Table of content
Welcome to UJAM Beatmaker Series Version 2
UJAM Beatmaker Series
Thanks for trying, purchasing – or upgrading to – UJAM Beatmaker 2. We hope these powerful virtual instruments will provide years of fun and great beats for you!
Note for Beatmaker Users
If you don’t own version 1 of Beatmaker HUSTLE, EDEN or DOPE, you can skip the following paragraph, as all other Beatmakers are genuine V2 products.
Important Notes for Beatmaker DOPE, HUSTLE or EDEN Version 1 Users
Please read carefully before installing (even a trial of) Beatmaker 2 on your computer!
Please note that installing a Beatmaker 2 – even a trial version – will replace any existing version. Afterwards you cannot go back to the old version. If you’re uncertain, please create a backup of your system before installing Beatmaker 2.
Also, with Version 2, we have simplified and streamlined the user guides for all Beatmakers into one document. Because all Beatmakers are identical except for musical content and user interface skin, there’s no reason you should read three guides. Read once, know them all!
With Beatmaker 2 launched in December 2019, we upgraded all Beatmakers with the top features requested by our user community. Check the next chapter for a quick overview of what we added.
What’s new in V2?
Here’s a quick rundown of the new or upgraded features of Beatmaker 2:
Phrase Drag and Drop
You can now drag phrases like intros, verses or choruses straight from the interactive UI keyboard to the Beatmaker instrument track of your DAW. This opens up a slew of creative options:
- Tweak phrases to your liking – whether it’s replacing instruments, changing velocities or note positions, or using MIDI processors
- Combine phrases from multiple styles
- Use styles and phrases of one Beatmaker with any other – try it out! Even if they sound slightly different, that might not be a bad thing!
- Mix up styles and phrases by using one Beatmaker with a Virtual Drummer or Virtual Bassist. Most instrument series are coming with the MIDI Drag and Drop feature!
Individual Audio Outputs
With individual outputs, you can route any instrument or channel from Beatmaker to separate channels on your DAWs mixer. This way, you can use the full multi-channel mixer functionality of your DAW with Beatmaker if you want to go deep, or just route individual signals into special effects processors.
Additional options in Instrument Channels
In the Instrument Channels, you can now build your own kits by simply replacing any instruments with those from other kits.
Also, there is a new Filter knob that lets you apply a Low/Highpass filter to adjust the overall tone of the instrument.
New Kits, Styles, Mixes and Presets
Each Beatmaker now comes with 20 additional styles, 30 additional presets, 5 more kits and 6 more mixes.
New Beatmaker 2 styles are appended at the end of the list, where the bpm sorting restarts.
Master Section
The Mix Preset and Amount Controls of Beatmaker 1 – which under the hood controls a 12-bus mixing console with multiple audio processors per channel and a mastering bus – have now been complemented by:
- a new master section offering one-knob saturation, a loudness maximizer and an Ambience selector.
- You’ll hear all these new processing and tweaking options at work when you try the new presets.
Beatmaker 2.1 Update and PreSonus Integration
With the new Beatmaker 2.1 update, we provide Studio One users running on version 4.6.2 or later with an exclusive PreSonus piano roll integration!
The names of styles and drum-elements are displayed on the keys of your piano roll to help you find the right styles and drums faster and easier for your track. The scale range of the styles and instruments are highlighted with a red line at the left side of your piano roll now.
Resizable Interface
With the 2.1 update, user interfaces are resizable to fit on small screens. To resize, either click the “window” icon next to the notification bell in the top right corner or simply drag the three stripes in the bottom right corner of the user interface.
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The user interface is now resizable to fit different sizes of screens. To resize, either click the “window” icon next to the notification bell in the top right corner, or simply drag the three stripes in the bottom right corner of the user interface. |
Player Sync
You can now quantize the Beatmaker player to match the playback, this setting can be found in the micro timing overlay. Quantize to the current grid, 1/4, 1/8, or 1/16 notes. This new feature keeps the Beatmaker always in sync with the DAW timing position to make sure you have the phrase in time and on the right beat. Give it a try!
About the UJAM Beatmaker series
The UJAM Beatmaker series was built by the same team that created UJAMs popular Virtual Guitarists, Virtual Drummers and Virtual Bassists. The UJAM Beatmaker series expands our palette into electronic music production.
