Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Jam today: new guitar controllers from Zivix & RND64

20/08/2019

Introducing Jamstik Studio & Jammy Guitar

You wait ages for a MIDI guitar controller, and then two similarly named ones come along at once. Well, not quite - one has in fact been around for a while in a prototype form - but what is unusual is that news of both of them came to the attention of SOS within days of each other. Zivix were interviewed by the SOS team covering the Summer NAMM show about their original Jamstik MIDI Guitar in 2014, but they skipped this year's Nashville show because they were working on its successor, the Jamstik Studio (below). Unlike the original 17-inch Jamstik, the new model is a portable MIDI guitar with an internal rechargeable battery about three-quarters of the size of a traditional electric - the fretboard is a standard length (25.5 inches, with 24 frets), but the minimal body and headless design mean the instrument is smaller overall.

Zivixs Jamstik Studio.

Jamstik Studio can output audio and MIDI simultaneously via a standard quarter-inch guitar jack (for the guitar's audio) and USB-C or 3.5mm TRS connections (for the MIDI data, which can also be output over Bluetooth) and will ship with a dedicated VST plug-in for its MIDI sounds, but is of course compatible with any DAW/plug-in host. It's expected to be available in the Autumn for around $800.

Video of Studio MIDI Guitar from Jamstik | Demo

The completely unrelated company RND64 were at Summer NAMM this year, having also completely redesigned their original MIDI controller, the Jammy Guitar, following its launch in 2017. The slightly odd telescopic, fretboard-only look of the prototype has been replaced by a super-portable 17-inch design with steel strings and 15 frets, and which can be assembled quickly from four sections (shown below).

The new version of RND64s Jammy Guitar can be carried in four parts for easy portability, and then quickly assembled for use when travelling.

As on the prototype Jammy Guitar, the strings you strum remain separate from the strings played by your fingering hand - sensors are used to detect which strings you play. There is an associated Android/iOS app with a metronome, backing track playback facility and training routines, but this is not needed for sound generation - the MIDI data derived from the sensors is used to trigger samples on an internal sound source, so there are no latency issues. You can listen on headphones, and your MIDI performances are also stored internally. The built-in battery has a claimed life of up to four hours, so you can perform on the Jammy when travelling and import your MIDI data to a DAW for further editing later. When connected to a DAW via its USB-C MIDI out in the studio, it can also be used as a MIDI controller. It's available now online for £404$499.

Video of What is Jammy?

We'll be reviewing both of these products in SOS very soon. More information can be found at the products dedicated websites here and here.
LINK: https://www.soundonsound.com/news/jam-today-new-guitar-controllers-ziv...
See more stories from soundonsound

Europe Stories

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

04/08/2026

Dalet Announces Commercial Availability of Dalia, Bringing Media-Aware Agentic AI to Enterprise Productions

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

04/07/2026

Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in Dolby Cinemas Across Japan, Presented in Dolby Atmos and Dolby ...

April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026

January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026 Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...

14/05/2026

Spotify Expands Music Access for Young Listeners, Extending Managed Accounts to Free Tier

At Spotify, we're focused on making every listening experience feel intentio...

14/05/2026

Spotify Brings Nashville's Songwriting Community Together for Mental Health Summit

Spotify recently welcomed songwriters, artists, executives, and music students t...

14/05/2026

Sonuscore update Lux Orchestral Strings

New articulations, ostinatos, Motion Scoring Articulation Sets & more Sonuscore's flagship cinematic string library has just been treated to a significa...

14/05/2026

Pr Recording & Residence

World-class studio opens on T rkiye's Aegean coast P r Recording & Residence have announced their official opening, introducing a new world-class reside...

14/05/2026

Nugen Audio update DialogCheck

Now supports channel layouts up to 9.1.6 Nugen Audio have just released an update for their AI-powered dialogue intelligibility and compliance tool. Set to ...

14/05/2026

UVI release Orchestral Suite 2

New recordings & one-key chord tool UVI have just announced the release of Orchestral Suite 2, a ground-up redesign of their all-in-one symphonic orchestra ...

