I'm back from vacation and wanted to share this review! Had the Jammy for a while but hadn't had time to record a video. Hope this is helpful! Also, I'm planning to edit a vlog from my recent trip to share here sometime in the future (may not be till around the Holidays)!
Glad you had a good time on vacation, yes on the vlog, no on the Jammy LOL The truth police are not gonna like this actually honest review, LOL Great video :)
@@Kevintendo bc the technology just isn’t there yet. I need something reliable for studio purposes. I’m not trying to spend almost 500$ to have for a party trick or show’n’tell
Finally, someone who is honest about this product and not just saying "it's perfect!" Frankly, I'm good enough with a keyboard to get by for MIDI controlling, so I'm definitely going to take a pass on this. But your Steinberger would make a perfect travel guitar for someone like me.
I was going to say the same thing... Finally a honest / accurate review. This is not a guitar, it's a weak midi controller in the shape of a guitar. :( I had high expectations. Thank God I didn't go off other reviews because I couldn't see how this guitar was as a good as others said it was...
I wanted to buy a Steinberger for traveling but decide to get a foldable guitar that is bulletproof for air travel which Steinberger isn't (at least not in Europe). According to policies I've looked up, it's too long and it depends whether they feel like letting you have it onboard or not (or making you to pay extra). So I opted for a foldable guitar that fits well into a cabin luggage permitted size. It has some downsides, like only 20 frets and the highest are not that easily accessible but less trouble than stressing and fighting with airlines.
exactly!!! i think its pretty dumb to look up for this product to make the same sounds you can make with an actual real guitar. the real purpose of jammy is the midi feature imo
Nice to see a real review instead of the usual, “Hey we got it for free so we’ll say nice things about it” type reviews. Thank you for telling the truth.
I guess the good thing is that they can just keep updating and improving the software, so while it might not be great now it could potentially get a lot better.
Thank you. Thank you for actually reviewing a goddamn product and not just advertising it. Not sure why everybody is so hyped about the Jammy, it's just a guitar shaped midi controller which is travel friendly, and to make it worse it has too few frets
Really great video, love how you save time with video windows, and you get right to important points quick to keep watchers right where they need to be.
Would you be willing to re-review with the 1.8 firmware? It seems they may have fixed many of your issues but i dont trust the jammy site videos showing it id rather see a consumer review.
This video had me worried when I clicked on it since mine comes in today. But thankfully I only ordered mine so I can write midi faster than a mouse. My piano skills are almost non existent since guitar is my primary instrument. So pretty glad that it's perfect for me then.
I can't decide if I want to keep it or not. The tracking is pretty bad on it. Maybe the other version of the jammy works better for tracking. But the app to set it up isn't great either. I can get it close. But anything more than eighth notes at 120 is unreliable. I'm now debating about just getting the fishman midi pickup
Thanks a lot for the review ! I was very interested by the Jammy but actually did not even consider it as a guitar but more as you said as a composition midi controller for people like me that are more fluent on string instruments than keyboards... I definitely need to try it and see if the tracking improves...
Jammy have released an, 'instrument' that isn't actually ready for release. It's obvious they, like many software companies want to start selling before it is usable. Its a shame as the idea is great. Currently for MIDI output via guitar the Fishman TriplePlay pick-up is the most reliable and fastest tracking. Thanks for the review X
Thanks for providing info about the triple play, I was considering that one for a while but it's still pretty expensive, I'm currently using jam origin vst which is software tracking and I'm starting to think it's good enough for what I want to do...
Yeah charge people 500 bucks to be a beta tester. I'm sure in the future digital guitars will be a thing. But you don't get to commodify it until you actually build it.
Thanks for doing an honest review on this. So many other channels got these for free and didn't really discuss the instrument's flaws. It is a really neat idea, but it looks like it needs about 11 more firmware updates before it becomes truly awesome.
Great demo! I saw the ads online and decided to check youtube for reviews. I'm glad you took the hit for the rest of us. That's the problem with midi is dropped notes, configuring issues and such. Some times the midi software on the midi controller (in this case the Jammy) is not the same as the software on your DAW program. I have Logic X which is midi capable but my midi capable drums only sound good when it's delayed. That makes syncing a recording difficult. If I want real time then I get the dropped notes and such. The Jammy reminds me of a synth guitar from the 80s.
Dear Rachelf, I just bought a second-hand Jammy on a website of well-known musicians here in Spain. I know that you are a knowledgeable technician and driving force behind this Jammy G midi guitar system. That is why I strongly ask you to guide me if you are so kind as to do so. I love your videos. I started by plugging the guitar into my daw, and got it to work with my LION-logic pro-omnisphere mac. Inexplicably when I went back to work in the afternoon it no longer worked. I adjusted the tension of the strings, since they were very soft, in fact I think that the guitar had not been worked on, it looked like it was new, although the package has been opened. Even with ZKeys Piano it doesn't work either. To this day I can't get it to work. When I try to download the app, it tells me that it is not available on my device because it was created for an older version of Android. What can be done? Do you know what could be the problem? It should work as is, without the need for the app. Should I get rid of the guitar? I am a recognized professional musician and I would like to be able to work with this brand. Waiting your answer, Sincerely, Mario Grimaldos.