Every UJAM Beatmaker combines the styles, grooves and sounds typical for a particular electronic music style, giving you full dynamic and sonic control over the result. Breaking the limitation of loops, a UJAM Beatmaker offers you the musical flexibility of a drummer, putting you into the producer’s chair.
All UJAM Beatmakers offer a selection of professionally created drum sounds, audio processors and groove styles, all waiting to be fired off and arranged using your MIDI controller in real time.
UJAM Beatmaker has been developed for everyone who finds drum loops too limiting and programming MIDI drum arrangements too tedious or challenging. It is also your personal style guide, whatever you produce with a UJAM Beatmaker, whether you feel at home in that genre or not, will always hold up to utmost scrutiny.
At the same time, with UJAM Beatmaker, laying down a drum track is super easy: Select a Preset (it includes drum sounds and a full set of groove patterns) and control the drum performance in real-time by selecting song parts from your MIDI keyboard or mouse, and use the wheels for dynamic control. UJAM Beatmaker will play along in perfect sync with your performance.
Every sound in every kit has been professionally tweaked and mixed with the most powerful options available for you to get exactly the sound you want.
You and us
UJAM Beatmaker was built by musicians for musicians. We at UJAM are a pretty diverse bunch – from DJ to drummer to weekend producer to Oscar-awarded Hollywood composer. We build every product for ourselves, and, like you, we’re all users of our products in our own musical lives.
This means that before we even start development, a lot of thought and discussing goes into the product. What will you, the user, expect from the product? What problems does it solve? Which controls can be removed to make the product more inviting and simpler, and which hurdles can we move out of the way?
UJAM Beatmaker is optimized for one clear, powerful purpose: To let you produce great-sounding drum tracks without any distraction from the complex endeavor that producing a song is.
We hope that your UJAM Beatmakers transpire that philosophy in everything you do with them.
How is UJAM Beatmaker supposed to be used?
Think of UJAM Beatmaker as a toolkit filled with a limitless arsenal of tools. For each groove there is a wide array of variations that help turn your song into a dynamic piece of music.
You can use one of the less complex variations (phrases) at the start of a song. After eight or sixteen bars you may want to add a fill to a busier phrase. As the song grows, you emphasize the dynamics by changing phrases and/or tweaking other controls (Sweep, Ambience, Mix, mod wheel intensity etc.).
For easier understanding, we have borrowed a lot of terminology from the world of acoustic drumming. Drums played by a skilled musician are an ever-evolving performance that helps the rest of the band to build a song and make it sound interesting – and that’s true for any electronic music genre.
What is UJAM Beatmaker?
UJAM Beatmaker is a software instrument doubling as your personal, real-time drum track creator in the studio, with you taking the producer’s chair.
Beatmaker Bundle
Beatmaker vs. Loop Import
Loops are widely used in music production, but unfortunately they are pretty static. There are certain limitations to an audio or sliced loop once it has been imported and tempo-corrected.
With UJAM Beatmaker, we’re taking several steps closer to what working with a live drummer is like. While the sounds and patterns are true to the respective style, a UJAM Beatmaker lets you dynamically control the grooves, pretty much like a drummer would arrange their drumming to suit the dynamics of a song.
This saves you a lot of hassle. With UJAM Beatmaker, there is no need to scan your hard drive or the internet for suitable loops, or even worse, several similar loops that could be used in the same song.
UJAM Beatmaker also opens a world of possibilities. Similar to working with a drum machine, it is easy to change the sound of the drum sounds and/or change the ambience, filter, decay, and pitch settings with easy-to-use controls.
And for those who struggle with composing their own drum tracks using MIDI and samples, UJAM Beatmakers provide a healthy amount of pattern-filled styles, serving as inspiration and adding a professional touch to any song.
Beatmaker Titles
Each Beatmaker is at home in a specific musical genre with its own set of rules pertaining to sound, arrangement, effects and culture. As similar as the Beatmakers are in terms of engine and user experience, each UJAM Beatmaker honors that particular genre in various ways – from the look and feel to the drum sounds to special controls to specially set up mix presets. You can always trust a UJAM Beatmaker to deliver true to the genre it’s designed for.
DOPE
Beatmaker DOPE is a hip-hop beat production tool designed to provide a fast-track solution for creating street-credible hip hop tracks. This software eliminates the need to search through vinyl records for the perfect sampled beat, as it offers a broad selection of carefully crafted drum kits and matching grooves.
