AudioModern releases ChordJam

[TheMaartian]

5 hours ago, Brian Lawler said:

BTW I just got a "Loyalty Discount" code from Audiomodern to get ChordJam for 29 Euros.  I own Playbeat and Riffer.  Check your email, I assume the code is unique.

I got 2 emails, one with the loyalty discount (I have Riffer), and one without. The discount code email came first. Weird. So, 29€ instead of 39€, direct from AudioModern.

[kevin H]

2 hours ago, Grem said:

Didn't get any discount. All I have is Riffer.

Is your serial registered with Audiomodern? I bought it on PB but never bothered to register it with Audiomodern.  I just did. Was curious if that made a difference fo receiving loyalty voucher. 

[Grem]

10 hours ago, kevin H said:

Is your serial registered with Audiomodern? I bought it on PB but never bothered to register it with Audiomodern.  I just did. Was curious if that made a difference fo receiving loyalty voucher. 

Yes registered with Audiomodern. I also have Opacity registered with them.  I looked in my emails and the last thing I got from them was when I got Opacity back in February. 

[Michael A.D.]

I bought Audio Modern’s ChordJam from Plugin Boutique... got it for about $36 as I had a few dollars in my account that I used.

I tried the demo first and I liked how it allowed me, using only 1 finger, to generate complex chords with random velocities and timing info.  I experimented feeding the output into ChordPotion and was having fun with it, so I made the purchase.

Here’s a few more thoughts:

1) They don’t provide the manual with the full program (at least not the Windows version), so you might want to download the demo if you need the manual.

2) The sequencer seems to be a complete waste... I spent some time trying to get something decent out of it, but ultimately decided it was easier just to create a chord and then use the DRAG CHORD option into the DAW.   

3) However, I think they need to do some work on the DRAG CHORD function as it would never line up properly where I wanted it.  I was using the random time feature but I would have expected the first note to line up at the bar line or the spot I specified and the other notes would show the random timing.  But no matter what I tried it would always have a large gap between the point I wanted and the first note.  If I set the time function to 0 for all notes, then it would left-justify all notes at the point I wanted, but that defeats the idea of the random timing.  Seems like they need to fix this.

4) There are no modulation options as far as I can tell, so if you want to have chords from 2 different keys, then the DRAG CHORD option is the only choice.  You would have to change key, drag the chord, change key and drag another chord, etc.

4) The interface is a bit murky.  It seems odd to me that the pull-down option you select is faded out and the options are all highlighted.  I would want my selection to be highlighted and show my options as faded text.

I think with an upgrade this could be quite a bit better, but overall I'm happy as I got what I had enjoyed in the demo.

[Fleer]

I already had Scaler and now ChordJam. 
Anyone with Scaler 2 and ChordJam?

[Grem]

I tried the demo. I could not get it to be triggered by my keyboard controller. But I was able to use the keyboard on the plugin's UI to get a good idea of what it does. I will get this. I do like what it does, and does it fairly simple too. 

[aidan o driscoll]

16 hours ago, Fleer said:

I already had Scaler and now ChordJam. 
Anyone with Scaler 2 and ChordJam?

So a Q:

Scaler 2 vs ChordJam

[Fleer]

Anyone?

Only found one comparison yet at kvr, I guy saying that he actually likes ChordJam better than Scaler 2, as it’s easy to take a starting chord and figure out what to do next. “The lack of built in sounds? You can easily just route it to your instrument of choice.”

[Grem]

2 hours ago, Fleer said:

The lack of built in sounds? You can easily just route it to your instrument of choice.”

 

I think this is a better option than having built in sounds. It is just so easy to route it where you want to hear the sounds your working with.

[Matthew Sorrels]

I have both.  Scalar 2 is definitely the more powerful/complex/useful (to me) of the two.  ChordJam is nice but not really in Scalar 2's class as far as features go.  I do like ChordJam's basic setup, though I had to watch video to figure out how to use it (the PDF manual which I started with isn't really usable as a guide).  I did get it confused and constantly sending MIDI data at least once while playing with it.  Though who knows if the problem was routing in Cakewalk or it.  If you could only buy one I'd say Scalar 2 is the better choice.

[Fleer]

I have Scaler (1). So, upgrade to 2 or use ChordJam?

[Brian Lawler]

I Agree with @Matthew Sorrels assessment.  I've spent way more time with Scaler, but of course ChordJam just released.  I am seeing ChordJam as more of a random "happy accident" creative toy.  Scaler is a tool for building chord progressions, and increasingly with updates- arps, rhythms, bass lines, etc.  A new update is due shortly that will help modulate keychanges by suggesting intermediate chords.  Since you have Scaler 1, the upgrade is "even more of the same" and worth it, IMHO.   FWIW I like the built in rompler in Scaler.  I find it handy to use, especially in DAWS with crummy routing, like FLStudio.

[Matthew Sorrels]

26 minutes ago, Fleer said:

I have Scaler (1). So, upgrade to 2 or use ChordJam?

Scaler 2 is a nice improvement over Scaler 1 (had to load it just to refresh my own memory).  But I think the real question should be "Is there a great deal?" 

At some point all these MIDI plugins kind of start to blur a bit.  I'm pretty fond of Scaler 2's performance mode options and style choices (which version 1 had).  ChordJam seems to be a bit more random within a range/from a set of things.  Which doesn't work so well for me.  I have this problem with their Riffer also.  Random isn't music really.  I'm not really sure what good choosing a new key on every note from a list of keys is (ChordJam feature).   But it may also depend on how you are using it.  As a playground both are pretty nice.

In the end I do think Scaler 2 is worth an upgrade if you can get a good deal on it.  ChordJam is also worth getting, again if you can get a deal.

[Fleer]

Thanks Brian and Matthew!

Edited May 24, 2021 by Fleer

[Michael A.D.]

I too have both Scaler2 and ChordJam.  

I gave my opinion about ChordJam above, but would like to add a couple more things.  ChordJam is not CPU friendly.  It will bog your system down pretty quickly, but as a quick idea generator, it's fine.  You'll never be able to use it in a live situation, though I doubt that was it's intended use.  One other thing I forgot to mention is that ChordJam does not allow  you set a different MIDI channel for each note in the chords it creates.   Perhaps they can add that in a future upgrade.

I like Brian's description of ChordJam as  a "happy accident" creative toy.    You can get something fun out it in seconds - as I mentioned I like to feed it into ChordPotion, but I'm sure there are other VSTs that will also be "happy accident" compatible.

Scaler2 is light years ahead of ChordJam and does so much more, in so many ways, that I can only say buy Scaler2 if you can only buy one or the other.  You will be amply rewarded for the time you spend exploring Scaler2 and there is LOTS to explore. 

 

Edited May 24, 2021 by Michael A.D.

[Fleer]

Thanks. On the other hand, if one is primarily looking for a fun and instant toy I guess ChordJam might prevail with its randomizing ability. 

[Grem]

Played with Chordjam tonight and really liked it. Don't have Scaler, so no comparison.  But I did like the results I was getting with it. And it was fun playing around. 

The Timing and Velocity settings really help give it a unique approach.  The Arp settings were somewhat useful.  But I couldn't work with the Step Sequencer. Not yet at least.

[Fleer]

As for Arps I’m still quite enamored with Cthulhu by Xferrecords.

[Grem]

2 hours ago, Fleer said:

As for Arps I’m still quite enamored with Cthulhu by Xferrecords.

Agreed. Hard to beat that one.

[antler]

Does Cthulhu ever go on sale (e.g. Black Friday)? or does Xfer Records have a no-discount policy?