Traveling out of the country for a month for work later this year and don't want to lose the progress I have gained. Thought about either getting one of these or finding a local pawn shop to pick something up while in country. Found a cheap version of one of these on another website for around $100. Might pick it up, but not wasting money on the Jammy. Thanks for the review, one of the few I trust.
Thank you for this review, Rachel. I hope the people making Jammy will be able to respond to this for improvement - and if so, a new non-sponsored review to compare the updates. I liked your attention to detail and techniques and how the guitar responded. The Jammy concept has a lot of potential, but look like it's early in development.
That thing looks awesome, I don't think they should be marketing it as a digital guitar as it's more of a guitar midi controller than a digital guitar. The way you assemble it is super cool though!
The issue is thinking of it as a Guitar rather than what it is: A midi controler with very unique and cool capabilities. It is a Production tool. If you want to record or play Guitar do it with a fng Guitar. Simple.
Appreciate this honest review. The tech still has a long way to go. This confirmed my decision to get a pedal that will make my guitar sound like a piano. Thank you!
Great review of the Jammy guitar! I also believe that it isn’t reliable for general playing though there are some things that are decent. Also, I’ll be getting an Ibanez GRG140 in White to start on! :D
Thanks for the honest review, the ones I’ve seen up to now make it seem like a dream come true. At least now I know what to expect. Perhaps in a year the firmware will get better to make it really usable.
This is a great review coming from someone who has been fxing with midi guitar for almost 20 years. There is no excuse for this kind of terrible tracking when companies like Roland, Axon, Graphtech, and Fishman have all more or less figured this out for decades. For people saying this "isn't supposed to work like a guitar", Ok then don't call it a "digital guitar" and don't advertise it as a fully functional guitar.
Excellent and thorough review. Only thing I might’ve liked to see would be how the actual MIDI note tracking/recording is like. I have a Roland GR20 with divided pickup on an Epi SG, also have Jam Origin Midi Guitar software... I like the latter way more (way cheaper too). But in the end, I just go back to using a keyboard every time to record an accurate performance. Since this is a MIDI controller outright, I’d expect it to be more accurate, but wonder by degrees how much so. I’ve always dreamed especially of using my guitar to track synth melodies and esp. MIDI bass lines, lol. I have a bass, not my strength, but even then, in compositional phase, I’m always changing my ideas of arrangement and fills, or adding in a new section, etc.
Latency has always been the problem with guitar controllers. Manufacturers have been trying to make MIDI guitar controllers since the 90s, but there was always a latency issue. I have bought several in the past, but there was always some delay from the time you struck the string and the time the sample would play. You find that even a fraction of a second delay throws off your timing and no matter how hard you try to ignore the delay, you will always find yourself slowing your play, because your brain thinks it can sync up to the delay, but that’s impossible. Thank you for this honest review. When I first saw the Jammy, I hoped that by this time someone actually created a controller with a latency so minute it was not noticeable to the player. It sounds as if that problem and the issue with dropped notes have still not been solved. I am a guitarist first and nowhere near as good at playing keys as frets, so I continue to hope someone will solve the latency and dropped note issue, but I guess I’ll have to wait a bit longer. I have several different MIDI guitar controller. The Roland GR-1 works similar to this Jammy, except it has a pickup you can place on any guitar. The only problem is the latency and dropped notes, just like the Jammy. Since the Jammy runs about $500.00, I can’t justify laying out that much cash for something no better than options I bought in the 90s. Other than the portability, the Jammy doesn’t seem any better than what I have. I really enjoyed your presentation and honesty about this overpriced instrument. I’m glad you were able to pick one up for less than $400.00, because the regular price seems way too high for what it is. If it had conquered the latency and dropped note issue maybe it would be worth the $500.00 they’re asking for it, but since that issue is still there, the price is outrageous. Thank you again for this review. Your bubbly personality made this a pleasure to watch.
Many thanks for your competent and realistic assessment of the possibilities of the Jammy, also with regard to the two possible purposes, namely practicing and live on the one hand, and composing and controlling midi commands on the other. Great clip! and you're right, controlling other instruments is fun, but the Jammy is quite expensive...
Tnx for the review Rachel. It really helped. I have tried Variax guitars (owned a JTV 69 once) and that is (as you might know) a real guitar wich also supports midi and such... This "guitar" however could've helped me in my studio just as you say, to trigger VST's and midi instruments since I mainly play guitar/bass. - Thanks again for sharing this video Rachel. -AP (from Norway)
Glad I found an honest review. I already lost a bunch of money on these crazy ads that pop up on Facebook, claiming to have an awesome product but falls kinda short. At least this has firmware updates, so even though it isn't that great, it might be later. I think I will wait until then.
Thanks for your objective opinion, The manufacturer probably doesn’t like it but it's more important for me to have a product is useful instead of a gadget that does some tricks a little bit.
You look so happy even through your disappointment. Would you consider going for the Jammy Evo when its available? Nice review. I was thinking about this to learn on (but went for a jamstik + instead). I guess you need to know how you want to use it in the end. As a guitar then most midi guitars fall short somewhere but for creating and editing then midi can be a different story.
Awesome review. Appreciate your positive, enthusiastic personality. Please continue to review the Jammy if/when they update software to make it track better. Many of us can't play as well or fast as you. For us, maybe the Jammy's weaknesses are less of an issue. Maybe even reach out to Jammy, to see if they have any adjustments to make it better for you.