14/05/2026

Rob Papen launch eXplorer 11

Two new arrivals & expanded factory content Rob Papen's all-encompassing plug-in and virtual instrument collection has just been treated to another upda...

14/05/2026

FSK Audio release QRonicle

Embed QR codes into DAW sessions FSK Audio's latest plug-in doesn't process audio, but serves as an organisational tool that allows QR codes to be e...

14/05/2026

Rohde & Schwarz transforms spectrum complexity into situational awareness and effective countermeasures at AOC Europe 2026

Rohde & Schwarz transforms spectrum complexity into situational awareness and ef...

14/05/2026

Rohde & Schwarz and Quantum Systems join forces to redefine EW and C-UAS-enabled uncrewed operations

Rohde & Schwarz and Quantum Systems join forces to redefine EW and C-UAS-enabled...

14/05/2026

Rohde & Schwarz showcases STANAG aligned ARDRONIS Counter UAS capability at NATO Technical Interoperability Exercise 2026

Rohde & Schwarz showcases STANAG aligned ARDRONIS Counter UAS capability at NATO...

14/05/2026

Code of Silence wins Best Drama Series at the 2026 BAFTA's!

Code of Silence has won the BAFTA for Best Drama Series at Sunday night's ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall. The series, starring Rose Ayling-Ellis and w...

14/05/2026

Vivid Broadcast builds remote production network around Calrec

Vivid Broadcast was embracing remote production long before it became the industry norm. Now, with Calrec's True Control 2.0-enabled Argo M and Type R conso...

14/05/2026

UKTV Highlights: Saturday May 30th - May 5th June

What can I watch on UKTV and stream on U this week? This week on UKTV and the free streaming service U, viewers can watch a range of new and returning programm...

14/05/2026

Izuka Hoyle to return in Sky Original thriller Prisoner, with season two confirmed

The high-stakes chase thriller from Oscar- and BAFTA-nominated writer Matt Charm...

14/05/2026

Discover hidden havens for city wildlife as Back From The Brink returns for a fifth season

Back From The Brink airs Sunday 17 May and Sunday 24 May at 6.30pm on RT One an...

13/05/2026

VEON Delivers Strong Start to 2026 - 1Q26: Revenue: +17.0%, EBITDA +17.7%, Digital Surges +57.7% to 25.2% of Total Revenue

13 May 2026 VEON Delivers Strong Start to 2026 1Q26: Revenue 17.0%, EBITDA 17...

13/05/2026

How a neon windmill from A League of Their Own ended up in a dogs home

Thousands of props donated from Skys longest-running original seriesWednesday 13 May 2026 How a neon windmill from A League of Their Own ended up in a dogs'...

13/05/2026

Inter Venezuela Taps Harmonic for PON-Based Mobile Backhaul Service to Support 5G Growth

SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 13, 2026 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced that I...

13/05/2026

Tradfluencer - The Sharon Shannon Story

A definitive portrait of one of Ireland's most influential musicians New TV documentary airs Monday 18 May on RT One and RT Player at 9.35pm Watch the...

12/05/2026

It's Your Party of the Year(s): A Look Back at Your Entire Music History on Spotify

Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...

12/05/2026

Black Lion Audio introduce the Auteur 8DAT

Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...

12/05/2026

Reason 14 now available

New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...

12/05/2026

Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at PCIM Expo 2026

Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...

12/05/2026

Ad-Hoc News: aconnic AG announces improved fund raising plan to support business and refinance debt

aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...

12/05/2026

FOX Announces Schedule for 2026-27 Season

FOX Announces Schedule for 2026-27 Season FOX'S POWERFUL NEW SERIES PIPELINE FUELS A BREAKOUT SEASON WITH RETURNING HITS AND BOLD NEW STORYTELLING ACROSS ...

12/05/2026

Increasing Data Demand, Excellent Networks and Solid Financial Results - Magyar Telekom's Q1 2026 financial results

Customer demand for data continues to grow in the first quarter of 2026 at Magya...

