I have not studied this offering but my gut reaction is that you will not learn guitar watching some on-screen feedback and menus. Plus midi sounds terrible. I learned guitar along with my friends back in elementary school. Like others have mentioned, get a real guitar. I'd recommend a Fender Squire style cheap but good electric. You don't even need an amp at first. Then go watch some YouTube videos that teach E, A, B twelve bar blues or some C, F, G folk. You need to feel the rhythm of chords before you start into music theory and lead guitar scales and riffs.
That's true. Somebody could just hook up their guitar or bass straight into an iPad or iPhone, using something like an Apogee Jam interface. That's a decent interface, I have one of those. And there's plenty of decent software amps and fx around.
That's true. Somebody could just hook up their guitar or bass straight into an iPad or iPhone, using something like an Apogee Jam interface. That's a decent interface, I have one of those. And there's plenty of decent software amps and fx around.
Back in the old days, I just used to plug in my headphones into the guitar jack to practice scales.
BTW : listening to ZZ Top right now OTA but you can join in online at kociradio.com Check it out.
I spoke to the people at Zivix behind the Jamstik and they are hard at work providing software and firmware updates, one of which is adding the ability to tune it to a 4-string ukulele (my favorite instrument).
Also, you can grab it at StackSocial for a limited time for $199! That's a full $100 off from Amazon.
I have not studied this offering but my gut reaction is that you will not learn guitar watching some on-screen feedback and menus. Plus midi sounds terrible. I learned guitar along with my friends back in elementary school. Like others have mentioned, get a real guitar. I'd recommend a Fender Squire style cheap but good electric. You don't even need an amp at first. Then go watch some YouTube videos that teach E, A, B twelve bar blues or some C, F, G folk. You need to feel the rhythm of chords before you start into music theory and lead guitar scales and riffs.
House of the Rising Sun was the first thing I learned. Wow, what a set of useful chords there for a beginner eh?
I spoke to the people at Zivix behind the Jamstik and they are hard at work providing software and firmware updates, one of which is adding the ability to tune it to a 4-string ukulele (my favorite instrument).
Also, you can grab it at StackSocial for a limited time for $199! That's a full $100 off from Amazon.
This is equivalent to the latest exercise machine for people who want to get in shape. Truth is, this is a novelty item for people who like the idea of being able to play guitar, but don't have the dedication, motivation, and passion for it. Anyone who truly wants to learn guitar will buy a beat up six-string, a few songbooks of their favorite bands, and practice, practice, practice until their fingers bleed.
I was initially excited about this product when it first came to light last year. But it appears my doubts have come to fruition - especially given the price.
You could get a Little Martin or Baby Taylor for $289 at Sweetwater or Amazon, or even a Martin Backpacker for $199. Slap on a pickup, plug it into your iPad, and use the AnyTune Pro+ app ($29.99) plus a number of good lower cost apps (Learn Guitar by Inside.com, Beginner Guitar Songs by Guitar Jamz, Songsterr Tabs & Chords - by Guitar Tabs LLC, Chord Bank by WalkSoft) and Garage Band.
While Jamstik is a toy (to learn a guitar you can't beat having a nice real guitar with a good action and great sound (Taylor, Gibson, Martin or lower costs a Yamaha), anyone who actually has interest in a 'midi guitar' for real, should check out this amazing app that turns a conventional electric guitar into a midi guitar capable of playing any soft instrument.
The latency (referred to as 'lag' in the article) is almost non existent in both polyphonic and monophonic modes and the application works seamlessly with Garageband and Logic Pro X. I owned real midi guitars and they were all terrible due to latency and had pretty much dropped the concept until this came along. I can now easily add strings, piano, organs, brass, etc. to a track when I'd rather use a guitar than a keyboard by using this very inexpensive program. I can even record both the analog guitar on one track and the midi on another, simultaneously in Logic Pro X.
I have no affiliation with this company, I am just a very happy user since the program was in beta mode,
Whoa I missed this topic! I looked at the website you linked, that's interesting. I need pickups I guess.
I play classical and I'm trying to figure out what kind of pickup to put on my guitar. Hexo piezo something ?
Since there are several pro musicians here I will feel free to pick your brains. I'd like to have midi here, but not sure what really works.
Also I'm looking at Frameworks midi classical guitar models ( to play with headphones and for the midi capability, maybe, but they are expensive for a guitar with no body).
