Boss JS-5 JamStation user reviews ( 8/10) - 2 user reviews

• 09/02/08

  Berzin's review ( translated ) Improve this translation

  Characteristics

  Everything has been specified in the notice before.

  Utilization

  Usage is relatively simple, for against, as always, as there are a multitude of possibilities, it is still often put the nose in the manual, which is fortunately clear.

  Sounds

  Only the instruments do not seem all very realistic, especially the guitars and brass, some wood. The organ and piano are well. But once placed in the mix, it is very correct. The pieces offered are varied and some are very nice and reminiscent of well-known pieces (House of the Rising Sun in particular).

  Overall Opinion

  Before this unit, I used a Boss DR3. But improvisation is quite limited in that there is no harmony. The advantage of JS5 is to provide two additional instruments, which will play the harmonies, which obviously makes the game more exciting really. I regret that he not play the points midday. I dream of a device that would read with a good one writes his scores on the computer. In the end, a device for improvement, but I could not find better ...
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• 05/15/07

  jaimick's review ( translated ) Improve this translation

  Characteristics

  - Connectors
  
  2 audio outputs 6.35 Jack L / R (L only using mono)
  
  A MIDI
  
  A decision to pilot the JS5 with 2 pedals (for example, to start / stop the song, the other to stop the current loop)
  
  6.35 a mono input jack to record a voice or a guitar or a CD / K7
  
  A SmartMedia card slot (up to 64 MB)
  
  A supplied AC adapter jack
  
  1 headphone jack (stereo mini jack 3.5)
  
  
  
  - Styles
  
  There are 200 preset styles and 20 user styles (that is to say that the user can make, possibly from a preset).
  
  Each style has different reasons (Intro Verse1, fill1, Verse2, fill2, Break1, Break2, Ending) and 4 instruments (Drum, Bass, Inst1, Inst2).
  
  These styles are already preset in Songs (or demo songs), each song is available in two variants (tone, ...). This allows already to train over (guitar, vocals).
  
  
  
  - Effects
  
  An effect can be applied to one of four instruments (reverb, echo, overdrive, compressor, distortion, flanger, chorus, ... there are plenty).
  
  on the other hand, no effect can not be applied to the input (guitar, vocals, or online).
  
  
  
  - Songs
  
  In internal memory, can store 100 pieces (a priori unlimited number of notes), and 20 user styles. And if a memory card is connected, you can also store 100 songs and 20 user styles.
  
  To create a song (song), we choose one of preset styles, or styles of user, and captures the agreements, and the grounds. For agreements, you can also play live (mode "Real") and register (but I prefer the way "step by step", knowing that you can easily copy portions of pieces, and remove any This live, without having to go through software).
  
  Then, in this new piece, you can:
  
  - Change the tempo
  
  - Change each instrument -> example:
  
  - Change the battery type (rock, jazz, pop, country ...)
  
  - Change the bass (slap, monofinger ...)
  
  - Assign a type of instrument to Inst1 (guitar, piano, organ, violin, ...)
  
  - Assign a type of instrument to Inst2 (guitar, piano, organ, violin, ...)
  
  - Assign an effect to one of four instruments
  
  - Adjust the volume of each instrument
  
  
  
  Finally, two pieces that use the same style may not look alike at all, if we vary many of these parameters.
  
  
  
  - Memory
  
  3.3 V SmartMedia 64 MB maximum (beyond the JS5 does not recognize the support).
  
  Can be recorded in internal memory or card, a guitar, a song (or song-cons), or other instrument, whether as average, or high quality (HiFi), but it takes more space.
  
  Since what is recorded is in a "sound" (not "midi"), the recording time is 32 minutes max on a 64 MB card

  Utilization

  It is a small device that can easily take on holiday, to compose songs, or train.
  
  We can also provide entertainment / services, since we have an orchestra on hand (drums, bass, and two instruments to choose from) that can connect to a PA system.
  
  The usual functions are easily accessible (by hand or in some foot pedals via 2 [not included]).
  
  Thus, in one piece, we can define two loops (and Loop1 Loop2), for example to improvise solos.
  
  On the other hand, one can also enchainer pieces (having first preselected their numbers).
  
  The manual is well done.

  Sounds

  The sounds are quite good, but may lack the dynamics (including battery). Perhaps with a good sound system, it can be improved.
  
  The Boss JS-5 ensures the support for different styles of music: rock, jazz, Latin, dance, blues, world, ...
  
  And it is practical "live" because:
  
  - It displays in large red LED numbers of the measure, which allows him to identify with respect to the words (if, of course, was careful to note the numbers of measurement on the words).
  
  - You can enable or disable some of the four instruments, or some of the four instruments comprising the battery (Drum). This allows one to increase gradually as the course of the song.

  Overall Opinion

  This is a great device that I use for about four years, for "live" and studio compositions.
  
  It allows you to quickly compose songs, without needing a PC or other keyboard. But it is necessary to complete certain instruments (the battery again for example), then you must copy the style used in a user style, and change the instruments or desired (eg from a keyboard).
  
  
  
  To be perfect, it should be:
  
  - In creating a user style, it allows to take the battery (or low, or Inst1 or Inst2) of another style
  
  - In a song, it allows to change at certain points, the tempo.
  
  - An effect can be applied to the input (guitar, vocals, or online)
  
  - The memory card is not limited to 64 MB, but the ability of support
  
  - It can play MIDI files.
  
  
  
  And it is unfortunate that there is no Internet (site of the manufacturer, or site-user) other styles -> but it would be preferable to increase the limit (currently 20) of user styles.
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