Cool Jam

[Johan]

Ok, gang,

some of you requested some samples of my Boss JS-5 JamStation, so here they are, finally!

These are some short (about 15 seconds each) and small (about 250Kb) each samples. I just picked
some styles at random from the 200 styles that come with the JS-5.
The mp3 quality is 128kbps 44.1Khz stereo, and I just recorded them straight from the JS-5 to
my PC's line in.

01. 6/8 ballad <-- Sweet ballad stuff! Nice reverb.
02. 70's classic rock <-- Gotta love that organ!
03. 80's hardrock <-- Should be good for you shredders.
04. 80's heavy metal <-- Bang yer head, baby!
05. 8 beat rock <-- Nice simple rock beat with clean guitars
06. 90's groove rock <-- Listen to hear some of the effects the JS5 has
07. acoustic guitar boogie <-- Love the acoustic samples
08. guitar arpeggio <-- I just love this intro sound
09. british rock <-- Electric guitar samples aren't the best
10. cyber rock <-- Nice muted guitars.
11. drum funk <-- Unleash the Scott Jones in you
12. glam rock <-- Come on, you spandex lovers!
13. gospel shout <-- Yeah baby, yeah!
14. organ blues <-- Come on SRV!
15. polka <-- for Cybele!
16. reggae pop <-- 'Just the 2 of us'
17. rockin' blues <-- Again, electric guitar samples suck
18. rhythm guitar funk <-- Some more JS-5 effects
19. shuffle blues <-- Pianos are nice too!

As you hear, it's a fun toy to play and practice with. The samples are quite good (though the
distorted guitars suckkkkkkkk, but good enough to practice with). The acoustic and clean
guitars are very nice (listen to aguitararpeggio or acguitarboogie). When you turn off some
instruments and just use the bass and drum as backings, they sound very realistic and work
just perfect for cyberjams (smokes and I are working on one now, using the JS5 for bass
and drums).

I've had my JS-5 for about a month now, and I'm really happy with it. It's the perfect
practice tool, and excellent for (cyber)jam backings!

/Johan

[bang!]

I was going to say its really lame and then I realized its a sequencer, not a DI box. For that, its pretty cool. The guitar smaples are kinda lame ("puffy"), but all in all sounds good for a tabletop sequencer. I'd like to get something like that some day.

[Johan]

Originally posted by bang!
I was going to say its really lame and then I realized its a sequencer, not a DI box. For that, its pretty cool. The guitar smaples are kinda lame ("puffy"), but all in all sounds good for a tabletop sequencer. I'd like to get something like that some day.

lol
yeah for backings it's just perfect, and the electric guitar sounds? WHO NEEDS THEM ANYWAY I'll be doing those myself, gosh darnit, don't need to crappy machine for that



/Johan

[Mucktunes]

Edit the samples into cover songs? I've been trying to put together Honky Tonk Women on my DR-770...What a chore!

[Johan]

Originally posted by Mucktunes
Edit the samples into cover songs? I've been trying to put together Honky Tonk Women on my DR-770...What a chore!

It's quite easy on the JS-5
Just enter the chords and the form and you're done

/Johan

[Mucktunes]

At the risk of being rude: How much does one of these things cost?

[babybatter]

In Toronto, they run about $650 - $700 new.

[Mucktunes]

[Johan]

Originally posted by Mucktunes
At the risk of being rude: How much does one of these things cost?

no problem;
I bought mine for €500 new. So that's about 500 US$

/Johan

[Terje]

I want something to quickly set up a chord progression in a certain style to jam with. To try out arrangements for songs and to practice licks and stuff with. The Jamstation seems to me like a good thing for this.

Here are some other questions about it. Can you sample something off a CD on it and have it play it back as a loop? And can you change the speed of this loop? Can you even do it without changing the pitch?

Can you edit the present patterns so much that in fact it becomes "yours"? Have you used it live? I'm thinking of maybe making backgrounds to some tunes that I'd love to play out in the street with my balalajka, would that work?

Compared to the DR-5 (which I can buy cheaply at this moment in time) is it better or worse in any way?

