Rayzoon Technologies LLC

[Kerouac]

Dear Jamstix Users.

I'm in the process of deciding on my first drum plug-in and I'm very attracted to Jamstix. I have a few questions that I would love to have answered by regular Jamstix users... so here goes! Thanks in advance

1. Is it possible to load my own samples/strange sounds and make it into a kit in Jamstix?

2. Are you happy with the midi export function? Is it completely accurate?

3. I'm rather versatile and write in a variety of different music styles: Are there enough varied styles or is it a good idea to accompany Jamstix with midi libraries such as Groove Monkee? (and would the mapping between Jamstix and Groove Monkee match?)

4. I also write in a variety of time signatures and like to mix things up and change tempo (sometimes gradually) in a song. How is Jamstix to work with in time signatures like 5/4 and 9/8?

5. Finally, for quick 'drag and drop' songwriting, how do you find the workflow to be?

Sorry about asking so many questions simultanously... Perhaps I should post them seperately? Anyway, I'm in the process of downloading the demo, so perhaps some of questions will be answered while trying it out.

Thank you so much,
Kerouac.

[dysfunction]

"1. Is it possible to load my own samples/strange sounds and make it into a kit in Jamstix?"

You'd need a sampler VST to load the samples, which you could either subhost inside Jamstix, or route JS' midi output to it through your host.

"2. Are you happy with the midi export function? Is it completely accurate?"

Usually, it seems like a hit gets dropped occasionally. If it does that you can just arm the destination midi track and then record JS' output.

"3. I'm rather versatile and write in a variety of different music styles: Are there enough varied styles or is it a good idea to accompany Jamstix with midi libraries such as Groove Monkee? (and would the mapping between Jamstix and Groove Monkee match?)"

You can certainly use MIDI libraries like Groove Monkee just fine, but JS does have a very wide range of styles itself. GMonkee comes in mappings for popular VSTs like Ezdrummer and BFD, and JS also has mappings for these so it should work fine.

"4. I also write in a variety of time signatures and like to mix things up and change tempo (sometimes gradually) in a song. How is Jamstix to work with in time signatures like 5/4 and 9/8?"

Tempo changes are taken care of by your host, Jamstix will just follow along, so those are not an issue at all. There are a few uncommon, odd time signatures JS can't do, but 5/4 and 9/8 work fine (I've used both myself). The only time it becomes a bit of a hassle is if you want to have time signature changes within a groove, since each 'part' in JS can only have one time signature.

"5. Finally, for quick 'drag and drop' songwriting, how do you find the workflow to be?"

There's definitely a steep learning curve at first, but there are actually many possible workflows depending on what you want Jamstix to do. You can have it make up grooves based on the style, use the Kick & Snare matrix to program the basic beat then let JS take care of accents and fills, import grooves from MIDIs, program your grooves manually in the bar editor and let accents and fills be done automatically, or even program THOSE manually yourself. Once you figure out how it works and how it works for you, it becomes really fluid. I can create drum parts now literally in a fraction of the time it took doing it by hand in the piano roll, with far greater realism.

[Doublestop]

JS2 is a very impressive VST and you're asking questions about aspects that I haven't begun to play with yet and so I can't really add anything to the reply dysfunction left you.

I let JS 'jam' to whatever I'm working on and then tweak the odd bit to make it sound as I want and I couldn't be happier. I used to hate the tedium of creating a drum track so for me JS is a real asset.

I'm really only posting a reply because I wouldn't want you to think that there is only one user who cares about JS enough to answer you.

Doublestop.

[Kerouac]

Hi again,

dysfunction: Thank you very much for your informative reply. I am now 99% that this is the right software for me. Also, the demo was very inspiring to play around with.

Doublestop: I've been reading posts in this forum and can tell that the users here are a very caring and happy bunch. That in itself is reason enough to buy the product, I think.

You people rock.

Regards,
Kerouac.

[Micha]

[zeoy]

In other words BUY IT!

[Kerouac]

[dysfunction]