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| Inspired by Indian classical music, IndiJam, is a new kind of practice and performance app for the mobile musician. It is based on a kind of sequencer known as a lehera, which is used by tabla players to practice complex rhythmic patterns. Start the lehera, adjust the tempo, and play along using one of the drum settings. Or, for those who want to learn the melody or improvise, turn to the flipside to see the notes that are being played. |
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The main screen (left) appears when the app is launched. IndiJam comes with ten preset jams, which can be modified and saved. The top left button cycles through the jams. The bottom tool bar
contains volume control buttons for the lehera, a bass accompaniment switch (can be turned on or off), and a drum selector.
Five sets of drums and percussion sounds are provided: darbukka, djembe, tabla, cymbals and effects, and a Western drum kit. Drum sounds are mapped to the circle. Tap a pad to play a drum sound. Touch the "i" button (top right) to flip over to the lehera controller (below). |
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The lehera contains over a hundred sequences (raags) organized into a variety of rhythms known as taals.
The initial release of IndiJam provides beat patterns in groups of 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 beats. The "taal"
buttons cycle through eleven different beat patterns. Tap the "raag" button to select one of ten different melodic sequences for a beat pattern.
Electronic leheras usually sound something like a harmonium. IndiJam uses an FM synthesizer to produce a wide range of timbres from pure tones to harmonically-rich sounds. Touching the "timbre" buttons selects the desired sound, which is shown below. The pitch can be raised/lowered a semi-tone at a time, or by octaves. The range of the instrument is sub-sonic to 22,050 KHz. A slider controls the tempo from 60-600 beats per minute (BPM). The notes currently playing are listed below the tempo control. In a jam as the sequence changes, the notes are updated. To modify a jam, turn it off, clear it, and add sequences. A jam can contain up to 16 sequences. The settings are automatically saved. Turn the jam on to start it. To restore the original settings, tap the screen twice for the reset button.
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For more information contact: intelligentGadgets@comcast.net