# Anyone using Native Instruments JAM for CCs ?



## Mishabou (Jun 10, 2018)

Want to get some feedback about the ribbons on Native Instruments' Jam controller for midi CCs. Anyone ?


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## danbo (Jun 24, 2018)

Anhtu said:


> Want to get some feedback about the ribbons on Native Instruments' Jam controller for midi CCs. Anyone ?



Yes I'm doing that with EWHO. I have the first two strips mapped to CC 1 and 11 for volume and expression, the two most important controls for my library. I got the idea from this video. 



For the buttons I set up the new Logic articulation system to listen to CC20, I then mapped those keys to output CC20 1-... for articulation changes. For the keyswitch patches I set those up in Logic to switch too, and used the bottom right group of switches for that. I set each one as a 'trigger'. 

Works great. I wish however that the MJ would allow me to toggle the button colors for each trigger (can't get that to work) as a visual indicator of which articulation is set. I think I could get it to work if I could figure out how to get Logic to send a midi message back. 

Otherwise you can set up the MJ as a regular control surface too so the transport controls work. Configuring it is a work in progress but it was a good choice, most especially for the ribbon control which is very sensitive.


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## Bill the Lesser (Jun 25, 2018)

I have a Jam setup for midi cc.

The boolean on/off CC buttons work great. I did a lot of work using Sonokinetic libraries (mostly Sotto and Minimal) using almost every button and quite a bit of masking tape! The jam was absolutely essential and felt very deft in comparison to a custom built device with buttons requiring a harder press typical of a lot of controllers.

The ribbons are a mixed bag. There is inevitably a jump when re-touching the "slider" after a release. Some instruments will not suffer, but others will. Best results are obtained in cases where you can keep your finger in contact. In that case the subtly of motion is impressive especially when trying to simulate vibrato or anything requiring rapid motion that might not even be possible with a pot slider due to the viscosity.

The Jam is now my go-to cc controller, along with LaunchControl XL for cases where I must avoid jumps between slider motions. I'm considering attaching a little Korg controller to the Jam to have pots in a smaller footprint.

To be really picky, it would be nice to have a unit that was wider or at least less tall than the Jam, there's a bit of a stretch needed to reach over the sliders to poke the buttons. One option is turn the Jam upside down or at 90 degrees. I think Akai has a small Launchpad clone that can be programmed for CC work (the classic Launchpad is not useful for these purposes, can't be programmed and sends sysex or some format that is not CC for every button).


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## Hywel (Jun 25, 2018)

I bought a Maschine Jam for 3 reasons...

1. As a relatively low cost entry into the world of using Maschine software and the factory library of sounds that goes with it
2. To be used and set up as in independent controller for Cubase with particular emphasis on the touchstrips
3. I really like all the buttons and the different colours and flashy lights....

With regard to the touchstrips... I really liked the ones on my S88. The ones on Maschine Jam are not as long. I have found that when using them as a CC generator (I use the first four in line to control cc1, cc11, cc2 and cc7 when recording or editing CSS and other string layers) my finger first slides up to roughly the area I want and then if I pivot my finger backward and forward I can get a reasonable control within quite a narrow range of ccs.

Hywel


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## Mornats (Jun 25, 2018)

Hywel said:


> ...then if I pivot my finger backward and forward I can get a reasonable control within quite a narrow range of ccs.
> 
> Hywel



I find that works quite well too.


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## thereus (Jun 25, 2018)

Yes. Works great.


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## Garry (Jun 25, 2018)

Hywel said:


> With regard to the touchstrips... I really liked the ones on my S88.


Funny, this is the exact reason I bought an X-Touch and a nanokontrol2 - because the touch strip on my s88 is possibly the worst attempt to reinvent the (mod)wheel ever! I've grown to really like the s88, as I've better understood integration of komplete kontrol, but I've never lost my hatred of the touch strip! Having 8 of them on the Jam would be my worst nightmare!! 

Funny how different things suit different tastes.


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## Mornats (Jun 25, 2018)

There are things I like about the touch strips such as being able to jump instantly from one point to another but I do miss a proper modwheel for the overall feel. It's good to have eight on the Jam as libraries such as Orchestral Swarm have dynamics, expression and variation and others have vibrato etc. So the extra strips are very handy for that.

I have a Maschine MkII so I use the Jam with that as a pattern arranger and step sequencer. I've not had time to fully explore the touch effects yet but I'm hoping they will open up some sound design possibilities.


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## gpax (Jun 25, 2018)

Omg, I remember posting about using the JAM sliders for midi cc, back when it first came out, and it was met with a measure of scrutiny here. Now look at how many of you there are, lol. 

I will say this: I love the newer implementation of the slightly beveled slider on the Komplete MK2 and the Maschine MK3. It makes so much more tactile sense as it bevels out on each end to the meet the surface of the device (compared to my original KK MK2 and JAM). Hence the throw is longer, and the touch is smoother than the strips on the JAM, though there is only one slider per those newer devices. 

It will be interesting to see if JAM gets an update, but as a nominal Maschine user when not doing orchestral work, it’s already an outdated if not superfluous device compared to the MK3 from a Maschine production POV. The point being, I’m guessing JAM is a one off. 

And to be honest, I use it less and less for midi CC than I used to, with other options I have, though yesterday I happened to finesse some strings with it again.


