"I wanna be like Hendrix "- The DS six string (Jam Sessions (DS))

Member Name: yackers1

Product:	Jam Sessions (DS)
Date:	30/12/08 (122 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Nice concept for budding song writers

Disadvantages: Difficult to learn, limited tracks, no voice recording feature

In my opinion Jam Sessions is not a computer game. You do not progress through different levels with a defined purpose, there is no story line, there are no baddies to kill, you cannot achieve a high score and you cannot die. None of the components of a game are present and it is not one.

****What is it?****

Jam sessions is a piece of software that turns the DS in to an acoustic guitar. It is ideal for those budding guitarists and song writers to use when they do not have their guitar to hand, such as on a train, bus or plane.

****How does it work?****

The touch screen has a horizontal string running through it, representing the 6 strings of a guitar. In order to get a chord you need to strum the DS by swiping the stylus up or down. Swiping down plays the chord starting on the low E string, whereas swiping up starts with the high E string. This is just like a real guitar.

The 8 chords are achieved by strumming whilst pressing the D pad (for right handed players) or the A, B, X, Y buttons (for left handed players). This arrangement is quite difficult to get used to once mastered it does work quite well, although some button combinations (I am left handed) are a challenge and not always hit accurately. Just persevere and you'll get there.

An additional 8 chords are achieved by holding the right shoulder button down (if you are left handed) or the left shoulder button (if you are right handed). The total number of chords available is 16 per song.

****Options****

When you are not in the free play mode it is possible to map chords to specific directions or button combinations, as well as swapping present chords for different ones. The manual states that doing this frees up 120 possible chords, which to me seems quite a large amount.

Other options include:

i) The ability to play left handed or right handed
ii) The ability to add effects, such as distortion or delay
iii) The ability to swap backgrounds (although this really doesn't do anything)
iv) The ability to alter the strum responsiveness

****What can you do?****

The software provides 17 songs that you can play, from Bob Marleys "No Woman No Cry" to Coldplays "Yellow". The song choice is quite limited but you should be able to find something you like.

The included songs clearly shows the chords required and the pre set button configuration to achieve these chords, as well as the lyrics enabling the user to sing along. This means that non-musical and non guitar playing people can enjoy this aspect of Jam Sessions.

The first 10 songs have a demo that you can listen to in order to check that you are doing it correctly. I do not understand why the demo feature is not available for all the other songs included in the software.

If you have guitar tabs (chord progressions for songs that can be found online fairly easily) then it is possible to play any song you like. Doing this you will have to be innovative if you don't play the guitar or can't read music. The chords will have to be written somewhere and then it is a case of following your handwritten notes.

The software also gives you the ability to write your own songs and record them. It should be noted that only 5 songs can be stored at any one time and there is no scope to increase this limit.

****Visuals****

The visuals are very, very basic, however, this is not such a bad thing since it does keep things simple. Besides, this software is all about the audio.

****Audio****

The audio is very good. The guitar does actually sound like a proper guitar, although it is very quiet. It is best to play with your headphones on or with the DS plugged in to some speakers. Maybe an amp would be good, although it is a bit difficult to carry around (and power up) and amp offsite.

One thing about the audio is the additional effects are awful. Personally, I would not even bother with them.

****Limitations****

The lack of included songs is a big disappointment and something that the producers should have though of a bit more carefully. A good feature would be the ability to go online and download additional tabs. This would mean that non guitar playing people could search out their favourite tunes and learn to play them with the assistance of just the DS.

Whilst you can record your own songs it is not possible to record your own voice, which is a shame. The DS does have a microphone so I can't see any technical reasons why it can't be done.

****My opinion****

This is a bit of software aimed at musicians or guitar players. In my opinion, it is not a piece of software for the general public.

I am not a guitar player and hired this game on the assumption that the DS would play the music and indicate what buttons needed to be pressed to get the chord, and it does but only for 17 songs. I found the chords a challenge to learn but once I mastered them they worked quite well. With my ability to get the chords I managed to play all the 17 songs to, what I consider, quite a good standard.

However, I am now stuck and can't do any more with this piece of software. I have downloaded additional tabs from the internet and hand written the chords (whilst I don't read music my other half is a semi professional flautist and does so very well) and tried to play them, but I just can't get the hang of it. I find Remembering the button configuration of 16 chords a real challenge and have not got the patience or perseverance to keep at it.

I have tried writing my own songs and the results were dire. I am not musically trained, nor have I got a musical ear and it was more of just a 'play' with the software out of curiosity to see how the recording feature worked. It is not something I would spend time on since it is not my thing.

I think that this piece of software will have a limited audience. Whilst I am sure the budding musicians of this world, and those that enjoy composing their own songs will enjoy it I don't think the world at large would.

Summary: This will appeal to a limited audience