It's tailored for Boom Bap, Hip-Hop, and Rap styles, offering authentic sounding and satisfying electronic hits, beats, and grooves and also features a special control called ‘Vinyl Drive’, which simulates retro turntable noise & compression to add a retro punch and dirt to the sound.
Think of Beatmaker DOPE as your friend who works at the local record store and has been digging through classic records for the past twenty years to create the most authentic drums you could ask for, and on top of that, your friend is also great at mixing.
EDEN
Beatmaker EDEN is a dance music and EDM specialist, known for providing the driving beats that keep the dancefloor full and the party going all night long. It is equally at home headlining small, intimate clubs in Berlin or enormous global festivals, making it a versatile tool for any DJ or music producer.
One of the special features of EDEN is the ‘Kick Pump’, which provides dynamic side-chain compression for that characteristic pumping sound found in many dance and EDM tracks.
With Beatmaker EDEN, users can create unique and stunning tracks that will have partygoers raving until dawn.
HUSTLE
Beatmaker HUSTLE is your perfect tool for creating bass music styles such as Trap and Grime. It's spot-on for a broad spectrum of modern urban genres, ranging from Dirty South and Hip Hop to Big Room Bass Music. HUSTLE enhances your production with a diverse array of grooves that will shake the room, along with an array of gritty sounds.
Designed with a unique flair, HUSTLE can instantly infuse your production with the vibe of cruising through Atlanta in a high-end sports car, showing off your gold grill.
HUSTLE embodies the essence of bass music genres, capturing their spirit through its distinct sounds, patterns, and mixes. It offers an almost limitless array of believable beats, drawing inspiration from the legendary Roland TR-808 drum machine.
VOID
Beatmaker VOID
VOID gives the tools to create the perfect breakbeats without the need for samplers, beat slicing or monotonous rearranging. With just a few notes, you can craft the perfect fills and breakdowns to make your fans scream with delight.
Beatmaker VOID lets you break away from 4-to-the-floor rhythms and experiment with heavy syncopation found in liquid, jungle, and neurofunk beats. Even if you've never created DnB before, VOID's transparent interface makes it easy to create crazy bangers without overthinking it. VOID is the perfect tool to glue together your dirtiest leads, smoothest pads, and thumping basslines.
VICE
Beatmaker VICE takes the synthetic, hyperbole charme of 80s drum machines and grooves and transports them into today’s 20s – with modern sampling and mixing technology, a sleek and inspiring user interface, latest effects and processing – the best of the 80s and UJAM’s trademark Beatmaker series in one hot product.
HYPE
An instrument loaded with Progressive House and EDM samples, presets and full grooves, so you can lay down your drum tracks in minutes. With HYPE, you can create driving beats that put conventional sample packs to shame, all by touching a single key. It instantly syncs to your DAW’s tempo, and you can play a near-infinite variety of loops just like you would an instrument.
KANDY
KANDY is a bleeding-edge virtual beatmaker, employing extremely processed samples and state-of-the-art sound design for the top of the billboard charts. Easily create beats for the entire bandwidth of modern A-list pop music!
NEMESIS
The heavy-hitting drum sounds in NEMESIS have been designed to be aggressive and futuristic. The Mix presets provide different types of distortion and compression for beats so tough and punchy, they’ll cut through any mix. NEMESIS really shines in any situation that requires heavily processed, broken aesthetics.
GLORY
GLORY is the virtual beat maker for all kinds of trap and modern hip-hop. Where heavy, tuned 808-kick drums meet frantic hi-hats at the top of the billboard charts. Create beats that bounce and roll with GLORY!
IDOL
IDOL puts the bright and hyper-processed sound of K-Pop beats in your hands. Keep the good feels coming with clean and polished drum samples, making beats just like the ones in countless chart-topping Korean pop songs!
RICO
RICO adds a Latin club or dancehall feel to any pop tune you create! Spice things up with deep, bassy kicks and the classic boom-chak rhythm of reggaeton that always gets the crowd moving and grooving. Whether you need straight-ahead beats or authentic world percussion grooves, RICO gives you all the pieces you need.
BERSERK
BERSERK is a dynamic and powerful tool designed for producers who want to create intense electronic music, particularly in genres like Dubstep. It offers an assortment of gritty, moody sounds that can add the necessary punch to your productions, energizing anything from dubstep to movie scores.