A guitar shaped midi controller for musicians who never learned what the keys on a synth/keyboard mean and do. Thanks for an honest review. Thats the end of the 20min of my attention this thing got.
Did you bother with firmware updates, midi options tweaking to your likings and playing, checking some of the tips and techniques jammy official videos ?
thanks for this! i was interested in it for midi control, but now I’m thinking the old fashioned way of strong-arming the programming is where it’s at.
Excellent review. I would agree with everything you've said except that, for me personally, the errors in tracking are too much of a pain in the backside when trying to record parts in Midi. Yes, you can edit the part after the fact, but having to re-build every single part you record is tedious, assuming you can ignore the dropouts long enough to actually record the part in the first place. I think it's a great idea and it seems well designed/built, but ultimately it is a few years away from being reliable enough for productive, daily use. After two days, I put my Jammy G back in the box and ordered something more expensive, something that is actually a guitar in its own right. It may add a tiny bit more latency, but a fraction more latency is better than rubbish tracking. Jammy E is coming out sometime next year, that might provide improved playability. Not for me though; whether or not my next purchase satisfies, I'm out, no more cash to splash :-)
I watched Doctor Mix yesterday introducing the Jammy in his showmaster way, fun to watch, but emphasizing the fun factor. For some light on the downsides of this instrument I had to listen are more balanced review by you. Thank you for that! I'm curious about your opinion on the oncoming (less expensive) Evo model.
13:47 If you're working on some kind of midi masterpiece, this might be great for sending your head sounds into the ableton midi editor, and the quantize, delete, move around, loop etc.
Great review Rachelf. There seems to be some ..lag between some of the note, understandable being totally digital. I expect it could be used in the studio though, lots of creativity has been spawned through out there instruments.
I agree about the tracking and sounds. As a guitar this just leaves me wanting to pick up a real one. But I will vouch for the things you can experiment with. I spent hours making up tunings and custom fx sounds that wss pretty fun after a while. I mostly use this for midi like you said. Honest review, kudos.
I'm mainly interested in this because of the acoustic sounds paired with the tuning presets. It would be great go from an E to a G configuration without having to retune. But for this to be worthwhile the strumming & picking would have to be viable.
Just to give you a heads up, Jammy have filed for bankruptcy. This is due the them being based in the Ukraine and the ongoing war has left them no choice. This is why the E has been slow in production and there have been no firmware updates for ages.
I have the Pro Series Traveler guitar that I absolutely love. It's way different from the guitar that's in your above video. It's not digital and only 1 peice comes off and attaches to the back for storage, it has a full fret board. There's no tuning head because its down by the body which is perfect for leaning against a wall without knocking it out of tune. Also I can sit and practice in the passenger seat without hitting my husband with it. It can also be plugged into an amp if you want. I have full size guitars but my Traveler guitar is much easier to bring just about anywhere and practice. Have you ever tried it?
This reminds me a lot of the Roland GR500, but way more advanced, despite its obvious flaws. Roland also had another digital guitar called the G-707 which I have personally played. It was an interesting guitar, but the neck brace seemed to be somehow inhibitive to playing.
I was bought one of these for an Xmas present. Yes, all this is wrong with it. If you want a guitar-shaped MIDI controller, I recommend the YouRock. Like this one, picking sucks - but if you play the YouRock with 2-hand tapping it's a work of genius. I gigged mine for a couple of years, and you really haven't seen audiences lose their shit until they see you strap on a plastic Guitar Hero controller and then bust out the piano part to "Don't stop believing". And if you want a travel guitar, the best by far is the Snapdragon range with a cool pivoting neck. It's the only guitar which fits in a laptop bag! Mine is now a fixture on camping trips.
I got a Traveler guitar Pro-series Mod-X and a vox headphone amp and its amazing. For people who wanna play an actual guitar on the road its about the same size as this but plays amazing.
Also It has a Piezo bridge pickup, and a dual rail humbucker, and has a coil splitter and independent volume for the pickups. If anyone is looking to get a traveling guitar, check it out. And hit me up, selling mine for $350 with the Vox headphone amp.
Thanks for your review, my only interest in this would be as a midi controller to bring guitar technique to keyboard sounds. The tracking issues are a non-starter for me.
If you're wanting the midi route it's worth looking at the boss sy1000 with hex pickup. Costs a lot more but it will output your normal guitar into midi...as well as having its own amazing synth and guitar amp features.
Keep reviewing stuff, you're really good at it! I'm kind of a leap before you look guy and you saved me a lot of teeth gnashing, hair pulling and $$$ because it looks so cool! For fun take a look at the Synth-Axe
After seeing this, I found that even my Casio DG-10 is better at sliding and hammer-ons, and it’s from 1983 lol! Still interested in what the Jammy can do though with better updates.
Thanks for this open and honest review. I've been considering a travel guitar but everyone that I see reviewed online falls far, far too short of the real thing. Your brilliant video has saved me wasting my cash on this one.
I just got a Snap Dragon guitar and I think it's pretty good for the intended use - as a very portable and air travel friendly option (folded fits into a cabin luggage). My main pet peeve would be that they decided to keep headstock - I'd prefer to put tuners on the body and have 2-4 frets more (it has 20 frets and 24'' scale). But it's not a guitar for gigging or anything like that.
