Rayzoon Technologies LLC

[Compyfox]

Okay, so it's 5am here in Germany, and I've wasted 5 hours(!) today just on Jamstix alone to get it to do what I want, and I'm more than annoyed that I didn't get any further than with what I initially started (a MIDI file).


A quick summary:
- I have a MIDI drum performance (hand programmed) that I want to "humanize" without reprogramming from scratch.
- I split the whole MIDI into parts, since Jamstix is a bit stupid beyond 32bars
- I loaded the MIDI via the IMPORT FUNCTION into Jamstix's Song mode


So the first thing that really pisses me off (big time even), is that Jamstix doesn't seem to understand the following basic things:
a) flams
b) fast rolls/rapid fills (toms and snares, >=16th notes) - I even pulled up BLAST BEAT in the settings and turned the drummer into a god with 1000inches/second arm movement and it still doesn't replay it in Song Mode.
c) friggin' 16th notes in general!
d) dual hand play (Jamstix chokes drumhits if I use both the L and R hand for Crash 1 and Crash 2, and there was a delay of a half note between the last arm movement?!! The heck?!)

So what Jamstix is doing for me, is playing back the absolute basic beats in 1/4th, sometimes 8ths. But everything above that, including shuffled beats, it's crapping out on me. And this is really annoying.



The second annoying thing - there is absolutely NO CHANCE to humanize MIDi files, or hand programmed pattern. Once I lock the MIDI parts, any loaded drummer is just like "well, I play the midi parts, maybe add some things, but random velocity?! pft!". Else, the drummer completely destroys what was carefully programmed.

I tried basically EVERYTHING - extracted from Groove's and from Drummer Brains. I always came back to "Groove - Feel", but this thing simplifies (dare I say quantizes) the given MIDI file to 1/4th notes, 8th notes the most. There is also no feature that analyzes incoming MIDI and then splits it to L/R hand and L/R foot. For blast beat detection or very fast rolls, no dice.



All in all, i wasted about HALF A WEEK on this - with 4 hours each. Trying to get a MIDI performance to feel more realistic. And now I'm giving up - I'm close to throwing out Jamstix even! I could have been FASTER with a new hand programming in Cubase!

And now I know why I really barely use JS3 - it's more than often inflexible to use (small GUI's, not good documented features, features are limited to specific beats/bars), it's brain function is sometimes REALLY random, I'm limited to 4th and 8th notes if I convert MIDI's, yet some drummers go NUTS with the bundled brain functions. Audio engine wise, the samples are good for the price - and I can't expect an Addictive Drummer or BFD (considering the age of the samples), but it's also a bit inflexible (damping, top/bottom mics, pitching/tuning!!!)



I'm frustrated beyond believe and massively ticked off. And I'm sorry that i had to vent. But I've been with JS since v1, and this never really jumped out at me. Things like this doesn't let me enjoy a tool. Sadly it's too late for this production (I'm way overdue with this one - by ONE WEEK!).

But please... tell me that JS4 get's a MASSIVE OVERHAUL on that section.

Like:
- detection of 32th notes
- humanize "brain" module (or the Feel Module NOT locking to 8th notes)
- brain modules that split incoming MIDI signal to L/R extremities
- BETTER editing functions for single hit programming (the screen is too small, editing hits individually volume wise is a pita)



So yeah... else - JS3 is currently dead weight on my HDD. Except for the Bonzo Kit maybe...

Or I'm just too stupid to properly handle this VSTi...

[jazzmandan]

It's the modern day equivalent of "Suffering for Your Art". How do you think those blues players got that sound. Just don't cut your ear off.

Hope things get better for you over the holidays.

[Ralph [RZ]]

CompyFox, I'm very sorry for your frustrations! Could you send me the split MIDI files so I can take a look at why JS is murdering them?
_________________
Ralph Zeuner
Rayzoon Technologies LLC
http://www.rayzoon.com

[Compyfox]

I will try to send them over later (I do have your mail address after all, just don't know in which language to write, aren't you German as well?), currently still in heavy editing mode (Cubase and the Logical Editor this time around). This production needs to be done until later today.



What's happening is, that even "Loopy" reduces the 16th notes to 8zth notes. And locking the notes doesn't add "random volume" and/or bonus percussion by any selected drummer.


I really, really hope that JS4 sees a massive overhaul on that behalf. Bigger GUI, different grid, simpler to use for programming, etc.

I love the Bonzo and the Brushes Kits to pieces(!), though I'd love to have more variety over the ride (it's too bell heavy, not "sizzling" enough like crashes - mixing the bow and the bell is also not possible).


But the brain is just completely destroying my fun with engine 3.

[Ralph [RZ]]

[Compyfox]

Was unchecked, Ralph.


I found old mails between us that were German as well. Now I'm confused. Is it okay if I contact you in German?


BTW:
What I would REALLY love to see in JS4 - better pitching and fine tuning. Not in %, but in cent