Learned GarageBand well enough to know I'd be better off with Logic or even Finale to write in.
This Jamstik guitar seems a little bad, not enough frets and the descriptions of it make it seem that it is not real useful.
Whoa I missed this topic! I looked at the website you linked, that's interesting. I need pickups I guess.
I play classical and I'm trying to figure out what kind of pickup to put on my guitar. Hexo piezo something ?
Since there are several pro musicians here I will feel free to pick your brains. I'd like to have midi here, but not sure what really works.
Also I'm looking at Frameworks midi classical guitar models ( to play with headphones and for the midi capability, maybe, but they are expensive for a guitar with no body).
Learned GarageBand well enough to know I'd be better off with Logic or even Finale to write in.
This Jamstik guitar seems a little bad, not enough frets and the descriptions of it make it seem that it is not real useful.
There is a free trial version if Midi Guitar you can download, that's how I got hooked. But the price is only $99 I seem to recall. The software is so good you can sing into a mic to create midi! I think an acoustic may work with a good pick up up but you always have the issue of harmonics with an acoustic. It might be better to get an inexpensive solid electric.
This is equivalent to the latest exercise machine for people who want to get in shape. Truth is, this is a novelty item for people who like the idea of being able to play guitar, but don't have the dedication, motivation, and passion for it. Anyone who truly wants to learn guitar will buy a beat up six-string, a few songbooks of their favorite bands, and practice, practice, practice until their fingers bleed.
There is a free trial version if Midi Guitar you can download, that's how I got hooked. But the price is only $99 I seem to recall. The software is so good you can sing into a mic to create midi! I think an acoustic may work with a good pick up up but you always have the issue of harmonics with an acoustic. It might be better to get an inexpensive solid electric.
I have got an inexpensive electric. Hmmm. Yes I saw the free trial ware, it looks really interesting. So you are saying you can interface music software with a mike??
I have got an inexpensive electric. Hmmm. Yes I saw the free trial ware, it looks really interesting. So you are saying you can interface music software with a mike??
Maybe I can do this!
Never tried a Mike but a mic yes ... I only discovered by accident. You will not get the best results but yes you can. I am able to sing a note and get the Midi Guitar, interfaced with Logic Pro X, to record a soft instrument single note or a chord. BTW this isn't rocket science to use, you just have both apps running and it 'just works'. Obviously use head phones to avoid feed back if you use a mic. If you use a Mike all bets are off. LOL.
Nothing so complex. The bottom four strings on any six string are identically tuned as they are on a standard 4 string bass simply one octave higher. Dropping the octave is done in post not when playing quite often but with Midi Guitar I can actually play bass in realtime on any of my electric guitars and hear them as bass guitars.. Hence practicing riffs etc. would be identical. I see chadbag above doesn't agree with my suggestion, but I can assure you this is the case but he is correct the feel would be totally different. I only say that as some may think he meant the tuning was different.
Whoa I missed this topic! I looked at the website you linked, that's interesting. I need pickups I guess.
I play classical and I'm trying to figure out what kind of pickup to put on my guitar. Hexo piezo something ?
Since there are several pro musicians here I will feel free to pick your brains. I'd like to have midi here, but not sure what really works.
Also I'm looking at Frameworks midi classical guitar models ( to play with headphones and for the midi capability, maybe, but they are expensive for a guitar with no body).
Learned GarageBand well enough to know I'd be better off with Logic or even Finale to write in.
This Jamstik guitar seems a little bad, not enough frets and the descriptions of it make it seem that it is not real useful.
The Jamstik people intentionally chose fewer frets because they didn't want it to compete with a real guitar as much as be a learning tool and different type of controller. They fully expect people who have a guitar might want a Jamstik for other occasions, or people who start with a Jamstik should also get a real guitar after learning a bit.
Note, Jamstik lets you drop the octave (or raise it) in real time using the up and down arrows on the D-Pad.
Left and right arrows act as a digital capo.
Yes as do most digital interfaces. My reference to doing it in post is because when we recorded many sound tracks for TV shows and commercials and the bass player didn't show up we just faked it in post, that was before all these new goodies such as Midi Guitar and such. We live in amazing times. There was a time you know when altering pitch without the speed was science fiction
I was initially excited about this product when it first came to light last year. But it appears my doubts have come to fruition - especially given the price.
