This is a new program from Rayzoon Technologies. It's a Vst module that simulates a real drummer by interacting with notes that you play. It also contains an arranger module that allows you to preset intros, variations, fills, etc.
Some of us have probably tried some of these "interactive" programs before, including the types that try to use audio and / or midi data to trigger other midi data, and have likely walked away less than satisfied. Forget things like Virtual Guitarist or Virtual Drums ( other supposed interactive software ). This thing really seems to work as advertised, albeit a bit better with midi input than audio input, though you can use the latter as well.

I tried the demo of this program and it rocked. This is the first program I have played with that gave me that "Korg karma" interactive feel, but maybe even better, because to me it feels far closer to playing with a real drummer than any other software or hardware I've ever tried. I immediately purchased it upon it's release date.

I'm not sure how far or how well this program will wind up working for me, but I am getting enough of a handle on it that I plan on using it soon at a gig, while playing manual bass and rythyms / solos on keys. There is still much to explore, but so far so good.

Rayzoon is a small outfit, but it's creator has delivered everything promised and even on time.. He has been very responsive and interactive with feedback that has been given, so I imagine this product will only get better.

Next up for Rayzoon is a virtual bassist. If it works as well as this does, I can't wait. The two programs will work in tandem according to Rayzoon. This is exactly what I hope to someday see in a hardware arranger, and why I liked certain aspects of the Karma. What I didn't like so much about karma was it's overall soundset and it's massive and sometimes confusing O/S.

For more info if you're interested ... http://www.rayzoon.com/

AJ

If that works, that's really cool. With bass, wow, that could be awesome. You gonna use this with a laptop at gigs? Does this need a souped up laptop? Interested in your hardware setup.

My laptop isn't all that souped up. A P4, 2.8 gig, 1024 mb ram, usb Quattro soundcard, and a ton of VSTi instruments and effects.

It works so far, not a terrible drain on CPu at all .. less than 25 % when I use the internal samples and open the Vst up in Xlutop Chainer. It would be far easier on the cpu if I used my Motif ES instead of the internal Jamstix samples, but the samples are very good ( well over 200 mb and very nice sets).

Yes, I am definitely going to try this out live, but I also hope the bass module follows soon.. ( no timetable yet from Rayzoon ). If the two work well together, then yes.. it should be awesome.

AJ

Dear Bluezplayer & others;

I wonder if they plan to create the same program for Guitar (rhythm) , and possibly a couple of other instruments. One could create their own intelligent Vsti arranger. I wonder how difficult it would be to use live. Secondly, since they are creating a bass guitar verison of jamstix, I would assume they would have to use some chord recognition features, which would parallel the auto-accompaniment of arrangers. This could be an exciting new chapter for arrangers.

Regards;
BN

Wow, and at a great price. Does it exist for Apple? (I love my powerbook but I hate the software limitations.)

I currently use a hardware Roland TD 6v for my drums, but would like to change over to software. Does anyone have any ideas of where I can get a software drummer? All it needs to have is great sounds, and the ability to trigger them through MIDI. Nothing else required.

Thanks, Chony

I think this is PC only, at least for now, according to what I read on their forums. There was mention of a Mac version to follow.

AJ

The consensus for the best are:
FXpansion BFD, and Drumkit from Hell Superior, but I am not sure if either is
Apple compatible.

[This message has been edited by Vquestor (edited 03-31-2005).]

The MP3 demos are fantastic. I like the music too. If that is what actually happens to the drums when the playing changed, it's unbelievable. This answers another thread, "Have we come to the end of technological advances" . No way. I have begun to realize that I really like drums, especially when they are mixed up like this. Wow.
I need to figure out how to use chainer so I can test this demo.
Hey Yamaha, Roland, Korg, Ketron. Back to the drawing board.
Starkeeper

[This message has been edited by Starkeeper (edited 04-01-2005).]

Chainer is a pretty straightforward app and I thought it was easy to use once I got the hang of it. First, you need to "tell it " what folder(s) you are using to keep your VST .dll files in. You access this function in the Options drop down menu.

Then in the System drop down menu, choose your preferred soundcard and your midi in device. Then undr the Plug in menu, click on the small arrow to the left of an empty plug in slot, select instrument from the menu, and access Jamstix.

If you would like a little more help getting started with it, email me with your Phone # Starkeeper, and I'll be happy to help with what I can.

Otherwise, I might also suggest going to KVR and dl'ing either Tobybear's Minihost or VSThost, both of which are freeware and worked fine when I tried them.


I still haven't had time to fully delve into Jamstix yet, but after playing with it a bit and just reading the forums on their site and at KVR, I think these guys really are on to something different here.

AJ


[This message has been edited by Bluezplayer (edited 04-01-2005).]

