JamCorder is a new $99 standalone hardware device that constantly records MIDI data from your instruments and stores it in memory.
People jam on their synthesizers, pianos, or other MIDI instruments for hours. Until a few years ago, these ideas were lost in time because the data is often not recorded. That changed with Ableton Live 10 and its Capture MIDI functionality.
This handy feature constantly records your MIDI data in the background. Other DAWs followed suit. Now, this feature is also available for DAWless setups. Welcome the new JamCorder device from the developer Chip Weinberger.
JamCorder
From now on, your long jams won’t get lost. JamCorder is a new small device that constantly records the MIDI data of your synths, pianos, etc., on an included 16GB SD card. According to the developer, it can store up to 25.000 hours of music or three straight years of 24/7 playing.
It transcribes every note you play, including its velocity data, in MIDI format. The small tool is straightforward to use.
Plug your synth’s MIDI output into the box’s MIDI input and power it via the USB port. No 5-pin MIDI output? No problem. You can also connect any USB-only keyboard to the JamCorder’s USB host port. Plus, it has a 5-pin MIDI output.
These recordings are available in two ways. They sync to your phone via Bluetooth and are accessible via a dedicated app, or you can export them from the SD card memory. Yes, the app is optional and not required. There is also a web interface available where you access your files.
Once set up, you don’t have to do anything. JamCorder records automatically and pauses the capture process after 3 seconds of silence by default. It resumes immediately when you start playing again with no loss. Neat; you can also leave bookmarks by pressing the top 5 black keys twice.
JamCorder is useful for recording ideas and using them later, for reviewing practical exercises you’ve done, and much more.
First Impression
It is an exciting, simple tool to capture MIDI data from any MIDI instrument. This is an excellent tool for anyone who wants to record their MIDI output constantly without doing it manually.
JamCorder is available now for $99. Shipping starts between 2-4 weeks.
More information here: official website
Neat little box!
If anyone doesn’t know, you could already be doing this in DAW. Just make a track listen to all MIDI input, and hit the record button. MIDI files are minuscule.
but you have to use your computer, open the DAW, click record. For people who don’t use a DAW for jams, this is practical and you don’t have to press record.
not necessarily. some daws, like Logic Pro, have a feature called Capture Recording, which does something similar. yes, you need to launch the daw and hit Play…but that’s it. When the feature is enabled, and you’ve finished jamming…and you remember(!)…immediately hit Shift/R, and the selected track will contain the midi of your jam.
sure but many people doesn’t want to use a computer or a DAW for making music or simply for jamming 🙂
I have really missed retrospective record since switching to Bitwig Studio. Yes, I could just monitor all inputs and hit record, but who wants to do that? 🙂 This seems like a neat little stopgap solution at a reasonable price.
Definitely grabbing one of these, as a player I often sit and jam and improvise when I practice, this little gem will definitely bring a lot of cretive value into my ideas vault!