Beatmaker BERSERK allows you to master the temperaments of your beats, ranging from gentle to brachial, thanks to its Mix Presets and custom multi effects, which puts the control of punchiness in your hands.
CIRCUITS
Beatmaker CIRCUITS - the perfect solution for music producers who crave the warm, classic sound of vintage drum machines. With its collection of authentic analog samples and grooves, CIRCUITS offers a quick and easy way to add that classic touch to any genre of music. Its vintage samples provide a punchy and sparkly layer to your drums without compromising the clarity of your mix. The imperfections in the analog sounds give a retro feel that is hard to replicate with digital tools alone. Bring your listeners back to the 70s and create the perfect back-to-future drum groove with Beatmaker CIRCUITS.
COZY
Beatmaker COZY is designed to deliver the essence of Lofi Hip Hop Beats for those who crave music to relax and study to. This plugin introduces a feeling of perfect laziness, where the snare hits just a touch late, setting the pace for your soothing rhythm. It's like coming home late, but right on time.
Embedded within these beats are warm drum sounds reminiscent of aged tapes and the distinct crackle of dusty vinyl. Although COZY creates a lo-fi sound, no compromises have been made on sound quality: The drum samples used are some of the best available, ensuring beats of the highest integrity, even with the roughened fidelity. The comfort in this relaxing sound makes COZY the perfect plugin whether you need to focus on work or unwind after a long day.
Where to put the content
The actual drum goodness of UJAM Beatmaker – the audio content – is packed into a single or multiple so–called ‘blob’ file(s), usually named ‘BM–<title>_part1.blob’ and ‘BM–<title>_part_part2.blob’. You can store the .blob file(s) anywhere you like (e.g. on a separate content drive). During standard installation, it will be put into the following locations on your main system drive:
| macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/UJAM/BM-title.blob |
| Windows | {SYSDRIVE}:\ProgramData\UJAM\BM-title\BM-title.blob |
Installing to a different drive
If you wish to install the .blob file onto a separate drive, we recommend installing the full package and relocating the .blob file(s) afterwards. More information on how to do that can be found in the next paragraph.
Changing the Content Location After Installation
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Blob file relocation dialog Note: If you don’t select the correct blob file you will see an error message. We recommend restarting the DAW in that case. |
You can always change the plugin content location after the installation, by relocating the ‘BM–<title>_part1.blob’ and ‘BM–<title>_part_part2.blob’ files:
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Controller hardware for UJAM Beatmaker
UJAM Beatmaker requires MIDI note input for playing and recording musical performances, and optionally pitch bend, modulation and sustain pedal data for added real-time variation.
If you have a MIDI controller (keyboard), this will be the easiest and most straightforward MIDI input method, and it’s most fun as this way you control your virtual drum machine in real-time.
Of course, you can also control UJAM Beatmaker by using MIDI step sequencers or by entering MIDI notes manually into MIDI tracks.
For getting to know UJAM Beatmaker, for testing purposes, and for trying out various arrangements, you can also use the interactive keyboard in the middle of the UJAM Beatmaker window. This works best with the Latch function enabled. Mind you, that notes played on the Interactive Keyboard don’t get recorded into your DAW.
Start playing!
Before we look at things in more depth, let us first explore how to play UJAM Beatmaker, as that may be all you need for now.
The keyboard section of the UJAM Beatmaker window is dedicated to firing off drum hits and controlling the drum grooves. Keys in the left half trigger individual drum sounds, whereas keys from C3* and up let you select the various patterns that make up the arrangement of a song.
The basic principle is simple:
- When you press keys in the C3–B4 range, UJAM Beatmaker will start playing a phrase with the groove. The rhythm patterns are conveniently named like song parts. When you release the key (and Latch is off), playback will stop.
- With Latch on, you can stop playback by hitting B4 or one of the Endings (C#4 and D#4).
- Version 2: You can click on the upper half of any phrase key and drag the phrase into your DAW as a MIDI file. That is an amazing feature allowing you to edit patterns and use them across styles and even across Beatmakers!
- MIDI notes C1–D#2 represent individual drum hits.
- When you use the pitch bend wheel, you can gradually mute the kick drum and snare. By turning up the modulation wheel, you can create crescendos and decrescendos. Very dynamic!
If you know these things and can switch presets, you know all you need to start producing with UJAM Beatmaker.
