Jamstik Loon is a new multi-engine Synthesizer plugin for macOS and Windows that works with MIDI guitars and keyboards.
Jamstik is a US-based company that is known to some for its wide portfolio of MIDI-compatible guitars. The special thing about these is that they function like a normal guitar and, via MIDI, to a DAW or another instrument like a synth.
They’ve now tackled the topic of synthesizers. Jamstik has unveiled its first Synthesizer plugin, Loon, which is even free for guitar owners.
Jamstik Loon
Loon is a new multi-engine Synthesizer plugin for macOS and Windows. Yes, you read it right. Loon is a free download for all Jamstik MIDI guitar owners. Check the official website for more info.
It’s described as a software instrument built for musicians, producers, composers, and sound designers.
At its core, Loon is a three-layer Synthesizer plugin. Each layer has several groups, each of which can contain different synth engines. So not just one per group. You can choose between virtual analog oscillators, multi-sampled instruments, 4-operator FM, and a filter module.
The plugin gives you many ways to customize the engines in detail. For example, the 4-operator FM engine offers the full spectrum of an FM synth, including an operator matrix, operator envelopes, and more.
Additionally, you can add a filter module to each group, with various filters to choose from. Indeed, there is ample scope for sound design within the oscillators and groups. It’s also powerful that each layer can have its own effect chain.
You can choose between a delay, flanger, distortion, compressor, amp sim, chorus, phaser, EQ, bitcrusher, and reverb. Of course, you can tweak each effect independently with a wide range of parameters.
Modulation Flexibility
Modulation is located on the right side and can be activated with drag-and-drop. The available options are freely assignable classic envelopes, multi-segment envelopes, LFOs, macros, MIDI CCs, or MPE.
The Jamstik Loon synthesizer is also quite flexible in this respect. You can work with it in each group and on each of the three layers. There is also a macro control system that allows you to map key movement across layers and groups.
Depending on the mapping, you can influence only certain layers, introduce different movements within them, or even in groups.
The last third of the UI is probably somewhat unusual. In addition to the familiar virtual keyboard, a guitar fretboard is displayed here. This visualizes the notes and chords that you play on the MIDI guitar. That definitely gives this plugin a slightly different vibe.
The Loon plugin is rounded out by a patch browser featuring 200 factory presets. It also comes with various multi-sampled instruments and samples from creators, including Sample From Mars.
First Impression
At first glance, this is an intriguing new multi-engine Synthesizer, certainly designed primarily for MIDI guitarists. Don’t worry, musicians who prefer MIDI keyboards or any other gear can also use the plugin.
In terms of features, it’s more or less the same as what you’d find in many other multi-engine synths, so nothing groundbreaking new. Loon looks like a very flexible instrument that will certainly harmonize very well with their MIDI guitars.
The price is very fair, in my opinion, and it’s a nice gesture that they are offering it for free to their guitar customers.
Jamstik Loon is available now for $49,99. It runs as a VST3, AU, and AAX plugin on macOS (native Apple Silicon + Intel) and Windows. The plugin is a free download for owners of the Jamstik MIDI guitar.
More information here: Jamstik
cool hope its like my Jamstick controller and just stops working for no reason one day.