I would say its a complete waste of money! I have seen a few big RUclipsrs demo a free one and tried their hardest to like it! You have done an honest review!
Love the review!!! The way you're talking gives me the impression that your gonna burst into laughter at the end of any phrase hahaha which makes it really fun to watch! haha Thanks! Considering this, JamOrigin Midi guitar 2, or other alternatives for accurate polyphonic midi tracking of the guitar as a midi controller...
Again thank you for giving an honest reveiw of this. I wanted to see the critical aspects of this and everyone was praising it and that raised a red flag to me.
Great review, I was wondering about that thing. Not for me I guess but I love how you found something positive about it. It would be pretty cool if they could make what they claim.
If anyone is interested in a cheap guitar midi controller keep an eye out in thrift stores (the toy isle) and garage sales for the "You Rock Guitar" it was originally made for the "Guitar Hero" video game and sort of looks like a toy. It has a midi out port or can be just plugged in USB, and your DAW will recognize it as a midi in port. I got one for $5 and it works pretty good. I'd say similar to the one reviewed. The neck has plastic strings and frets that act sort of like buttons. The actual strings you pluck are real though. It's a lot of fun playing synth parts with free VSTi's and dirt cheap if you can find one. Also look for the electronic Drum set that they made for the video game, it has midi out ports too, people just think its a toy so they sell it cheap at thrift stores/flea markets.
Hey Rachel, have you looked at the artiphon instrument 1? I'm thinking about getting a guitar shaped midi controller as well, artiphon seems pretty sweet!
i came in expecting limitations but still think this is a product that is worth investing in if only at least to help further the R&D on better tech. . i remember "digital recording" being lame and reel to reel being what was praised by my parents gen, then even the DAW i had was cumbersome so in 5 years this could be the go to tech for recording. . i am curious about bends, did i miss that in here or was it not covered?
This seems like a pretty neat tool! Been looking for a guitar/midi controller because I tend to play different notes on keyboard and guitar, so I feel like this would help give my music a different vibe potentially. Given I play single notes and usually slowly, it seems like this would be a good tool for me. Thank you for this review!
Good review, very informative!! Wen i 1st saw a evo jammy, i thort get 1 straight away. But after watching this, i will get 1 if i see it 4 cheap!! Be good to play with tho!!
Honestly think you should do an update to this, they dropped info saying that there’s tonnes of updates. I’m considering it but everyone who reviewed it like… abandoned it and never went back. It’s software based and they’ve done a heap.
I was listening to square hammer until i saw the notification for this video. The guitar looks small and fragile, would be nice for learning songs on the go.
I'm back from vacation and wanted to share this review! Had the Jammy for a while but hadn't had time to record a video. Hope this is helpful! Also, I'm planning to edit a vlog from my recent trip to share here sometime in the future (may not be till around the Holidays)!
Look forward to the vlog.
Just wondering do you actually know how to read music so do you rely on tabs and videos.
Glad you had a good time on vacation, yes on the vlog, no on the Jammy LOL The truth police are not gonna like this actually honest review, LOL Great video :)
@@recabitejehonadab2654 I don't read music, I usually learn by a mix of using my ear and RUclips videos!
When are you gonna get an epiphone or gibson style guitar. I know ibani is ok but your collection needs more variety
I've never seen dissatisfaction with a product so cheerfully delivered :)
I think some people have a face that looks like it is always smiling even when in pain. This might be that case.
Thanks for showing what NOT to waste my money on.
lol for real
why???
@@Kevintendo bc the technology just isn’t there yet. I need something reliable for studio purposes. I’m not trying to spend almost 500$ to have for a party trick or show’n’tell
Maybe a year ago, but playing in MIDI with ample guitar m2 lite- which is free- is insanely good.
Go look up a Jamstick.
Now thats worth wasting on. Lol
Finally, someone who is honest about this product and not just saying "it's perfect!"
Frankly, I'm good enough with a keyboard to get by for MIDI controlling, so I'm definitely going to take a pass on this. But your Steinberger would make a perfect travel guitar for someone like me.
Travis Lausch I have a steinberger and NuX mighty lite amp and it is an awesome travel setup. Highly recommended.
I was going to say the same thing... Finally a honest / accurate review. This is not a guitar, it's a weak midi controller in the shape of a guitar. :( I had high expectations. Thank God I didn't go off other reviews because I couldn't see how this guitar was as a good as others said it was...
I have definitely gone off the jammy .. $1100 aus ... I’ll stay with my Yamaha silent guitar .
Get a Jamstick midi guitar. Its unreal dude.
I wanted to buy a Steinberger for traveling but decide to get a foldable guitar that is bulletproof for air travel which Steinberger isn't (at least not in Europe). According to policies I've looked up, it's too long and it depends whether they feel like letting you have it onboard or not (or making you to pay extra). So I opted for a foldable guitar that fits well into a cabin luggage permitted size. It has some downsides, like only 20 frets and the highest are not that easily accessible but less trouble than stressing and fighting with airlines.
finally one godamn review that actually talks about tracking and doesnt just play long chords for the demo
I would never use this for guitar purposes. I would use it as an alternative to my keyboard midi controller and probably be very happy.
exactly!!! i think its pretty dumb to look up for this product to make the same sounds you can make with an actual real guitar. the real purpose of jammy is the midi feature imo
Nice to see a real review instead of the usual, “Hey we got it for free so we’ll say nice things about it” type reviews. Thank you for telling the truth.