*MIDI note number 60 is called C3 in some DAWs and by some synth manufacturers. Other DAWs and synth manufacturers refer to it as C4.
Walkthrough
If you’re pressed for time, or if you already know the basic concepts behind Beatmaker, then this walkthrough will get you started. You can always come back later to look up more detailed explanations as you need them.
We will take a quick tour across all controls of UJAM Beatmaker. After this, you will have a good basic understanding of your drum tool.
We assume that you have UJAM Beatmaker installed on your computer. Ideally, you have a MIDI controller connected, and if not, you can click the on-screen Interactive Keyboard.
Make a sound and learn about the control keys
- Start your DAW and instantiate UJAM Beatmaker. A default style will load, and that’s a good starting point. Activate the Latch button. Now hit key C3 on your MIDI keyboard (or on the interactive keyboard) and UJAM Beatmaker will start playing a Verse pattern.
The Interactive Keyboard also doubles as a display for the MIDI notes UJAM Beatmaker is receiving. The keyboard is divided and properly labeled with the functions of the corresponding note ranges.
- Move up the white keys to go from Verse to Chorus and other song parts.
- Now try the black keys and notice how they behave differently. Intros play only once and then fall back to the previous Verse or Chorus, and so do Fills, while Breakdowns play while you hold them, and Endings finish off the song.
- Please note that Intros can be half a bar, one bar or two bars long.
- To gradually tweak the performance, turn the mod wheel up (or the Beat Intensity slider to the right down) and notice how the overall sound gets less energetic
- Move the pitch wheel (or the Kick/Snare slider) up to gradually mute the kick drum, or down to mute the snare. This is great for intermezzos and lead-ins.
Try the presets
At the top of the UJAM Beatmaker window you can load presets. A preset is always a complete UJAM Beatmaker setup, i.e. it will change the grooves as well as the kits and effects. At this point, just go through different presets and try different Style phrases to get an impression of the musical and sonic palette of UJAM Beatmaker.
Tell your player what to play
- Activate the Latch button. Now UJAM Beatmaker will keep playing even if you don’t hold a note. Let it keep playing.
- While the groove plays, go through the various Kits in the top left corner. Notice how they are descriptively named. Try hitting a drum (like e.g. SD1) and tweak the various control knobs.
- In the Mix section, turn the Amount control about 75% up, then go through the various Mix modes by clicking the little arrow. Notice how, again, the overall sound changes.
- Finally, try your Beatmakers special control – the right slider of the Kit section. In EDEN for example, this would be the Kick Pump control.
Loading and saving presets
- You load presets by clicking either on the preset name in the menu bar, or step through them using the little arrows.
- Once you have changed any settings on the user interface, you can save that setting as a different preset.
- Click Save to overwrite the existing preset or click “Save as” to create a user preset. Enter a name, done!
Special Controls in Mix and Kit Section
There are a few curved sliders that you can use with any Kit and Mix. Their placement is rather optical than logical so we’ll explain them upfront, and you can try them right now.
Kick/Snare
| This slider is placed left of the Kit Section and hard-wired to the Pitchbend controller or wheel on your keyboard. Using this control, you can temporarily fade out the kick or snare. |
Beat Intensity
| Placed to the right of the Mix section and hard-wired to the Modulation controller (or ModWheel on your keyboard), this real-time control lets you temporarily turn down the intensity of the beat – technically identical with MIDI velocity to create more dynamic variation. |
Special Controls
Every Beatmaker has a dedicated special slider custom-built for that particular genre. The Special Sliders are located to the right of the Kit Selector:
EDEN: Kick Pump
| The Kick Pump control sends the Kick drum into a sidechain compressor, creating that typical super-compressed pump where the rest of the signal bows to the Kick Drum. |
DOPE: Vinyl Drive
| The Vinyl Drive control simulates the effect of a retro turntable noise & compression. It adds dirt, punch and crackling to gradually age the sound of your beats. |
HUSTLE & GLORY: Bass Tune
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A tuned bass is a pivotal feature in the beats produced by Beatmaker HUSTLE and GLORY. The Bass Tune control provides you the flexibility to tune the bass across a full octave. Beatmaker GLORY and HUSTLE boast an impressive feature that enables you to manipulate the bass slider either through automation or MIDI notes! Simply jot down some MIDI notes within the range of D–1 to D0 to seamlessly control the tuning of your 808s. |
VOID: Vortex
