Grooves sound too sterile

Suprchrged_Si · Post by **Suprchrged_Si** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 2:37 am

Hey Ralph and everyone else,

I've been using JS for over a year now, but it seems at this point all I'm using it as is an advanced humanizer. I currently create all my own grooves and use JS as the engine to adjust timing velocity etc. The problem is I really want to unleash all the capabilities of it so I don't have to muck around for hours creating the songs in the interface.

Currently every time I try to use the brain for groove creation however, all the stuff comes out sterile, like a MIDI loop with very small adjustments, or it goes way overboard and I can't even recognize the rhythm. I fiddle with knobs, I jack with accents, mess with everything I can think of, but I can never get a groove to match what I hear in my head. I already have my songs composed in terms of structure and song feel on guitar, but I can't seem to get Jamstix to fit what I hear in my head to match those grooves. I've read the manual through several times, but that just tells me what each slider, button, etc. adjust, not how it adjusts it. I've seen loads of posts of people asking how to match their fav drummer, and Ralph always lands it right on the money. I was curious if there was some way to think through what I'm looking for and adjust things so that I can save the hours I bought the program for. I really love the feel JS puts on all my tracks in terms of timing and velocity, but I just can't quite seem to get a hang of how to translate grooves from my head to the program. Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks!

-Jimmy

Post by **Ralph @ Rayzoon** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 9:42 am

Could you give me an example of the kind of groove you are looking for?

Also, even if you create your groove manually, you can use a lot of JS to juice it up:

- use 'Extract From Other Style' to add elements from other styles to your groove
- try different drummers on your groove, play with their presets

Suprchrged_Si · Post by **Suprchrged_Si** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 11:42 am

Well in the current case, I'm sort of looking for a shuffle rock with some tom riffing and hi hat choking, but I was more curious as to the process you use to adjust style and drummer elements so I could learn it myself.

-Jimmy

Post by **Ralph @ Rayzoon** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 3:56 pm

Is there a published song that comes close to what you are thinking of?

chesterdesmond · Post by **chesterdesmond** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 4:21 pm

but I just can't quite seem to get a hang of how to translate grooves from my head to the program.

I think mind-reading is coming in Jamstix 4

Seriously though it's pretty hard to give 'rules' for making grooves.
I find it best to start with a groove that is close to the style I want and then just work on one bar (or loop DAW transport and work on a part) until it is closer to what I want. Try to find controls that are close to what you want to do and mess with them and ,as Ralph says, import what you like from other styles\drummers.
You can usually control the openness\busy-ness of hats and tell it to occasionally switch the hats or snare groove onto the toms. Be sure to check out the Accents tab. Also consider automating the power level in your host to change things up without having to specifically compose the groove but rather let the brain do its job.
I also find the Song Wizard useful to just come up with a series of parts that are in one style and a little more structured than just a 100 bar jam.

My post is not terribly helpful\too obvious, but those are some of the things I try. Jamstix is really deep and I've found just messing with it to be the only way I can really figure anything out!

Mark Blair · Post by **Mark Blair** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 7:48 pm

I like processes & big-picture strategies as opposed to specific guidance related to a specific situation, too. I really like Jamstix, but I too am still seeking strategies.

However, I have to say the the "Midi Groove Import" video on the Jamstix videos page (http://www.rayzoon.com/jamstix3_vid.html) has been really helpful. And even though it may not get exactly what I'd like, it's results in something MUCH better than using a static Midi clip (and a static Midi clidp is what I'd call sterile!).

But I know what you mean, Jimmy. I'm still searching for a better strategy -- as opposed to specific tactics...

TWM_ · Post by **TWM_** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 7:53 pm

I'm similar to Suprcharged_ in that I create my own grooves. In JS1 there was a window to change the hits on kick, snare, etc. Is there something similar in JS3? I'm using the default drummer 8th note in the demo and the kick hits on 1 and 3 quarter notes. Any way to add an 8th note on the 2 and 6th 8th notes without having to paste them into every bar?

Thanks

Todd_

Post by **Ralph @ Rayzoon** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 8:49 pm

Try the 'Jamstix Classic' style, which gives you grids for kick and snare.

You can also load any style you like, disable kick and snare of it and then add classic grid controls via the brain menu 'Add' function.

TWM_ · Post by **TWM_** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 9:42 pm

Ralph,
Thanks for getting back so quickly. (geez, don't you ever take a break?)
:<)
Todd_

TWM_ · Post by **TWM_** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 9:48 pm

Ralph,
How do I take advantage of having JS1,2 when checking out for upgrade to 3?
Thanks

Todd_