That's a shame, I wanted something like this to be good. Hopefully over the years they'll improve it
I guess the good thing is that they can just keep updating and improving the software, so while it might not be great now it could potentially get a lot better.
they're coming out with a new model in april that they say will be better than the previous, so we'll have to see.
Thank you. Thank you for actually reviewing a goddamn product and not just advertising it.
Not sure why everybody is so hyped about the Jammy, it's just a guitar shaped midi controller which is travel friendly, and to make it worse it has too few frets
Thanks much. The first honest review on the Jammy I’ve seen. You’ve saved me from wasting my money. Mss as my thanks!
Thanks for sharing Rachel, I just got the jammy and this thing is really difficult to work with!
I want one but I also want a karate belt rack i am a black belt who plays guitar
Really great video, love how you save time with video windows, and you get right to important points quick to keep watchers right where they need to be.
Would you be willing to re-review with the 1.8 firmware? It seems they may have fixed many of your issues but i dont trust the jammy site videos showing it id rather see a consumer review.
This video had me worried when I clicked on it since mine comes in today. But thankfully I only ordered mine so I can write midi faster than a mouse. My piano skills are almost non existent since guitar is my primary instrument. So pretty glad that it's perfect for me then.
I’ve been thinking of picking one up for similar reasons. After a few days of having it how is it working out?
I can't decide if I want to keep it or not. The tracking is pretty bad on it. Maybe the other version of the jammy works better for tracking. But the app to set it up isn't great either. I can get it close. But anything more than eighth notes at 120 is unreliable. I'm now debating about just getting the fishman midi pickup
Thanks a lot for the review ! I was very interested by the Jammy but actually did not even consider it as a guitar but more as you said as a composition midi controller for people like me that are more fluent on string instruments than keyboards... I definitely need to try it and see if the tracking improves...
Would buy if on sale for $15
Goodwill find :-)
Omg I love my air guitar. It was my first guitar. I have been playing guitar for 22 years now. But I still love my air guitar.
Air guitars is what some of us started out with, and for some they still use them when in a pickle.
Jammy have released an, 'instrument' that isn't actually ready for release. It's obvious they, like many software companies want to start selling before it is usable. Its a shame as the idea is great. Currently for MIDI output via guitar the Fishman TriplePlay pick-up is the most reliable and fastest tracking. Thanks for the review X
The new way of developing shit, with paying users as alpha/beta testers :-(
Thanks for providing info about the triple play, I was considering that one for a while but it's still pretty expensive, I'm currently using jam origin vst which is software tracking and I'm starting to think it's good enough for what I want to do...
Yeah charge people 500 bucks to be a beta tester. I'm sure in the future digital guitars will be a thing. But you don't get to commodify it until you actually build it.
Its weird how you always sound like you are suppressing a laugh
It's *awesome.
Amazing*
Indeed. It makes you wonder what’s happening behind the camera 🤔
Richard Nylander look in the mirror
Sketch._.Book: I can't. I'm frightened of clowns.
Thanks for taking the time to do this. It was excellent
Thanks for doing an honest review on this. So many other channels got these for free and didn't really discuss the instrument's flaws. It is a really neat idea, but it looks like it needs about 11 more firmware updates before it becomes truly awesome.
Welcome back!! This instrument might appeal to me if I didn't know how to play the keys. Thanks for the honest review!
Thank you! :)
Great demo! I saw the ads online and decided to check youtube for reviews. I'm glad you took the hit for the rest of us. That's the problem with midi is dropped notes, configuring issues and such. Some times the midi software on the midi controller (in this case the Jammy) is not the same as the software on your DAW program. I have Logic X which is midi capable but my midi capable drums only sound good when it's delayed. That makes syncing a recording difficult. If I want real time then I get the dropped notes and such. The Jammy reminds me of a synth guitar from the 80s.
Dear Rachelf, I just bought a second-hand Jammy on a website of well-known musicians here in Spain. I know that you are a knowledgeable technician and driving force behind this Jammy G midi guitar system.
That is why I strongly ask you to guide me if you are so kind as to do so. I love your videos.
I started by plugging the guitar into my daw, and got it to work with my LION-logic pro-omnisphere mac.
Inexplicably when I went back to work in the afternoon it no longer worked.
I adjusted the tension of the strings, since they were very soft, in fact I think that the guitar had not been worked on, it looked like it was new,
although the package has been opened.
Even with ZKeys Piano it doesn't work either. To this day I can't get it to work.
When I try to download the app, it tells me that it is not available on my device because it was created for an older version of Android.
What can be done? Do you know what could be the problem? It should work as is, without the need for the app.
Should I get rid of the guitar?
I am a recognized professional musician and I would like to be able to work with this brand. Waiting your answer,
Sincerely,
Mario Grimaldos.
Traveling out of the country for a month for work later this year and don't want to lose the progress I have gained. Thought about either getting one of these or finding a local pawn shop to pick something up while in country. Found a cheap version of one of these on another website for around $100. Might pick it up, but not wasting money on the Jammy. Thanks for the review, one of the few I trust.