You could get a Little Martin or Baby Taylor for $289 at Sweetwater or Amazon, or even a Martin Backpacker for $199. Slap on a pickup, plug it into your iPad, and use the AnyTune Pro+ app ($29.99) plus a number of good lower cost apps (Learn Guitar by Inside.com, Beginner Guitar Songs by Guitar Jamz, Songsterr Tabs & Chords - by Guitar Tabs LLC, Chord Bank by WalkSoft) and Garage Band.
You're good to go.
None of these apps give you the kind of real time feedback that Jamstik is capable of. That kind of feedback could be crucial to the new learner.
I have not studied this offering but my gut reaction is that you will not learn guitar watching some on-screen feedback and menus. Plus midi sounds terrible. I learned guitar along with my friends back in elementary school. Like others have mentioned, get a real guitar. I'd recommend a Fender Squire style cheap but good electric. You don't even need an amp at first. Then go watch some YouTube videos that teach E, A, B twelve bar blues or some C, F, G folk. You need to feel the rhythm of chords before you start into music theory and lead guitar scales and riffs.
It's not just watching - When you fret a note, the app recognizes whether or not you've done it correctly. Getting a Squier won't let you do that unless you get a guitar teacher and pay them $25 / hr.
And classical guitar teachers would disagree, you don't need chords before you start technique and theory. In any event, Jamstik teaches a good mix of chords and doesn't really get into modes other than pentatonic.
Comments
I have not studied this offering but my gut reaction is that you will not learn guitar watching some on-screen feedback and menus. Plus midi sounds terrible. I learned guitar along with my friends back in elementary school. Like others have mentioned, get a real guitar. I'd recommend a Fender Squire style cheap but good electric. You don't even need an amp at first. Then go watch some YouTube videos that teach E, A, B twelve bar blues or some C, F, G folk. You need to feel the rhythm of chords before you start into music theory and lead guitar scales and riffs.
You don't even need an amp at first.
That's true. Somebody could just hook up their guitar or bass straight into an iPad or iPhone, using something like an Apogee Jam interface. That's a decent interface, I have one of those. And there's plenty of decent software amps and fx around.
That's true. Somebody could just hook up their guitar or bass straight into an iPad or iPhone, using something like an Apogee Jam interface. That's a decent interface, I have one of those. And there's plenty of decent software amps and fx around.
Back in the old days, I just used to plug in my headphones into the guitar jack to practice scales.
BTW : listening to ZZ Top right now OTA but you can join in online at kociradio.com Check it out.
Also, you can grab it at StackSocial for a limited time for $199! That's a full $100 off from Amazon.
https://stacksocial.com/sales/jamstik-smartguitar?rid=64074
Ukulele Simulator...
House of the Rising Sun was the first thing I learned. Wow, what a set of useful chords there for a beginner eh?
LOL. Shame Tiny Tim isn't around to help them with the ads eh?
I spoke to the people at Zivix behind the Jamstik and they are hard at work providing software and firmware updates, one of which is adding the ability to tune it to a 4-string ukulele (my favorite instrument).
Also, you can grab it at StackSocial for a limited time for $199! That's a full $100 off from Amazon.
https://stacksocial.com/sales/jamstik-smartguitar?rid=64074
That is the original.
You'd probably be better off for $229 on kickstarter to get the plus.
This is equivalent to the latest exercise machine for people who want to get in shape. Truth is, this is a novelty item for people who like the idea of being able to play guitar, but don't have the dedication, motivation, and passion for it. Anyone who truly wants to learn guitar will buy a beat up six-string, a few songbooks of their favorite bands, and practice, practice, practice until their fingers bleed.
I was initially excited about this product when it first came to light last year. But it appears my doubts have come to fruition - especially given the price.
You could get a Little Martin or Baby Taylor for $289 at Sweetwater or Amazon, or even a Martin Backpacker for $199. Slap on a pickup, plug it into your iPad, and use the AnyTune Pro+ app ($29.99) plus a number of good lower cost apps (Learn Guitar by Inside.com, Beginner Guitar Songs by Guitar Jamz, Songsterr Tabs & Chords - by Guitar Tabs LLC, Chord Bank by WalkSoft) and Garage Band.
You're good to go.
Whoa I missed this topic! I looked at the website you linked, that's interesting. I need pickups I guess.