Thanks for the help AJ. Will try your suggestions this weekend. I appreciate extending your personal help. Let me try it 1st and will let your know.
Like Frank Rosenthall suggested, you have to take it easy with this stuff, but its worth the effort in the end.
Starkeeper

Rayzoon Technologies has updated Jamstix to v1.0.2C.
The most important enhancement is the addition of "LiveLoops", which allows on-the-fly switching between song sections for live performers as well as general-purpose looping inside of Jamstix. LiveLoops allows stage use of Jamstix for live performers that need a structured song environment in which they can extend repetition of certain parts as well as change the order of parts reliably and easily using foot or MIDI controllers. Jamstix plays live loops in a loop until a trigger for the next loop is pressed. It will then complete the current loop, play a fill and move to the triggered loop.

AJ

Things happens fast nowadays, the latest update are:
(Quoted from the webpage)
NEW! 4/4/2005 - Jamstix Update 1.02G has been released!

You may already know this but we implemented LiveLoops in Jamstix 1.02 specifically for live players, which allows you to define sections of your song in the Jamstix arranger and assign triggers to them. That way you can peform a song live within the safety of a given structure but still be able to change the order of the sections simply by pressing a foot switch or keyb note. Jamstix will always finish a loop before jumping to the next so you can safely trigger well in advance. It will also place auto-fills between loop jumps and it will always keep looping the current section if no trigger is pressed. So for example: you can stay on the chorus for as long as you want and then press the vers trigger and Jamstix finishes the chorus, plays a fill and goes to the vers.



------------------
Ralph Zeuner
rayzoon technologies
http://www.rayzoon.com

That was a mix-up. When we prepared the new release it was 1.02C. By the time we actually sent it out it was 1.02G and we fogot to adjust the text in the press release.

We do release betas of our current work constantly in our forums and 1.03 will be released in a few weeks.

We are not planning a guitar version at this time. We are trying to focus on the those instruments that often get "neglected" by songwriters and are also vitally important for jam sessions. After JamBace, we plan to create a percussion player.

JamBace does perform harmonic analysis and we are developing some neat things in that arena...

I'm having trouble envisioning how you would use this live. You're playing an arranger but this does not key off of the arranger notes? But from the laptop?

I'm not necessarily thinking of using an arranger when I'm doing this, although I probably could. I'm thinking of using the actual midi data I play as a trigger, so that in essence I become a three piece band .. Left handed bass, right handed chords and solos. It's a simple setup. The midi data from my keyboard is fed into my laptop and into Jamstix. Then Jamstix' audio output is fed back into my mixer and soundsystem. The laptop performs like any hardware module, and really is no more difficult to setup.

Or.. Using the Motif ES, setting up a combination so that a bass arp is playing ( and triggering Jamstix ) while I am using both hands to accompany, which now in essence lets me become a 3 or 4 piece band, depending on how I set up the kb zones.

BTW, I have been messing with Jamstix more and so far it works pretty well. If nothing else, it sure makes me sound and feel a lot like I am playing with live players as opposed to playing to preset arrangements, not that the latter doesn't also have it's place..

Great job Zauni. Looking forward to seeing the bass and percussion modules as well.

AJ

and now... since my hands sometimes type faster than my "pea brain" can think..(lol)



[This message has been edited by Bluezplayer (edited 04-12-2005).]

Dear Zauni;

Its a shame that you are not considering creating a rhythym guitar version of your jamstix program (virtual guitarist). Because if it is anything like jamstix it would be impressive. The reason I thought about a virtual guitar version of jamstix, is that if one uses you jamstix (drums) with your virtual bassist, and then add your virtual guitarist, one would have a fantasitic back-up band. OMB ( one man band) keyboard (kb) players could add their kb accompaniment to the above and have a fantastic sounding quartet that could be used in live gigs.

I'm wondering if creating a virtual guitarist would be a difficult task for you, because contrary to drums which are not based on chords the guitar would be. But, then again how will you acheive this point when creating your virtual bassist? So that the bassist/Rhythym Guitar would follow the chord/solos of the KB player.


PS--the drums are very realistic sounding, not only in sound quality but in authentic interpretation.

Thank-you
Regards;
BN

You would break down your song into sections, like vers, chorus, bridge, solo. You would then create these sections in Jamstix either manually using the library or via a free jam session. In the next step you assign a note trigger to each section (live loop).

When performing, Jamstix will play sequentially through the section so if you don't hit a trigger the song just plays through. If you hit a live loop trigger via a foot or key controller, Jamstix will go to that section as soon as the current bar ends. It will then loop that section until you hit another trigger, whereupon it will complete the current section and play an auto-fill into the next section.

This gives you the security of a fixed arrangement with the freedom of a jam session in that you still control repetition and section order.