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## Mornats (Jun 25, 2018)

I see the Jam as complimentary to Maschine rather than a standalone device even though it can work as a standalone device.


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## danbo (Jun 26, 2018)

gpax said:


> Omg, I remember posting about using the JAM sliders for midi cc, back when it first came out, and it was met with a measure of scrutiny here. Now look at how many of you there are, lol.



But I only just joined 



> It will be interesting to see if JAM gets an update, but as a nominal Maschine user when not doing orchestral work, it’s already an outdated if not superfluous device compared to the MK3 from a Maschine production POV.



There's no room to add bevels without removing 16 buttons. I considered the MK3 but most of it wouldn't be used and I have to have at least two touch strips, ideally vertical. 

Anyhow as a classical guy this is the first time I'm using a modwheel ever (just for the DAW composing), and since I bought the jam at the same I find I much prefer the touchstrips and buttons approach. For me the jam interface is more like a real instrument where it's all a touch/slide interface and nothing like a wheel as far as I can think (not even the organ). Consider the violin where the left hand is just touching and sliding the fingers, same with the woodwinds (yes they use slide techniques on occasion for note bending - the clarinet at least).


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## gpax (Jun 27, 2018)

danbo said:


> But I only just joined
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Your experience is fascinating in that you are coming at this fresh, hence the paradigm of the modwheel isn’t as relevant as it is for others. I’ve had many different iterations of approaches through the years, including midi control via the iPad and so forth. More recently, I’ve been repurposing an older trackpad mouse - a developer in Panama has written an app that converts the touch to an array of midi cc.

The original Komplete keyboard I had used only touchstrips. I wasn’t making the case for Maschine, btw, only that the revisions to the strips on the KK MK2 and Maschine MK3 are darn near perfect in terms tactile feel, though like you, the horizontal isn’t the ideal. The quality of these caused me to ponder any possible revisions to JAM, as my finger doesn’t glide as smoothly on that surface as it does the newer strips. It’s a different enough material and surface on the newer devices that the ergonomic improvements were immediately noticeable to me.

But yes, that emulation of real-world fingering makes absolute since. But modwheels are not equal, whereas I can only use ones with good smooth tension, as older wheels prove to be too passsive for me. I’m an outlier as I cannot stand to push sliders for cc, and lots around here swear by them.


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## danbo (Jun 27, 2018)

gpax said:


> Your experience is fascinating in that you are coming at this fresh, hence the paradigm of the modwheel isn’t as relevant as it is for others.



Yeah it's interesting, my background is in classical performance (clarinet professionally, then piano after I left the clarinet world (too many clarinetists/not enough jobs)) with my main interest in composition (no jobs there for classical composing). So part of it also might be I'm scratching my head over the fuss with the strips. From performing I'm used what little control you have. Hall, weather (weather has a profound effect on your instrument), the instrument (when playing piano) and all the vagaries of performance. Oh and add in you have to have a Bb and a A clarinet which are vastly different. Not to mention when an Eb or bass is called for (Contrabass clarinet is the only one I haven't performed.) So for me, touch strips, what's the problem? I can adapt, though I prefer the responsiveness of them over the physical wheel.


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## gpax (Jun 27, 2018)

danbo said:


> Yeah it's interesting, my background is in classical performance (clarinet professionally, then piano after I left the clarinet world (too many clarinetists/not enough jobs)) with my main interest in composition (no jobs there for classical composing). So part of it also might be I'm scratching my head over the fuss with the strips. From performing I'm used what little control you have. Hall, weather (weather has a profound effect on your instrument), the instrument (when playing piano) and all the vagaries of performance. Oh and add in you have to have a Bb and a A clarinet which are vastly different. Not to mention when an Eb or bass is called for (Contrabass clarinet is the only one I haven't performed.) So for me, touch strips, what's the problem? I can adapt, though I prefer the responsiveness of them over the physical wheel.


Have you tried something like the AKAI EWI Midi controllers? FWIW, I do have one of these sitting in a box I haven't touched in years. PM me if this is something you might be interested in.


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## Paul Brown (Nov 13, 2018)

Anhtu said:


> Want to get some feedback about the ribbons on Native Instruments' Jam controller for midi CCs. Anyone ?


Hey guys hoping you can help me out here.

I recently got a Maschine Jam myself and stumbled across using the fader strips as CCs in David's Hollywood Strings Vid which I am running with Cubase 9.5

I can't seem to wrap my head around making the actual connection so that any one of the MJ Fader strips with one of David's CC Nos (ie CC70) corresponds to say a 1st Violin Midi Track.

Here;s a bit more info:


I'm running Cubase 9.5 through a top line Creation Station PC with a TASCAM FW1884 as my audio device.

At any given time I'm either using a Motif XF7 or a KeyLab II Keyobards to play notes in via Midi

And now I have a Maschine Jam coming in via USB w/ Maschine 2 as the VST Instrument.

I've used Komplete Kontrol to re-create David's EastWest Maschine Jam Template

I've created a Hollywood Strings Template in Cubase and added the Expression Maps.

And I can tell you that Cubase recognizes Maschine Jam and can drive the MJ Sequencer
Now I think I'm just a few short clicks away from actually assigning each fader strip on MJ to any given String/Midi Channel.

Attached are a few snapshots of my setup

Many thanks in advance for any help you guys can offer!

p


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