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The Vortex slider creates the impression of sending the beat into a … well … vortex, whirling it around as you move the slider upwards. Use it to create mind-blowing risers and drops. Technically, Vortex combines an LFO-modulated notch filter sweep with compression. |
VICE: Time Machine
| The Time Machine slider will let you travel through time. Pulling the slider down will send the beat to the ’80s and thins the sound, while pulling the slider up to 2080 makes the sound thick. Everything above 80% of the Time Machine knob creates the most futuristic sounds you can imagine. |
HYPE: Riser
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With a single knob, you control a combined highpass filter, reverb and subtle delay—perfect for creating high-impact builds without the need for multiple automation lanes. This pushes your drums into the background in a way that a simple filter never could, setting you up for a much stronger chorus or drop. |
KANDY: Sweetness
| The proprietary Sweetness control shapes huge sounds with the help of multiband compression and a transient designer so the drums cut through the mix better. |
NEMESIS: Pressurize & Hypercharge
| With this slider, you can push sounds in different directions: Hypercharge uses multi-band distortion for a more aggressive, electrified sound. It can really be driven over the top, especially in combination with the Mix Presets. Pressurize uses multi-band compression to condense the signal, and cut through the mix. |
IDOL: Juice
| The proprietary Juice control punches up the lows and highs with multiband compression and EQ for a clean, dramatic sound, with a gentle stereo spread to neatly tie everything together and add some excitement. |
RICO: Me Gusta
| ‘Me Gusta‘ is a bidirectional slider which lets you easily shape the overall sound. Turning the slider up will increase the stereo width, in case you want to give your beat a bit more space in the mix. It also boosts the low frequencies and decreases high frequencies. Pulling the slider downwards does the opposite and also boosts the mids, so make sure to try it both ways! |
BERSERK: Squish & Devastate
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Another bidirectional slider. Your beats deserve some punch? Turn it down towards ‘Squish‘ to use multiband compression and transient design. You want a rather deformed and electrified sound? Turn it up towards ‘Devastate‘ and use multiband distortion to shape the frequencies to your liking. Don’t hesitate to drive your sound over the edge and experiment with different Mix Preset settings. Also, notice how the tilt of the skull indicates the slider setting! |
CIRCUITS: Boost + & Boost -
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When you turn the slider up to "Boost +", the equalizer settings are adjusted to boost the low-end and high-end frequencies of the drum samples, resulting in a fuller and more pronounced sound. In addition, a slam compressor gets activated, which compresses the sound and adds more punch to the drums. This setting is perfect for creating powerful and energetic beats. On the other hand, when you turn the slider down to "Boost -", the equalizer settings are adjusted to reduce the low-end and high-end frequencies of the drum samples, while boosting the mids. This results in a more focused and defined sound that can cut through a mix. In addition, a transient designer is activated, which analyzes the audio signal and applies gain adjustments to specific frequency bands in order to shape the transient response of the signal. This setting is great for creating a more nuanced and detailed drum sound. This bipolar slider is a powerful and versatile tool that can help you achieve a wide range of drum sounds, from tight and focused to big and bold. Experiment with the settings and find the perfect balance for your tracks. |
COZY: Nostalgia
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The Nostalgia slider in Beatmaker COZY integrates multiple audio effects into a single dial, infusing tracks with vintage and LoFi elements. This control simulates the nostalgic crackle of vinyl records, adjusts tones using EQs, and moderates drum hit intensity and frequency range for added LoFi charm. It even incorporates a Convolution effect that mimics an old tube microphone, adding vintage complexity. A bus compressor maintains track balance, while a saturation effect enhances the audio warmth. |
Interactive Keyboard
You can use the Interactive Keyboard to play a UJAM Beatmaker, but usually you want to remote-control it using a MIDI Keyboard or MIDI notes.
The Interactive Keyboard also doubles as a display for notes received and played by UJAM Beatmaker.
The layout is similar for all UJAM Beatmakers, with little deviations in some of the special Instruments. This means that you can use MIDI patterns you created for one Beatmaker with any other one, or you can use dragged-and-dropped phrases between the different Beatmakers.