------------------
Ralph Zeuner
rayzoon technologies
http://www.rayzoon.com

JamBace will have an advanced harmonic tracking logic for MIDI input. When using it with audio input, you have to tell it the chords in its arranger.

A JamGuitar plugin would be more complex than JamBace with more strings and more play styles. We are always collecting ideas and concepts for such a thing but there is no development scheduled at this time.


------------------
Ralph Zeuner
rayzoon technologies
http://www.rayzoon.com

Im really lookin forward to getting this program also. I think drums and bass are the hardest things to program in a synth and having the ability to have a virtual drummer, with the true feel of a real drummer is truly remarkable !!! I really cant wait for the bass one too, since being a guitar player, recording synth is a real challenge. Most of us can play the drums, and bass, but converting that knowledge into musical midi notes is very, very challenging.
This is so cool, because considering OMB can play the bass part, while I let Jamstix do the drums, this I think can relly produce some lively styles to make some good songs....

peace,

Musikman

Guys,
I downloaded the demo and have been rocking all weekend long !!! I love this program. It truly gets you in the spirit of playing specially once you see how awsome it is to feel like a real drummer is playing along with you. And its cool because this PC drummer you can tweak him however you want and will not get mad at you for slowing him or asking him to get a bit more funky..... LOL..

Guys, I was able to use the samples and drumkits of my Motif ES7.. This was really awsome because now I have no limit. I was able to even record the output of Jamstix into the SONG sequencer of my ES using Cubase SX. It really is so awsome because Using it with the ES, I can split up all the drum parts internally in the ES sequencer and send them directly back to Cubase via Mlan as audio.

But Jamstix really brings a whole new joy in recording the drum track. For one, I feel that the drum track is no longer my worst fear. I know many of us use arranger keyboards because we either are experts at guitar, bass or drums, but not many are experts at recording lively and natural drums into a synth. Thats why we love the arranger keyboards because these virtual musicians make our life a lot easier.

But now with Jamstix, the drum track has been taken to a whole new level. I truly recommend this program guys. I can't say it enough. Ralph the developer is also very kind and is always there at the forum helping people, and is on top of requests from users and guess what, he actually puts most of the requests on the updates.. This to me is so awsome because you know that your money will go a long way.

This weekend, my family couldnt believe their ears.. I played and played for hours man.... Family who came to visit couldnt believe that it was my PC playing these drums.. They litereally thought I had a real human drummer in the studio, and they were truly amazed when they saw me alone and with my Motif ES and the PC. As they saw how the program was doing everything in realtime, they were so amazed.

Sometimes it felt a bit spoooky, LOL really. To see the PC program in realtime change all sorts of parameters to interact with how I played the Motif.
Its amazing that people like Ralph have been gifted with this knowledge to make awsome programs like this. It truly make me so happy to be alive in this point in time when I can get to see technology help me make music for God. This is such a blessing, that I'm so overjoyed.. I guess you guys can sense that right. Because truly am so happy to be alive to be able to have this technology....

If you need any help about setting it up with the Motif ES and cubase, please ask me and I will help with what I know.

God bless you all.

------------------
Peace,

Musikman

[This message has been edited by Musikman4Christ (edited 05-02-2005).]

I lost the URL for Jamstix updates when I was cleaning up the laptop. I emailed Zauni and within ten minutes he responded and got me back up and running. That my friends, is service.

There are plenty more examples of it on Rayzoon's own forums. I like dealing with the actual developer so much better than trying to deal with a huge corporation, although I can fully understand and appreciate the practical reasons why there would be a difference.

Still, Rayzoon is right at the top of my list, even in the more user friendly world of smaller developers. When you produce your next app Zauni, I'll be on line to buy it. Thanks

AJ

I purchased the full version man. I think there is so much one can do with this cool software program. I know that I will enjoy it big time for a long time and just the fact that it has made me wanna turn on my PC to jam along with my Motif ES, is worth the price of admission.
I have heard people buy other drum programs only to find out how dead and un natural they feel. But JS is totally different. It really reminds me of my ex drummer that I used to play with in my band. How creative and spontaneous he was. I have only touched the surface of what I can do with JS, I can only imagine how much more fun it will be when I combine it with Jambace when it comes out.

But just to hear my PC sound like a real drummer does it for me. You know a lot of us hate working with PCs because of the way theyre designed when compared to hardware, but when you get JS running, and youre jamming along with a softsynth like Superwave, which by the way is FREE at KVR, or even if you use your hardware synth, you begin to see how enjoyable working with a PC can be. Specially with a prgram like Jamstix which is so easy to setup and use. Truly the easies GUI I have ever had a chance to play with on the PC for music.
I recommend if you ever wanted to record some natural sounding drums or even to jam along with the feel of a real drummer playing with you, you have got to try out Jamstix.