Jamstix on OSX, the final hack (ARCHIVED)

Dewdman42 · Post by **Dewdman42** » Thu May 17, 2012 1:34 pm

I found another trick to use when syncing Reaper with your OSX DAW, its not mentioned in the tutorial.

Basically reaper has the ability to insert a time sync track, and stripe that track with LTC time code. So do that in reaper. it will create a time sync object on a track. Double click that to edit the parameters of the LTC timecode, how long, etc. THen right click on the track to render it. This will create a WAV file somewhere.

Go find that WAV file and import it into your OSX DAW. (in the future you can reuse this. I made mine like 15 minutes long and it should work for any project now).

Now send this track from your DAW to jack router. Go back to reaper and setup a new project, insert jamstix. From the Options menu go to external time sync confg and config it to take LTC from the jack router channel you specified above. Make sure the frame rate is the same as what you encoded it with originally (and also make sure your OSX DAW is using that frame rate).

hit play on Reaper and it will wait. Hit play on your OSX DAW and reaper should start playing in sync with your host. I found its accurate within about half a smpte frame or less, which is about 1/60th of a second. Not bad.

This will then let you operate in your main DAW and use the transport controls from there.

The tutorial I provided earlier has you using the transport controls of Reaper and having the OSX DAW slave to reaper. This makes it possible to slave the other way around.

Which way is better? I don't know yet. I do think this way is tighter sync because the sync is going through Jack instead of IAC midi, but it uses considerably more CPU resources. That might be tweakable by playing with some of the options in Reaper, Im not sure.

Also, if your purpose is to record a midi track out of jamstix into your OSX DAW, then it seems that the midi coming out of Reaper should drive the timing, so that the midi notes will land in your OSX DAW at pretty much the times they are supposed to, even if the sync is not tight, the recording of midi notes would be. if you don't understand what I just said, ask me PM.

Anyway, just wanted to throw this approach out there, I do think its probably tighter sync this way, so if you're trying to playback jamstix together with other tracks on your OSX DAW, this would be tightest.

Something to try...

zenasium · Post by **zenasium** » Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:44 pm

Hello,
i follow succesful all the step to install js3 on my Imac.
I can't traduce all the feeling to see JS3 working in reaper. After that i try to drive it with Logic.
Is it anything to do (parameters, sync, or more) to get jamstix drumming in logic ? i'm honestly not familiar with reaper and was not able to drum through logic.
i think i understand that reaper must run out of logic, but what's the step i missed to get my set fully functional.
Thanks guys !!

zenasium · Post by **zenasium** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 4:37 pm

I suppose my question didn't find a answer

it's probably me that don't understand something in Dewdman installation steps. But if someone can get me more detail on how to bring it to work, i will appreciate.

Dewdman42 · Post by **Dewdman42** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 4:49 pm

I can try to help you, but I need more information about the steps you tried to do and what exactly were the results.

zenasium · Post by **zenasium** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 3:28 am

Thanks,
as i say, the installation run fine. when i launch reaper alone, JS is drumming.
Things are pretty much complicate when i try to trigger Js from logic. first i launch jackpilot, then reaper and at last logic. i create a new project but what did i have to do/create in logic to synchronize logic with reaper ? i'm not familiar with this and i take a look on the environment windows, but without success.
i try to use MTC, midiclock, but nothing works. I'm sure it's just a detail i miss, due to a misunderstand from logic environment and synchronization tools.
did this help you to give me help ?

Dewdman42 · Post by **Dewdman42** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 11:37 am

Unfortunately I can't help you with logic, so you might try some logic forums to get more advice about using logic. The tutorial I supplied shows how I made it work with digital performer which might give you some clues. There is no reason why it should not work.

Create a virtual IAC midi port using Apple's AudioMidi utility. That will give you midi communication between reaper and logic. Make sure you do this before starting reaper. Reaper and logic should both be able to see the jack audio ports if you start jack first. Then you use jacks patchbay to connect the two applications and send the audio.

Regarding sync, That is hit or miss, I have found the best results having DP slave to Reaper, and having reaper send midi clock and SPP to DP. But you might be able to get it to work the other way around, you'll have to play around.

bean_boy · Post by **bean_boy** » Mon Aug 20, 2012 1:06 pm

Ok, so I've just pressed 'purchase' at the Apple store and, in 8 or 9 days, I will be the owner of a pimped out Macbook!

This is my first step into the Apple camp, and I can't envisage doing it without Jamstix. I'm hoping this solution will work for me, but I'm really keen to know when the official OSX version will come out.

Is there any rough timescale we can know about Ralph? Thanks!

darcyb62 · Post by **darcyb62** » Sun Aug 26, 2012 11:20 am

This is pretty slick.

I've been able to sync both audio and midi with Logic. I haven't had quite the same success with Studio One which is unfortunate because I would like to move from Logic to Studio One.

With Studio One I am able to get the audio routing through but I haven't been able to get the midi working which is what I really want to do. I would like to use Jamstic as the drum engine and use Battery as the sound engine in Studio One. I am getting close but I think I might have come a cross another limitation in Studio One.

I'll keep plugging away though.

bean_boy · Post by **bean_boy** » Sun Aug 26, 2012 2:54 pm

Hi Darcy

hmm, I AM a Studio One user - I use Jamstix to trigger SSD, so that sounds like a similar set up.

Please let me know how you get on and, when I get time next weekend with my new macbook, I'll try it out too. If you figure out a solution I'd be grateful if you could share it.

Ralph - any movement on that apple shaped light at the end of the tunnel?

Thanks

bean_

darcyb62 · Post by **darcyb62** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 9:24 pm

Just about got it.

I can get Jamstix to trigger Battery in Studio One just fine. I just can't get the transport controls to sync up.

I'll work on that next.