[Johan]

Originally posted by Terje
I want something to quickly set up a chord progression in a certain style to jam with.

Yes, just select EZ compose, choose a style and a key and you're off

To try out arrangements for songs and to practice licks and stuff with.

Yes

The Jamstation seems to me like a good thing for this.

Yes

Here are some other questions about it. Can you sample something off a CD on it and have it play it back as a loop?

Yes, but I'd suggest you get a 64Mb card to upgrade the memory. With that card it can record up to 60 minutes of audio (only 1 audio track per song though).

And can you change the speed of this loop?

Yes, though the quality is not very good if the speed changes a lot

Can you even do it without changing the pitch?

Yes

Can you edit the present patterns so much that in fact it becomes "yours"?

Yes, you can even load new patterns or styles using MIDI (haven't tried this yet)

Have you used it live?

no, I don't play live. I use it for practice and for backings for cyberjams

I'm thinking of maybe making backgrounds to some tunes that I'd love to play out in the street with my balalajka, would that work?

I love using it for backings, as a matter of fact, funky and I are now using our JS5's to record some backing track for you guys. We'll be uploading them at cyberjammin.com soon

Compared to the DR-5 (which I can buy cheaply at this moment in time) is it better or worse in any way?

I don't know the DR-5, never used it. The JS-5 is good, but it's expensive (I payed about $500 for mine).

/Johan

[Terje]

I was hoping you'd see this soon

Originally posted by Johan
Yes, just select EZ compose, choose a style and a key and you're off

Sounds easy enough

It's good thing about the loop cause the I can try to trade my little Akai sampler, that does just that. I have a chance of buying a used JS-5 but I don't know the price yet.

I also have a chance of buying a DR-5 but from what I read in the User Rveiews the polyphony is really limited on that one. And it just doesn't look as easy, and that's the idea here, easy and fast.

A new JS-5 for full price would be too much right now for what I'd use it for I think. You can find them on eBay too so I'l keep my eyes open for it.

Thanks for the info!

[Johan]

The sample quality is not very good though, it'll work, but it's not great. If you have a chance, try one out first!

/Johan

[Terje]

Originally posted by Johan
The sample quality is not very good though, it'll work, but it's not great.

That's not the point for stealing riffs anyway.

If you have a chance, try one out first!

/Johan

I was messing with one the other day. You know, for backing tracks to practice with it's more than OK. And maybe even for the busking thing.

Back to the sampling... so I could record an instrument too and add that to the patterns? Like if I use the drums and bass and the organ but want to play the guitar myself, can it do that?

[Johan]

Originally posted by Terje

Back to the sampling... so I could record an instrument too and add that to the patterns? Like if I use the drums and bass and the organ but want to play the guitar myself, can it do that?

yes, but again; you can only record 1 audio track per saved song.

here's what I do; make a backing with the JS-5. Then record some rhythm guitar on the audio track. I can then play the whole thing and solo over it. I have my guitar connected to a V-amp 2 and the V-amp 2 is connected to the JS-5, which is connected to either the computer or my practice amp.

/Johan

[Terje]

I'm gonna have to go to this store tomorrow and see if I can't trade some shit I have lying around the house...

Thanks again for telling me what I needed to know.

[Johan]

Originally posted by Terje
I'm gonna have to go to this store tomorrow and see if I can't trade some shit I have lying around the house...

Thanks again for telling me what I needed to know.

no problem

if you need any more info just let me know.

/Johan

[Mucktunes]

What about the DR-5?

[Mucktunes]

I just found out about these things.
Are they more expensive?
How does the memory compare?
Is it at all possible to have a half-credible sounding live rig in this price range?

[Terje]

Originally posted by Mucktunes
I just found out about these things.

Me too in a way.

Are they more expensive?

Pretty expenisve both of them, if you buy them new. The DR-5 is cheaper used I think. Around $500 new for a JS-5.

How does the memory compare?

Don't know, check a little in the User Reviews or wait until Johan comes in here.

Is it at all possible to have a half-credible sounding live rig in this price range?

That's what I'm betting on. I'd mainly use it at home though.