Keyboard Layout: Instrument
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The Drum section of the MIDI keyboard lets you play the entire drum kit, add individual hits, or use UJAM Beatmaker to playback MIDI files with drum grooves. The drum keyboard mapping does not follow the GM standard, so some adjustments are necessary if you want to use UJAM Beatmaker as a drum module. Instead, UJAM Beatmaker uses its own optimized mapping, since the actual drumming and sounds differ quite a lot from acoustic drumming. Note that keyboard layouts vary slightly between titles in the Instrument section, particularly in the upper range. You can always edit your MIDI phrases to adapt. Of course, you can also create your own intros and outros by combining this technique. |
Keyboard Layout: Style
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The table shows you the MIDI notes that control the drummer’s performance – starting and stopping as well as selecting song parts. Note that keyboard layouts vary slightly between titles in the Style section. You can always edit your MIDI phrases to adapt. |
Kit section
In this section you can select a drumkit by either clicking its name to open the list, or by stepping through the list using the little arrows. There are 10 kits to choose from, each with its own set of samples. Use the kit names as a guideline.
New in Version 2: After selecting a kit, you can now replace any instrument of the kit by the respective instrument from any other kit. Just click on the name or the arrows right next to the instrument name in the Instrument section below.
For example, you can replace BD1 from a Deep Kit by BD1 from the Tesla Kit in EDEN.
Styles and Parts
Although you can play individual drum kits, the real power of UJAM Beatmaker – particularly over audio loops – is in playing drum performances that you can real-time-control. All you need to do is tell your drummer which parts to play and when by using the Style section of the Keyboard, and it will create a complete song in a specific style.
In UJAM Beatmaker, drum performances are organized into Styles and Parts. There are 45 styles, each covering a particular groove. Styles are broken down into song Parts: You’ve got intros, verses, choruses, breakdowns, fills, endings, and bonus parts called “Special”.
Style
In this menu, you can select a style, organized by tempo. ‘Of course, you can select any Style for any tempo - the bpm indication is just a hint for that particular Styles’ musical comfort.
Song parts and how to play them
- A Style always contains 23 song Parts and a Stop key, functionally laid out across the MIDI keyboard from C3 and upwards.
- All Parts always play in sync with the main sequencer. This means you can jump between song Parts freely without retriggering the song Part. This is great for creating lively, non-repetitive drum performances.
- Of each group in the Part – Intro, Verse, Chorus and so on – there are variations, increasing in intensity as you move up the keyboard.
- Some of those song Parts loop, some play only once after you hit the key, while others only play while you hold a key.
- Also, usually song Parts assigned to white keys are the looping Parts – Verses, Choruses and Special. In Latch mode, they keep repeating until you hit a different key.
- Parts that start, end, or break up the song – such as Intros, Fills, Breakdowns, and Endings – are assigned to black keys.
- Breakdowns only play as long as you hold the key.
Latch
With Latch on, UJAM Beatmaker will keep playing after keys are released, until either Latch is switched off or the Stop key (B4) is pressed.
We recommend that you generally keep Latch on and stop playback using the Stop key (B4). It is easier to use UJAM Beatmaker that way, as you don’t have to worry about note lengths, particularly when using fills, intros or ending – you just fire off trigger notes.
You can use a Sustain pedal (or the matching MIDI cc# 64) as a temporary Latch when Latch is off. Lifting the sustain pedal stops playback when no keys are held.
Micro Timing Menu
At the top right of the Style section on the user interface you’ll find the Micro Timing label. Click it to open a menu offering two performance options.
Speed
This three-way switch allows you to set drumming to half time, normal, or double time in relation to the song tempo.
You can use this as a fixed setting to adjust to an existing playback, or you can automate this control to add variation to your beat. Look for it in the automation menu of our Beatmaker DAW track.
Swing (Beatmaker CIRCUITS, IDOL, EDEN, HYPE & KANDY)
Using this slider, you can gradually syncopate the beats of Beatmaker Eden. Turn the control up to move off beats towards a triplet timing.
This feature is also often called “Shuffle”.
Quantize (Beatmaker DOPE, HUSTLE & VOID)
The Quantize slider lets you gradually adjust how loose or tightly quantized your beats are. In the leftmost position, your beats are slightly “off timing” for a great groove and feel. In the rightmost position, beats are fully quantized, which is sometimes what you want to match them to other programmed tracks.
Slack (Beatmaker BERSERK, VICE, NEMESIS, and GLORY)
The Slack control emulates the sloppy timing of drum machines and samplers in the age of MIDI cables and slow processors. It slightly delays the snare and the HiHat against the Kick, creating a feel of inaccuracy that can be very interesting particularly in bigger mixes or when combining various drum grooves. It can be used for a typical 80s sound and also works great for modern electronic music with broken beats, such as Breakbeat or Trap.
