Click here if you need to install Jamstix on a computer that is not connected to the Internet.

Download and run the Jamstix4 manager tool. If you're installing the free version, you received this tool from the download link. For full versions, the tool is linked in your delivery email. The tools are identical, so if you're upgrading the free version to the full Jamstix, you can use the same tool.

Select the free or full version when prompted. For the full version, you will then be asked to copy and paste your customer key from your delivery email. Click 'Connect' and the following screen will be shown:

• JAMSTIX 4 DATA FOLDER: Leave as is or change using the 'Select Folder' button.
• USE JAMSTIX 3 SOUND DATA: Check this box only if you plan on NOT uninstalling Jamstix 3 in the near future
• INSTALL AI FILES ONLY...: Check this box only if you plan on NEVER using the drum kit sounds that come with Jamstix and will always use a 3rd party plugin for sound
• 64-bit VST: Check this box if you are using 64-bit DAWs/hosts with Jamstix and use the 'Select Folder' button to specify the folder where your DAW searches for plugins
• 32-bit VST: Check this box ONLY if you are using 32-bit DAWs/hosts with Jamstix and use the 'Select Folder' button to specify the folder where your DAW searches for plugins
• 64-bit AAX: Check this box ONLY if you have Pro Tools 11 or higher installed and wish to use Jamstix with it

When done, click OK and then screen will change to something like this:

Click 'Start Installation' and the manager will install Jamstix and any expansions you own as well as activate your license. When it is finished, you will see a screen similar to this one:

You can now close the manager and start using Jamstix.

Installation Troubleshooting

• 'Redirection' error,'IOHandler' error,'Socket' error: Disable any firewall (i.e. Malwarebytes) you are running other than the Windows firewall and then install again.
• 'Access denied' error: Most likely cause is that you've checked the '64-bit AAX' box but only have a demo of Pro Tools installed. Click 'Install Options', uncheck the box and install again

If none of this resolves the issue, click 'Email Tech Support'. This function will collect Jamstix logs and let you drag and drop them onto an email to our tech support team. We will respond quickly and resolve any issue to get Jamstix running for you.

Load Jamstix like any other plugin instrument into your DAW. Decide what user interface size works best for you. If Jamstix looks too small, click OPTIONS -> USER INTERFACE & 3D KIT and adjust the 'User Interface Scale' as desired.

When you load Jamstix into your DAW, you will see the song builder open and ready to go. Here's a few things you should try now to get familiar with Jamstix:

• click CREATE SONG, press play in your DAW and listen to Jamstix playing the song and going through the parts
• While it is playing, click GROOVE to see the brain and bar editor change throughout the song
• While it is still playing, click KIT to see the 3D-Kit play the song. Click, hold and drag the mouse in the kit to pan it. Use the mouse-wheel to zoom the 3D view in and out.

  

Now click BUILD to go back to the song builder and experiment with some changes:

• click 'Basic Rock' to change the style used for the song
• click 'James Stix' to choose a different drummer
• use the 'Song Structure' list to change the song:
  • double-click a part to remove it
  • click on a part and then press the shortcut key for any part you'd like to have that part inserted into the list
  • drag and drop a part from the 'Available Parts' as an alternate way of building the structure
  • drag and drop a part within the structure list to rearrange the order of parts
• feel free to experiment with other settings and review the user manual as needed

If you would like to use a single MIDI pattern that you have saved on your hard-drive from another product with the song builder, follow these steps to create a custom song from that one single pattern in seconds, complete with fills, proper part characters and so forth:

• click GROOVE in the main toolbar
• click 'Clear Song' in the song sheet menu
• click on '[No Style]' in the brain and load the 'Import' style from the '@ Special Styles' folder
• use 'click to load' in the brain and load the MIDI file from your other product
• use ’Save Style Preset’ in the brain menu and give it a brief descriptive name
• click BUILD in the main toolbar, select ‘Import’ as the style and you will see your saved preset in the list under 'PRESET'
• select all other options as desired and click CREATE SONG

Please note that Jamstix treats part lengths (verse etc.) as musical units versus total part length. For example: a typical verse may contain a sequence of 4 chords, spanning 4 bars that is repeated twice. Jamstix sees this as a part of length=4 and repetitions=2 for a total part length of 4x2=8 bars. Therefore, do not enter Verse Length=8 and then a single verse in the song structure for this situation but add two verses in series. This does not apply to single-rep parts (Middle-8, Pre-Chorus, Silence, Drumsolo, Link).

