Rayzoon Technologies LLC

[geo_geo]

Hi,

I’ve been using this great app for around one year and have a few suggestions to improve the interface and workflow. This is a long list but some of the features would Significantly improve Jamstix usability and are not difficult to implement. I separated this list to 4 categories:

Shortcuts Key navigation:

1. I’m a keyboard kind of guy (no mouse). Shortcuts would dramatically improve workflow (The midi controller setup window could be used for keyboard shortcuts setup too):
a) Make the “song sheet” work as a spreadsheet: with working navigation keys: up-down-left-right arrows move trough parts (and columns: name, bars, reps, ctrl-C, ctrl-V for copying and paste)
b) Ability to override host keyboard shortcuts with Jamstix specific: example: CTRL-S -> save song in jamstix, CTRL-O open Jamstix song dialog.

Host (Ableton) Editing / transport problems

1. Ability for Jamstix to control host’s song position (skip to bar no xyz). In order for me to audit Jamstix’s part #10, I need to “calculate” on which Bar No. the part #10 starts. By simple clicking on this part (or double click) we could move the host transport to the appropriate bar.

2. Implement an option for Ableton to loop one active song part. When I choose a clip from a scene (ableton) the jamstix starts to play the part from the beginning (this is ok) but at the end of the part the next part of the song starts to play (?) . Eventually the song in jamstix finishes but the clip of the current scene is still active (perhaps there is workaround).


UI improvements;: Too many clicks, need more logical UI:

1. Feature: Double clicking on “bar timeline” would recompose clicked bar (fill, grove or accent.. whatever is active),

2. Add a new state to the “Lock icon”. The 3rd state would allow jamstix to continue play with the host tempo but you can choose which part is played, by clicking on part in “song sheet” or in the “bar timeline”

3. The whole skin UI should be more “elastic” so the scroll bars are not needed. I need to click 3-4 times to get to the “reduction” parameter. For example the “song sheet” and “bar timeline” could be tabbed to save some UI real estate. Also vertical sliders would save some space.

4. Working tab-key or arrow-keys in all 3 sections “groove accent and fill” so I can go from one control to another control (slider) and adjust value by using up and down keys. I wish there was a skin for tablets (bigger sliders) but "bigger sliders etc" would need to be applied to the host software too.


Midi controllers:

1. Feedback on midi controllers movement. If my midi controller is set to change something in “Fill” section please focus on the “Fill” tab. (don’t need to do this for the "mix window" b/c that window is a straight forward simple screen) Of course this "feedback" would work only if jamstix is active screen.

2. Add more MIDI note mappings for all brain control functions: delete fill, delete accent, delete groove, recompose groove, recompose fill and recompose accent and others ...

3. Option to map controls within “groove/accent/fill” screen by index not by name, since there are a few drummers that don’t use the same sliders. (some of the MIDI surfaces/controllers have this function to control first 10-20 parameters) Also ability to midi map switches such as “no grove” “Eq on/off” “compressor on/off”


Let me know if you need any further explanations,
Also If you have some workarounds please let me know. I do need to improve the workflow.

Thank you again
Geo_geo

[Ralph [RZ]]

Keyboard shortcuts in VSTi are a difficult area due to many hosts limiting keyboard passthru to plugins. Most hosts do not allow plugins to command a song position. Looping in the hosts must be VST-compliant concerning song position. UI #2: liveloops allows part control via PC (and MIDI key in JS3). UI #3: JS3 will have better space control in the brain area.

Everything else is duly noted.
_________________
Ralph Zeuner
Rayzoon Technologies LLC
http://www.rayzoon.com

[geo_geo]

Ralph,

Yes I agree that there are limitations with VSTi controlling HOST.
For that reason I would like to have Jamstix to react to the program change coming from ableton immediately. That could help have some midi controller (Akai) to jump to any part of the song by changing a scene in ableton.

Also the feature from my original post "Host #2 Loop a part for Ableton as host" would help too.
I'm surprised that other people using ableton don't see "free" running song in Jamstix as an obstacle.
Unless they use ableton as a linear DAW.

MIDI features:
----------------

I believe that MIDI feature #1 might be a bit harder to implement (focus issue with various Operating systems hosts etc).

Feature #2 shouldn't be difficult to implement: a few more boxes in the option screen, .... might need some additional testing with actual notes triggering

feature #3:
I do understand that if you expose more than 3 current device parameters (Power,Reduction and Timing) to the VST host you could have problem to map various drumers with various parameters for groove/fill...

On the flip site you could ignore mapped parameters that are not needed by current drummer model. The HOST can see those parameters but they wouldn't translate to ANY actual control. Or just go by index so controller #6 would do different things based on which drummer model is chosen.


Thanks
Geo geo

[Ralph [RZ]]

MIDI #1: if there are many controllers used, the UI would be a "jump-fest"

MIDI #2: not sure about that one yet but may be a good idea

Host #2: not sure I understand the value of this. Can you elaborate?
_________________
Ralph Zeuner
Rayzoon Technologies LLC
http://www.rayzoon.com