Jamstik Blog

We've been working on developing some tools for Jamstik+ users working with Ableton Live, check out this cool-sounding Instrument Rack you can download to try yourself.

In case you haven't seen it, Apple dropped a serious 2.1 update to their GarageBand app for iOS at the end of January. Click to watch a recap video or read the recap below.

"There are countless therapeutic uses for this amazing tool that I can think of to help bring music to people of all ages, needs, diagnosis, etc.. This is just one remarkable example, and it’s enough to make me excited to continue exploring all the potential of the Jamstik as a music therapy tool!"

Laura Lenz, LPMT, MT-BC, NMT - Licensed Professional Music Therapist 

For us, the Jamstiks represent the gift of music, the chance to find confidence in creating it, and a way to participate in new forms of creating. Of course, as Levar said, "you don't have to take MY word for it!"Here is a list of Holiday Gift Guides that we've been included in this holiday season.

Greg Karas, guitarist and vocalist for the Andy Grammer Band, details his experiences using the jamstik+ on the road, in front of thousands, and in performances as big as the Jimmy Kimmel Show.

The jamstik’s bluetooth brother the, “puc+” recently had it’s biggest debut with Andy Grammer's band on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Zivix's product allowed the band to play wireless keytars making it possible for an amazingly choreographed performance on the popular late night show. Read on to hear about the experience and check out some more pictures!

I get lots of “how’d you do that” questions regarding the “Get Lucky” video we launched on YouTube in June of 2013. At some point in time I’ll cook up a video that covers this a little more in depth, but for now I’ll try to point you to some resources and explanations behind what’s happening in the video.

If you've read the previous entry, I used the analogy of MIDI keyboard controllers being similar to QWERTY keyboards. This is the most rudimentary idea of conceptualizing MIDI control. It leaves out a lot of details but helps frame the basic concept. In this entry I'm going to break down what really happens when you play a "C" on the jamstik or a keyboard controller, and hopefully bring some clarity to the whole concept.

 Why not just play an actual guitar? There's a time and a place for everything...

If you've seen or heard the statement "the jamstik is a MIDI controller" and thought "I have no clue what MIDI is," you're not alone. From it's introduction in the 1980's through to today, MIDI has left a lot of people scratching their heads. I'm going to do my best here to help bring some clarity to what MIDI is and how it functions, especially in connection to the jamstik and puc. 

"Apps We Got To Have” is a series dedicated to sharing info about the apps that we love to use with the jamstik. We’re not concerned with doing “deep dive” style reviews where we go over every detail of an app in exhaustive fashion, we’ll leave that to Dischord and Synthtopia. What we want to do is demonstrate the one or two things we love about an app, what makes it valuable for use with the jamstik.

We built the jamstik not only to be an amazing guitar learning tool, but also a high quality musical device capable of so much due to the portability and versatility.  We took it down to SXSW this year not only to show it off at the Music Gear Expo, trade shows, and meetings, but to bring it into real venues and onto the streets to get real people playing it. This is the story of our time in Austin, TX this March.

If you haven't heard, we decided to go to crowdfunding to launch our latest project, the jamstik+. We've seen an overwhelming amount of support so far, and are happy to have surpassed our goal by over 500% in just the first week.  

We've been privileged to receive a STAFF PICK by Kickstarter, so a big thanks to them for helping us increase the visibility of our project! Thanks so much to everyone who has pledged so far!  We wanted to provide a quick overview of the project, and tell why we're back utilizing crowdfunding to make it happen.

The Jamstik is perfect for practicing while on the road. The fact that it has real guitar stings makes it ideal for working on technique exercises or warm-ups. The best part is that when it comes time to board the plane or bus, I can just shove it in my carry-on bag along with my other travel items and be on my way.

Sampling isn't about "hijacking nostalgia wholesale," says Mark Ronson. It's about inserting yourself into the narrative of a song while also pushing that story forward.

We’re thrilled to announce that Jamstik has just been named as an honoree for the 2015 CES Innovation Awards under the “Tech for a Better World” category. We share the honor with several other great companies who have developed excellent products.

Needless to say, we’re absolutely thrilled and sincerely appreciative to be honored by CES.