Rayzoon Technologies LLC

[tazman]

I know this is a rayzoon forum so everyone here is a Jamstix fan, but I am trying to get some ideas on drum software.

At first I was going to get DFHS, but I realized that you have to manually program it and I found that the concensus is that DFHS is more for heavy metal.

So I looked at BFD. It seems to have all I want, but a friend just got Jamstix and I am intrigued.

What I would like to know is, what does Jamstix have that BFD does not? I know the two can be integrated, but what would I be missing if I only got BFD?

Thanks,

Rob

[nikki-k]

Hi!
I have not used BFD, but am familiar with it...

Jamstix is many things actually. It can provide an "auto-accompianiment" of drums/percussion, with MANY variables for the user to set. It will jam with MIDI, as well as audio. Download the demo, and jam out with it!!!

You can also use Jamstix as a "drum sound module" of sorts. I also own DFHS, and DFHS C&V. I can load them into Jamstix, so that the sounds Jamstix uses are from those libraries. Or, I can simply load drums/percussion from the Jamstix stock drumpak, or from one of the add-on paks. Therefore, I would say Jamstix is incredibly versatile!

For instance: Set Jamstix to freejam mode. Route audio- say, a guitar being played thru an amp modeller into that input- from a track into the AudioM8 part of Jamstix, which then routes it into Jamstix itself. Set the necessary settings in Jamstix, and start playing. Jamstix "composes" on the fly, based on what YOU play. Harder, faster...or slower...or softer. All in real-time! Like what you hear? Export as a midi file, and then jam away some more. Like another "jam?" Export again! Now, import those MIDI files into your sequencer, and trigger Jamstix with them- just set Jamstix to Manual mode, and you are all set- your previous "jams" are right there for you to edit and contort to your hearts' content!

Have a style you want? Like, 70's Zeppelin maybe? Jamstix will work from style selections as well.

BFD, on the other hand, is the same as DFHS, but with added .mid file capabilities. BFD is a drum library, with it's own "sample player" front end. Load up a kit, or assemble one from the pieces of the different kits, and then trigger it. Additionally, it will import .mid files to be used with it's player, internally.

DFHS is wrongly claimed as being a "heavy metal" drum library. Wrong, wrong, wrong. The original Drumkit From Hell could be said to be more oriented toward heavy metal, but even that kit was not soley "heavy." DKH Superior is a HUGE (about 35G) of a several drumkits, a load of percussion instruments, and then a Cocktail Kit...hardly heavy metal! Different beaters for some of the kiks (felt, wood, plastic), as well as mallets and brushes on some of them- again, FAR from heavy metal. On top of that, they have DFHS Custom and Vintage- yet ANOTHER library (huge as well- another 35G or so!!!), which is a collection of older and rare kits, recorded on vintage equipment! I own both libraries, and use them with Jamstix regularly.

If you find time, please stop by the Toontrack forums- they have a user demo section where owners of DFHS and DFHS C&V regularly post songs thye have recorded; many of them also share HOW they recorded what they share. That section of that forum is what convinced me to buy BOTH of them. And I wanted an old school rock sound, as well as something I could use to create a drum kit that would be MY sound...DFHS/C&V are both THAT versatile...seriously!

Combine that with Jamstix, and you are more than set. Jamstix takes a couple hours to really figure out all the little things. Watch the vids, download the demo, spend some time. If you are still lost, come back and search the forums here, and if ya dont see your questioned answered, post away! Rayzoon are really great people...support is an understatement with them!

nikki =D