Thanks so much for the honest review, because honestly all the other reviews don't explain the major issues.
Thank you for this review, Rachel. I hope the people making Jammy will be able to respond to this for improvement - and if so, a new non-sponsored review to compare the updates. I liked your attention to detail and techniques and how the guitar responded. The Jammy concept has a lot of potential, but look like it's early in development.
That thing looks awesome, I don't think they should be marketing it as a digital guitar as it's more of a guitar midi controller than a digital guitar. The way you assemble it is super cool though!
Ableton guitar
The issue is thinking of it as a Guitar rather than what it is: A midi controler with very unique and cool capabilities. It is a Production tool. If you want to record or play Guitar do it with a fng Guitar. Simple.
Appreciate this honest review. The tech still has a long way to go. This confirmed my decision to get a pedal that will make my guitar sound like a piano. Thank you!
What pedal exactly? Ive recently gotten really into synth patches on my pod hd pro x, but they arent quite good enough
@@mitchellbadders5636 Elecroharmonix - B9,C9, Key9, Mel9, Synth9, Bass9. Check these out!
Great review of the Jammy guitar! I also believe that it isn’t reliable for general playing though there are some things that are decent.
Also, I’ll be getting an Ibanez GRG140 in White to start on! :D
Hope you have a great time with the Ibanez! :)
Great review. Some of the other reviewers fail to point out your valid criticisms 👏🏻
Thanks for the honest review, the ones I’ve seen up to now make it seem like a dream come true. At least now I know what to expect. Perhaps in a year the firmware will get better to make it really usable.
Excellent review. As a hearing impaired musician, I very much enjoy and appreciate your enunciation and positive commentary. Subscribed...thank you.
Excellent review!
This is a great review coming from someone who has been fxing with midi guitar for almost 20 years. There is no excuse for this kind of terrible tracking when companies like Roland, Axon, Graphtech, and Fishman have all more or less figured this out for decades. For people saying this "isn't supposed to work like a guitar", Ok then don't call it a "digital guitar" and don't advertise it as a fully functional guitar.
Excellent and thorough review. Only thing I might’ve liked to see would be how the actual MIDI note tracking/recording is like.
I have a Roland GR20 with divided pickup on an Epi SG, also have Jam Origin Midi Guitar software... I like the latter way more (way cheaper too). But in the end, I just go back to using a keyboard every time to record an accurate performance. Since this is a MIDI controller outright, I’d expect it to be more accurate, but wonder by degrees how much so.
I’ve always dreamed especially of using my guitar to track synth melodies and esp. MIDI bass lines, lol. I have a bass, not my strength, but even then, in compositional phase, I’m always changing my ideas of arrangement and fills, or adding in a new section, etc.
Finally a video on this product that isnt sponsored... Thank you!
Latency has always been the problem with guitar controllers. Manufacturers have been trying to make MIDI guitar controllers since the 90s, but there was always a latency issue. I have bought several in the past, but there was always some delay from the time you struck the string and the time the sample would play. You find that even a fraction of a second delay throws off your timing and no matter how hard you try to ignore the delay, you will always find yourself slowing your play, because your brain thinks it can sync up to the delay, but that’s impossible.
Thank you for this honest review. When I first saw the Jammy, I hoped that by this time someone actually created a controller with a latency so minute it was not noticeable to the player. It sounds as if that problem and the issue with dropped notes have still not been solved. I am a guitarist first and nowhere near as good at playing keys as frets, so I continue to hope someone will solve the latency and dropped note issue, but I guess I’ll have to wait a bit longer.
I have several different MIDI guitar controller. The Roland GR-1 works similar to this Jammy, except it has a pickup you can place on any guitar. The only problem is the latency and dropped notes, just like the Jammy. Since the Jammy runs about $500.00, I can’t justify laying out that much cash for something no better than options I bought in the 90s. Other than the portability, the Jammy doesn’t seem any better than what I have.
I really enjoyed your presentation and honesty about this overpriced instrument. I’m glad you were able to pick one up for less than $400.00, because the regular price seems way too high for what it is. If it had conquered the latency and dropped note issue maybe it would be worth the $500.00 they’re asking for it, but since that issue is still there, the price is outrageous. Thank you again for this review. Your bubbly personality made this a pleasure to watch.
Many thanks for your competent and realistic assessment of the possibilities of the Jammy, also with regard to the two possible purposes, namely practicing and live on the one hand, and composing and controlling midi commands on the other. Great clip! and you're right, controlling other instruments is fun, but the Jammy is quite expensive...
Tnx for the review Rachel. It really helped. I have tried Variax guitars (owned a JTV 69 once) and that is (as you might know) a real guitar wich also supports midi and such... This "guitar" however could've helped me in my studio just as you say, to trigger VST's and midi instruments since I mainly play guitar/bass. - Thanks again for sharing this video Rachel. -AP (from Norway)
This is, by far, the best Jammy review I've seen. Thank you.
i love your videos ! you have to be the happiest person ever :) sending love from Canada
Glad I found an honest review. I already lost a bunch of money on these crazy ads that pop up on Facebook, claiming to have an awesome product but falls kinda short. At least this has firmware updates, so even though it isn't that great, it might be later. I think I will wait until then.
Completly right Rachel. I bought one expecting what i saw on jammy videos. Let´s hope they refine the program an the app. Couldl be an absolute hit.