I play classical and I'm trying to figure out what kind of pickup to put on my guitar. Hexo piezo something ?
Since there are several pro musicians here I will feel free to pick your brains. I'd like to have midi here, but not sure what really works.
Also I'm looking at Frameworks midi classical guitar models ( to play with headphones and for the midi capability, maybe, but they are expensive for a guitar with no body).
Learned GarageBand well enough to know I'd be better off with Logic or even Finale to write in.
This Jamstik guitar seems a little bad, not enough frets and the descriptions of it make it seem that it is not real useful.
There is a free trial version if Midi Guitar you can download, that's how I got hooked. But the price is only $99 I seem to recall. The software is so good you can sing into a mic to create midi! I think an acoustic may work with a good pick up up but you always have the issue of harmonics with an acoustic. It might be better to get an inexpensive solid electric.
You got that right!
I have got an inexpensive electric. Hmmm. Yes I saw the free trial ware, it looks really interesting. So you are saying you can interface music software with a mike??
Maybe I can do this!
Never tried a Mike but a mic yes ...
Nothing so complex. The bottom four strings on any six string are identically tuned as they are on a standard 4 string bass simply one octave higher. Dropping the octave is done in post not when playing quite often but with Midi Guitar I can actually play bass in realtime on any of my electric guitars and hear them as bass guitars.. Hence practicing riffs etc. would be identical. I see chadbag above doesn't agree with my suggestion, but I can assure you this is the case but he is correct the feel would be totally different. I only say that as some may think he meant the tuning was different.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_guitar_tuning
Note, Jamstik lets you drop the octave (or raise it) in real time using the up and down arrows on the D-Pad.
Left and right arrows act as a digital capo.
Whoa I missed this topic! I looked at the website you linked, that's interesting. I need pickups I guess.
I play classical and I'm trying to figure out what kind of pickup to put on my guitar. Hexo piezo something ?
Since there are several pro musicians here I will feel free to pick your brains. I'd like to have midi here, but not sure what really works.
Also I'm looking at Frameworks midi classical guitar models ( to play with headphones and for the midi capability, maybe, but they are expensive for a guitar with no body).
Learned GarageBand well enough to know I'd be better off with Logic or even Finale to write in.
This Jamstik guitar seems a little bad, not enough frets and the descriptions of it make it seem that it is not real useful.
The Jamstik people intentionally chose fewer frets because they didn't want it to compete with a real guitar as much as be a learning tool and different type of controller. They fully expect people who have a guitar might want a Jamstik for other occasions, or people who start with a Jamstik should also get a real guitar after learning a bit.
Yes as do most digital interfaces. My reference to doing it in post is because when we recorded many sound tracks for TV shows and commercials and the bass player didn't show up we just faked it in post, that was before all these new goodies such as Midi Guitar and such. We live in amazing times. There was a time you know when altering pitch without the speed was science fiction
I was initially excited about this product when it first came to light last year. But it appears my doubts have come to fruition - especially given the price.
You could get a Little Martin or Baby Taylor for $289 at Sweetwater or Amazon, or even a Martin Backpacker for $199. Slap on a pickup, plug it into your iPad, and use the AnyTune Pro+ app ($29.99) plus a number of good lower cost apps (Learn Guitar by Inside.com, Beginner Guitar Songs by Guitar Jamz, Songsterr Tabs & Chords - by Guitar Tabs LLC, Chord Bank by WalkSoft) and Garage Band.
You're good to go.
None of these apps give you the kind of real time feedback that Jamstik is capable of. That kind of feedback could be crucial to the new learner.
I have not studied this offering but my gut reaction is that you will not learn guitar watching some on-screen feedback and menus. Plus midi sounds terrible. I learned guitar along with my friends back in elementary school. Like others have mentioned, get a real guitar. I'd recommend a Fender Squire style cheap but good electric. You don't even need an amp at first. Then go watch some YouTube videos that teach E, A, B twelve bar blues or some C, F, G folk. You need to feel the rhythm of chords before you start into music theory and lead guitar scales and riffs.
It's not just watching - When you fret a note, the app recognizes whether or not you've done it correctly. Getting a Squier won't let you do that unless you get a guitar teacher and pay them $25 / hr.
And classical guitar teachers would disagree, you don't need chords before you start technique and theory. In any event, Jamstik teaches a good mix of chords and doesn't really get into modes other than pentatonic.