If you wish to use Jamstix to simply play back a MIDI drum track in your host or to be triggered by your e-drum kit, click MIDI PLAYBACK in the top/left corner.

Use the MIDI input mapping button (located under 'Options' in the screenshot above) to select the mapping that matches the data format of your MIDI track or e-drum kit brain.

If you're e-drumming, check out the additional options presented in the song sheet under 'MIDI Playback Mode'.

You can use Jamstix to 'MIDI-drive' any 3rd party drum plugin you have installed. Here's how to get started:

• configure your DAW so the MIDI output of Jamstix is sent to the MIDI input of your 3rd party drum plugin
• click LOAD in the KIT window, select the '@ Special Kit' and load the 'MIDI Out Template' kit.
• click the output mapping button (far right in the kit toolbar)
  • select the mapping for your 3rd party plugin
  • have the three boxes checked as shown in the screenshot
  • click 'Load' to finish your selection
• start using Jamstix normally and your 3rd party plugin is now used for all sound output
• you can save your kit so you won't have to do the selection process above in the future for this plugin

When you want to completely hand-edit a groove pattern, follow these steps:

• click GROOVE in the main toolbar
• click 'Clear Song' in the song sheet menu
• load ‘Silent’ for style and drummer
• preview-loop a bar with the PREVIEW button in the bar editor
• start editing the groove in the bar editor as desired
• stop the preview
• click ‘Save Groove As Style’ in the bar editor menu and give it a descriptive name
• open the song builder and build your song using your saved style

Let's say you've found a style you like but want to just force a certain kick & snare pattern into it, follow these steps:

• click GROOVE in the main toolbar
• click 'Clear Song' in the song sheet menu
• load the style you like into the brain
• in the brain, right-click on any element that creates kicks and snares, usually called 'Kick' and 'Snare', and choose 'Remove'
• open the brain menu, select 'Add' and add 'Kick Grid' and 'Snare Grid' to the brain
• use the new grids in the brain to set the desired kick and snare pattern
• when finished, use 'Save Style As Preset' in the brain menu to create a preset with your settings for the style
• open the song builder and build your song using the original style and your saved preset

Everything you've checked out so far was done in NORMAL JAM, which will often be the best way to develop and finalize a song. However, you can use an audio or MIDI source to also control the dynamics of the drum performance. In this way, Jamstix will use the detected dynamics changes to not just control the velocity of the drum sounds but also trigger certain rules, like 'Reduction', 'Auto Snare' and 'Power Hand' in the brain to alter the performance.

MIDI Jamming:  Simply route a MIDI signal in your DAW to the Jamstix MIDI input and set Jamstix to MIDI JAM
Audio Jamming:  Add the audioM8 plugin to the desired audio track in your DAW and set Jamstix to AUDIO JAM

While playing, you will see the power knob in Jamstix rise and fall in response to the detected dynamics. You can adjust the way it does this in the OPTIONS screen under 'Jamming Options'.

If you find the drums getting to quiet or too loud during jamming, use the dynamics thresholds to the left and right of the song power knob to set the desired limits.

If a new version of Jamstix is released, you will be notified when you launch Jamstix (no more than once a day). Furthermore, if anything is posted to the 'Rayzoon News Feed', you will also be alerted the next time you launch Jamstix but only once per update.

We believe that this strikes a good balance between annoying you with alerts and ensuring your awareness of the availability of fixes, enhancements and new expansions.

Nevertheless, if you don't want to see these alerts, uncheck 'Check For Updates' in the OPTIONS screen.