Thanks for your objective opinion, The manufacturer probably doesn’t like it but it's more important for me to have a product is useful instead of a gadget that does some tricks a little bit.
Respect you so much more for the honesty, you didn't even hold back 😂
Thanks ♥️ you answered all my questions. The midi function is what had me curious.
You look so happy even through your disappointment. Would you consider going for the Jammy Evo when its available?
Nice review. I was thinking about this to learn on (but went for a jamstik + instead).
I guess you need to know how you want to use it in the end. As a guitar then most midi guitars fall short somewhere but for creating and editing then midi can be a different story.
I read that the software has improved with recent firmware updates, can anyone who has a jammy confirm this?
Awesome review. Appreciate your positive, enthusiastic personality.
Please continue to review the Jammy if/when they update software to make it track better.
Many of us can't play as well or fast as you. For us, maybe the Jammy's weaknesses are
less of an issue. Maybe even reach out to Jammy, to see if they have any adjustments
to make it better for you.
A guitar shaped midi controller for musicians who never learned what the keys on a synth/keyboard mean and do.
Thanks for an honest review. Thats the end of the 20min of my attention this thing got.
Did you bother with firmware updates, midi options tweaking to your likings and playing, checking some of the tips and techniques jammy official videos ?
thanks for this! i was interested in it for midi control, but now I’m thinking the old fashioned way of strong-arming the programming is where it’s at.
I needed this honesty
Thanks for taking one for the team, so we don't have to! 🤘
Excellent review. I would agree with everything you've said except that, for me personally, the errors in tracking are too much of a pain in the backside when trying to record parts in Midi. Yes, you can edit the part after the fact, but having to re-build every single part you record is tedious, assuming you can ignore the dropouts long enough to actually record the part in the first place. I think it's a great idea and it seems well designed/built, but ultimately it is a few years away from being reliable enough for productive, daily use.
After two days, I put my Jammy G back in the box and ordered something more expensive, something that is actually a guitar in its own right. It may add a tiny bit more latency, but a fraction more latency is better than rubbish tracking. Jammy E is coming out sometime next year, that might provide improved playability. Not for me though; whether or not my next purchase satisfies, I'm out, no more cash to splash :-)
Hey Rachel, would you say the Jammy has improved significantly since this video was released?
I watched Doctor Mix yesterday introducing the Jammy in his showmaster way, fun to watch, but emphasizing the fun factor.
For some light on the downsides of this instrument I had to listen are more balanced review by you.
Thank you for that! I'm curious about your opinion on the oncoming (less expensive) Evo model.
Any improvements since?
I notice there will be a new model on Kickstarter in a few weeks.
13:47 If you're working on some kind of midi masterpiece, this might be great for sending your head sounds into the ableton midi editor, and the quantize, delete, move around, loop etc.
Thanks very much. This was a very helpful review. I had previously wasted a chunk of money on an Artiphon, which has many similar issues.
Is it just me or is Rachel always so happy all the time great video like always
Great review Rachelf. There seems to be some ..lag between some of the note, understandable being totally digital. I expect it could be used in the studio though, lots of creativity has been spawned through out there instruments.
Thank you for the honest review :)
I agree about the tracking and sounds. As a guitar this just leaves me wanting to pick up a real one. But I will vouch for the things you can experiment with. I spent hours making up tunings and custom fx sounds that wss pretty fun after a while. I mostly use this for midi like you said. Honest review, kudos.
Thanks for this. Every other review is basically an advertisement, and they don’t mention the tracking issues.
I'm mainly interested in this because of the acoustic sounds paired with the tuning presets. It would be great go from an E to a G configuration without having to retune. But for this to be worthwhile the strumming & picking would have to be viable.
Just to give you a heads up, Jammy have filed for bankruptcy.
This is due the them being based in the Ukraine and the ongoing war has left them no choice. This is why the E has been slow in production and there have been no firmware updates for ages.
I have the Pro Series Traveler guitar that I absolutely love. It's way different from the guitar that's in your above video. It's not digital and only 1 peice comes off and attaches to the back for storage, it has a full fret board. There's no tuning head because its down by the body which is perfect for leaning against a wall without knocking it out of tune. Also I can sit and practice in the passenger seat without hitting my husband with it. It can also be plugged into an amp if you want. I have full size guitars but my Traveler guitar is much easier to bring just about anywhere and practice. Have you ever tried it?
This reminds me a lot of the Roland GR500, but way more advanced, despite its obvious flaws. Roland also had another digital guitar called the G-707 which I have personally played. It was an interesting guitar, but the neck brace seemed to be somehow inhibitive to playing.
I was bought one of these for an Xmas present. Yes, all this is wrong with it.
If you want a guitar-shaped MIDI controller, I recommend the YouRock. Like this one, picking sucks - but if you play the YouRock with 2-hand tapping it's a work of genius. I gigged mine for a couple of years, and you really haven't seen audiences lose their shit until they see you strap on a plastic Guitar Hero controller and then bust out the piano part to "Don't stop believing".
And if you want a travel guitar, the best by far is the Snapdragon range with a cool pivoting neck. It's the only guitar which fits in a laptop bag! Mine is now a fixture on camping trips.
Yikes! And $450 when not on sale? No. 😅
they should be paying people 450 dollars to use this piece of shit.
