I kinda have moved on too. Over to EZD2 which is fantastic.
However,If the roll out of JS-4 goes like prior versions... I do look forward to the collaborative public beta testing. Each day new fixes and features and the ability to have input in how the new version develops. Fun Stuff Indeed.
I have used JS3 to drive my EZD2 sound module because I like the kits in EZD2 better. But all the Toontrack stuff is just so much more intuitive and "EZ" to work with.
I am hoping Ralf will make this program a lot more user friendly and the upgrade price be reasonable.
This has been a year since he officially announced "soon" and that was after a couple years of "near future" I HOPE Ray wasn't spending his time on this 3D nonsense.
I'm probably going to wait since it's been so long anyway and I got tired of waiting and have other drum sets and "tools" now (AD2, EZ drummer, etc.)
and even after that wait, here is what he posted in the forum news (bolding is mine):
"On 11/30/17, Jamstix 4 (PC) will be released and usher in a new and improved installation and updating paradigm with its manager tool. Since updating Jamstix 4 will require little more than three mouse clicks, we have the following plans, post release (aside from finishing the macOS version):
1) We were unable to finalize all the new drummers and styles we had planned. They will be delivered for free in a steady trickle of updates. There will also be more presets for existing styles and drummers as well as new kit presets.
2) The 3D kit features an adjustable 'environment' or 'rooms', as one Beta tester called them. We will release additional environments for free as well.
3) We are considering an optional subscription service for hard-core fans of Jamstix, which would deliver additional models, presets etc. Let us know what you think about such an option."
Look at XLN's Addictive Trigger https://www.xlnaudio.com/addictivetrigger $150 and it only detects the drums, no cymbals !! I have been asking them for years to add cymbals, when Superior Drummer 3 was released recently, I sent them another email saying "Forget It" Superior Drummer 3 does it all, you snooze you loose.
Why, does a drum module interface "need" a 3D visual or even overly fancy 2D visual? That's about as useful TO ME as belted suspenders on slacks that already have elastic waist bands, but that's just me.
"Said I never had much use for one. Never said I didn't know how to use one." - Matthew Quigley
useless GIMMICK , why pay for all that time programming it when you can get it for free. You could understand if it had an actual 3D drummer on the kit also, then you could superimpose it on the stage in a hologram for those times when your drummer don't show for the gig, he just plays and moves to a midi drum backing track
Why, does a drum module interface "need" a 3D visual or even overly fancy 2D visual? That's about as useful TO ME as belted suspenders on slacks that already have elastic waist bands, but that's just me.
Originally Posted By: Rayzoon Website
3D Virtual Kit We know this is not a critical function affecting the grooves Jamstix 4 produces, but we've implemented a full 3D virtual kit with moving cymbals, kick pedal and drumsticks that you can pan, rotate and zoom. You can also adjust the shell color to fit your preferences. We do believe that it translates the groove data into a more visceral experience as you'd have with a real-life drummer and kit. Furthermore, it makes Jamstix a perfect tool for drum students as they can watch intricate patterns being played at any chosen tempo.
Going slightly off topic, why do we need all these extra plugins anyway, since most of us have probably got a good few already?
I'm one of the people who is at the front of the queue to download a plugin that is posted about in the forum, especially if it has FREE in front of its name.
Something that gives me a buzz just because I got it free, but something there is a good possibility that I might never use.
Have we got too many plugins, or we have to keep looking and striving for better ones?
No one has been put off more than me, waiting all these years for JS4. And of course EZD2 and now SD3 are both incredible. But if you are like me and have spent time learning JS2 or JS3 you know that this program just has something very very cool going on with it. It is simply the more rhythmic drummer you have ever worked with.
Come on, you know you will love it. I am betting that the upgrade price will be a no-brainer over the holidays.
It isn't just for playing prerecorded drum midi files, JS will actually CREATE a very realistic complete drum track for you in the style of famous drummers. The initial setup is quite like Biab in that you set your song up using sections and each section can have different variations of the groove based an a whole bunch of drummer parameters you set up ahead of time. When you hit Play, voila there it is.
No doubt other drum programs can sound very good because those same famous drummers have recorded gazillions of loops in those styles. And I definitely like the new Tracker you talked about with Superior Drummer 4 but, just like many have complained about the Real Tracks, drum loops are set in stone, they're prerecorded. JS doesn't work like that although it can if you want it to.
One drum VSTi I find interesting is RealiDrums by Realitone. One interesting feature is it will provide a drum fill based on the number of beats remaining in a bar.
Once you tell the program you need a drum fill the program can provide one, two, three or four beat drum fills.
The program runs inside Kontakt 5 Free or the full version of Kontakt 5.
You can run pretty well any of the big drum libraries from Jamstix with JS providing the ‘brain’ to play the sounds of Superior Drummer, Addictive Drums, EZDrummer etc etc. I love the concept of Jamstix and I think Jamstix 4 is going to excite plenty of people when it is released.
I also think Superior Drummer 3 is a brilliant product with so many great features.
JS is good for what it is, EZD2 is good but SD3 is way up there maybe more for a professional environment.
Been busy with a move and lost track of this thread. My point was I've seen several SD3 demos and I've not seen anything about how SD3 can actually create a drum track for you like JS can. I see lots of very cool stuff though especially the tracker but still, it looks like with SD3 you're creating the actual drum sequence yourself or importing a prerecorded drum track. Here's a comment from Gearslutz concerning SD3:
I'm sure it sounds good but still heavy mouse clicking with MIDI files instead of a drum brain like Jamstix- not so interested so far.
Is that correct or not? If you're not a good midi drums programmer how can SD3 help you out? I'm not talking about simple midi drum clips, there's gazillions of those around.
One of the huge features of JS is it can be the brain to drive other modules like SD3.
TOO LATE but not a big deal. I wasn't going to upgrade but at the last minute (today) for $49 to go from JS3 Studio to JS4 Studio (which just uses new JS4 engine and old JS3 kits/AI/etc.) I'd "watch a ........." as we use to say in-country.
But like all SW I have came to expect a few hiccups. Yes, I know we have grown TOO accustomed to paying for SW just so we can be guinea pigs. Nonetheless, Microsoft made that OFFICIAL policy with Win 10 HOME (and to a somewhat lesser extent Win 10 Pro and Win 10 Enterprise)
All good with Free Version in Reaper. Not sure what I was doing wrong but rebooted and pushed a few buttons and all is good to go.
The GUI and JS workflow is a bit of an odd duck, but for those of us who have grown up with it and waited years for this version 4, the 49USD upgrade price is just a no brainer.