12/05/2026

Wales takes the spotlight in Skys new thrillerPrisoner

The latest drama underscores Sky's continued investment in regional production and Welsh creative talent.Tuesday 12 May 2026 Wales takes the spotlight in S...

11/05/2026

Eurovision at 70: The Biggest Hits, Artists, and Trends From the Iconic Song Competition

As Eurovision fans gear up to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the iconic song ...

11/05/2026

Pelo Spotify, artistas brasileiros geraram aproximadamente R$ 2 bilhes em royalties em 2025

Pela primeira vez na hist ria, o Brasil figura entre os oito maiores mercados de...

11/05/2026

Bastl Instruments showcase the Kalimba

New desktop instrument focused on tactile performance Bastl Instruments have announced the Kalimba, a new desktop instrument that combines physical modellin...

11/05/2026

1010music release the blackbox 2

Compact sampling workstation gains new features 1010music have announced the blackbox 2, a new version of their compact standalone sampler designed for DAWl...

11/05/2026

KOMA Elektronik Monoplex Eurorack sequencer

Performance-focused sequencer with microtonal control Berlin-based KOMA Elektronik have announced Monoplex, a new 42HP Eurorack sequencer designed for hands...

11/05/2026

IK Multimedia launch the Tonex One+

Boasts wireless control from mobile devices The latest iteration of IK Multimedia's compact amp and effects modelling pedal expands on the capabilities ...

11/05/2026

Transfigured Orchestra Vol 3: Cinema Brass from Sonora Cinematic

Spans traditional orchestral and experimental sounds Sonora Cinematic have recently released the third instalment in their Transfigured Orchestra series, de...

11/05/2026

SUPERBOOTH 2026 Video Show Reports

Our exhibition coverage Watch all our SUPERBOOTH 2026 video coverage in one place. Check back to this page regularly as we will be updating with more video ...

11/05/2026

aconnic presents at Equity Forum German Spring Conference 2026, Frankfurt to engage with investors and analysts

aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, is participating in the Equity Forum Ge...

11/05/2026

Bounteous Acquires Cartesian to Accelerate Enterprise AI

Bounteous Acquires Cartesian to Accelerate Enterprise AI May 11, 2026 Business Assurance News Acquisition enhances deep data and analytics capabil...

11/05/2026

VEON Shareholders Re-elect Board and Chairman, Reaffirming Confidence in Digital Growth Strategy

11 May 2026 VEON Shareholders Re-elect Board and Chairman, Reaffirming Confiden...

11/05/2026

Fox Corporation Reports Third Quarter Fiscal 2026 Financial Results

Fox Corporation Reports Third Quarter Fiscal 2026 Financial Results NEW YORK, NY, May 11, 2026 - Fox Corporation (Nasdaq: FOXA, FOX; FOX or the Company ) t...

11/05/2026

Arvato Systems becomes a member of InsurLab Germany

Arvato Systems Becomes a Member of InsurLab Germany Collaboration in the insurance industrys leading innovation network G tersloh - Arvato Systems has joine...

11/05/2026

A Predator in Plain Sight: New true-crime podcast reveals definitive story of pirate radio DJ and abuser Eamon Cooke

Pirate Predator uncovers new information from victims and survivors of abuse on ...

10/05/2026

RT ALL-IRELAND DRAMA FESTIVAL WINNERS ANNOUNCED

RT ALL-IRELAND DRAMA FESTIVAL WINNERS ANNOUNCED DURING GALA AWARDS STREAMED LIVE ON RTE.IE/CULTURE Kilmeen Drama Group hailing from Rossmore, Co. Cork Scoops ...

09/05/2026

Bastl Instruments showcase Kalimba

New desktop instrument focused on tactile performance Bastl Instruments have announced Kalimba, a new desktop instrument that combines physical modelling, F...

09/05/2026

1010music release blackbox 2

Compact sampling workstation gains new features 1010music have announced blackbox 2, a new version of their compact standalone sampler designed for DAWless ...