I got a Traveler guitar Pro-series Mod-X and a vox headphone amp and its amazing. For people who wanna play an actual guitar on the road its about the same size as this but plays amazing.
Also It has a Piezo bridge pickup, and a dual rail humbucker, and has a coil splitter and independent volume for the pickups. If anyone is looking to get a traveling guitar, check it out. And hit me up, selling mine for $350 with the Vox headphone amp.
Thanks for your review, my only interest in this would be as a midi controller to bring guitar technique to keyboard sounds. The tracking issues are a non-starter for me.
Finally an actual Honest review, thank you!
If you're wanting the midi route it's worth looking at the boss sy1000 with hex pickup. Costs a lot more but it will output your normal guitar into midi...as well as having its own amazing synth and guitar amp features.
Keep reviewing stuff, you're really good at it! I'm kind of a leap before you look guy and you saved me a lot of teeth gnashing, hair pulling and $$$ because it looks so cool! For fun take a look at the Synth-Axe
After seeing this, I found that even my Casio DG-10 is better at sliding and hammer-ons, and it’s from 1983 lol! Still interested in what the Jammy can do though with better updates.
Thanks for this open and honest review. I've been considering a travel guitar but everyone that I see reviewed online falls far, far too short of the real thing. Your brilliant video has saved me wasting my cash on this one.
I just got a Snap Dragon guitar and I think it's pretty good for the intended use - as a very portable and air travel friendly option (folded fits into a cabin luggage). My main pet peeve would be that they decided to keep headstock - I'd prefer to put tuners on the body and have 2-4 frets more (it has 20 frets and 24'' scale). But it's not a guitar for gigging or anything like that.
I would say its a complete waste of money! I have seen a few big RUclipsrs demo a free one and tried their hardest to like it! You have done an honest review!
Love the review!!! The way you're talking gives me the impression that your gonna burst into laughter at the end of any phrase hahaha which makes it really fun to watch! haha Thanks! Considering this, JamOrigin Midi guitar 2, or other alternatives for accurate polyphonic midi tracking of the guitar as a midi controller...
you rock! thank you I love this review :)xo
OMG, I LOVE my tele and old tube amp.......even more now....thanks !
I love my Teletubbies also.
@@mattimaranda9638all those tubes glowing in different colors
Thanks Rachel for your honest review, up until i saw this video i almost bought this. Now i think 🤔 im going to wait.
Again thank you for giving an honest reveiw of this. I wanted to see the critical aspects of this and everyone was praising it and that raised a red flag to me.
Great review, I was wondering about that thing. Not for me I guess but I love how you found something positive about it. It would be pretty cool if they could make what they claim.
Thank you! Yeah, it has some really cool aspects and hopefully it will keep improving over time!
If anyone is interested in a cheap guitar midi controller keep an eye out in thrift stores (the toy isle) and garage sales for the "You Rock Guitar" it was originally made for the "Guitar Hero" video game and sort of looks like a toy. It has a midi out port or can be just plugged in USB, and your DAW will recognize it as a midi in port. I got one for $5 and it works pretty good. I'd say similar to the one reviewed. The neck has plastic strings and frets that act sort of like buttons. The actual strings you pluck are real though. It's a lot of fun playing synth parts with free VSTi's and dirt cheap if you can find one. Also look for the electronic Drum set that they made for the video game, it has midi out ports too, people just think its a toy so they sell it cheap at thrift stores/flea markets.
Hey Rachel, have you looked at the artiphon instrument 1? I'm thinking about getting a guitar shaped midi controller as well, artiphon seems pretty sweet!
i came in expecting limitations but still think this is a product that is worth investing in if only at least to help further the R&D on better tech.
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i remember "digital recording" being lame and reel to reel being what was praised by my parents gen, then even the DAW i had was cumbersome so in 5 years this could be the go to tech for recording.
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i am curious about bends, did i miss that in here or was it not covered?
This seems like a pretty neat tool! Been looking for a guitar/midi controller because I tend to play different notes on keyboard and guitar, so I feel like this would help give my music a different vibe potentially. Given I play single notes and usually slowly, it seems like this would be a good tool for me. Thank you for this review!
Thanks for the great review! Stopped me from wasting a bunch of cash!
Not sure I’d call this a guitar.
It is a guitar
@@ravenmartin3097 it is not a guitar
Good review, very informative!! Wen i 1st saw a evo jammy, i thort get 1 straight away. But after watching this, i will get 1 if i see it 4 cheap!! Be good to play with tho!!
Hey! An quick exchange between Travis and Chris in these comments made me wonder if you could do a look at those mini travel amps sometime.
There's only one question. All that matters is how good is triggering on hammer ons ?
The rest is midi
Thanks for the review! Really good info! Money saved for me :D
Honestly think you should do an update to this, they dropped info saying that there’s tonnes of updates.
I’m considering it but everyone who reviewed it like… abandoned it and never went back. It’s software based and they’ve done a heap.
I was listening to square hammer until i saw the notification for this video. The guitar looks small and fragile, would be nice for learning songs on the go.
Is there anything as small as or smaller than the Jammy that does a better job or lets you bend and split music notes?
You kind of broke my Heart with this vídeo... Cause I was really excited tô buy one... Don't know If I want to do It after this vídeo...