Arp implementation in DrumJam vs ThumbJam

[wradcliffe]

I am comparing the ARP implementation in DrumJam vs ThumbJam and wondering why the implementation is so different. There are features in both that makes sense to me based on the fact that one is targeted at the rhythm aspect of playing and the other is targeted at the melody. I want to control both so I am having trouble getting either app to do what I want. I just did some experimentation with DrumJam controlling ThumbJam playing PowerChords and electric guitar via MIDI and it did not give the kind of control that I was hoping for. Since there is no simple way to control the actual MIDI notes form DrumJam and no way to communicate the scale that is setup in Thumbam you have to hunt around and select an instrument that just happens to sound decent. Should I just switch over to ThumbJam and wait for more ARP features or continue to pursue this? Any hints from the designers would be greatly appreciated.

For the record - I am researching how best to use MIDI based ribbon controllers to do expressive playing. Seems to be a very complex topic and no real standards to for this.

[jesse]

Well, DrumJam doesn't have an "arp" just similar quantized auto-repeat functionality. I know that the midi note output from drumjam is a trial and error thing, but a workaround if you are sending the output into ThumbJam is to enable Scale Lock in the MIDI input options in ThumbJam and then all midi input will be remapped to notes in the current ThumbJam scale. You can even enable thru mode and ThumbJam will send out that scale-remapped output somewhere else too.

But, this begs the question, what exactly do you want that neither app is giving you?

[wradcliffe]

Thanks for the scale lock tip. That makes a big difference and makes things sound a lot better when driving ThumbJam from DrumJam. My setup now has ThumbJam setup with "Electric Guitar" and "Minor Blues" scale with MIDI lock enabled. The DrumJam pad has the Balafon instrument selected. I am attempting to create some rich electric guitar rhythmic patterns like a real rock star would execute when soloing. These normally require a person to execute specific melodic patterns of either doubles (16th's) or triplets very rapidly and accurately. Of course these patterns have to be executed within the context of the chord progression and scales being used by the rest of the "band".

Here is a link to a video of a guitar toy I prototyped that achieved the effect I am now trying to duplicate in ThumbJam/DrumJam. Think of this toy as a very primitive MIDI controller that has only button presses for the various pads. This includes the strings which are just simple contacts. So this forms a very primitive set of pads. The backing track that is playing enforces the chord progression and the scale that is used to automatically select the notes that are generated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frG5BMSrs2k