed so far I wanted to make others aware of. Nice feature by the way Ralph, thanks.

[genmce_1]

[Ralph [RZ]]

Yep, it's in your download page.
_________________
Ralph Zeuner
Rayzoon Technologies LLC
http://www.rayzoon.com