Humanize (Beatmaker RICO and COZY)
The Humanize slider lets you gradually adjust how loose or tight your beats are. In the leftmost position, your beats are fully quantized. This setting suits the musical genre of BM RICO and it is also helpful if you want your MIDI notes to match with other programmed tracks. In the rightmost position, beats are slightly “off timing” for a great groove and feel. So as you move the slider from left to right, hits will get moved away from the perfectly quantized grid position.
Player Sync
You can now quantize the Beatmaker player to match the playback, this setting can be found in the micro timing overlay. Quantize to the current grid, 1/4, 1/8, or 1/16 notes. This new feature keeps the Beatmaker always in sync with the DAW timing position to make sure you have the phrase in time and on the right beat.
Instrument Section
You can easily tweak and change the individual sounds that make up a complete Kit and/or Style.
When you click on any of the Drum keys (C1–D#2), the name of that drum appears in the Drum Edit area directly below. There are four knobs and an output switch for tweaking that particular sound:
Volume
Changes the volume of the individual drum sound.
Decay
Controls how fast a drum sound decays. In the maximum position, the drum plays its original envelope. At the minimum position, every sound becomes very short; even the cymbals start sounding like staccato instruments!
Pitch
Lets you tune the drums by six semitones in each direction.
Filter (Version 2 feature)
The filter knob lets you apply a Lowpass (turn left) or Highpass filter (turn right) to tune the overall tone of your drum instrument.
Solo
Lets you listen to a drum sound in isolation. This is perfect for temporarily checking and tweaking the sound of any instrument while the entire pattern is playing.
Mute
Removes the sound of a drum from the mix until you press the Mute button again.
Output (Version 2 feature)
Output Selector
You can choose to send any Instrument Channel either to the Master Section (default) or to an Individual Output that will be fed to an Aux bus in your DAW.
The order in which Instruments are sent to the DAW is the same order as on the Interactive Keyboard, preceded by the Master Output.
Beatmaker sets up individual channels for all instruments individually – even HHTs and Toms have their own channels, with one exception: Cymbals are grouped to one Individual Output. Note: Mute and Solo can’t be used for drums sent to individual outs.
The exact setup of a multi-output Beatmaker will largely depend on your DAW, so we recommend checking out the corresponding instructions in your DAWs user guide. Usually, what you have to do is …
- Instantiate a multi-output version of Beatmaker. This usually happens when selecting it from a menu of available virtual instruments, e.g. in the AU Instrument menu in Logic.
- Set up a number of Aux Channels for that multi-output instrument. In Logic, for example, after instantiating a multi-output Beatmaker, you will find a “+” icon in the Mixer channel of that instrument. Click it to create additional Aux buses and you’ll see and hear those Beatmaker channels you set to “Individual” separated out to those busses.
Mix Section
The Mix Section of Beatmaker looks rather simple, yet under the hood it features a 12-bus mixing console with multiple audio processors in each channel strip, with hundreds of parameters macro-controlled by the Preset selector and the Amount knob.
Preset Selector
The Mix presets you can select here tweak hundreds of parameters in a Beatmaker’s built-in mixing console.
Each Beatmaker has its own set of 12 Mix Presets, optimized for its particular genre. Turn up the Amount Control and go through the Mix Presets by clicking on the name or arrows in the center of the circle element until you find the one that suits your track best.
Amount
Lets you set your preferred balance between a neutral setting of the Mixing Console and the preset’s most extreme setting. This is not a simple Dry/Wet control, but actually a macro control, turning the mixing console’s parameter individually under the hood.
Tip: With the Amount Control fully up, step through the Mix Presets until you’ve found the type you like, and then dial down the Amount until you the amount of processing is just right.
Master Section
The Master Section processes the stereo output of Beatmaker, excluding the Instruments you’ve sent through Individual Outputs.
Sweep
The Sweep control is a dual filter. With the knob straight up, the filter is bypassed. Turning the knob towards the minimum position applies the resonant low pass filter (LPF), creating a typical synthesizer filter sweep. Turning it towards maximum engages the high pass filter (HPF) – now the sweep shaves off the low end.
Saturate
The Saturate Processor adds warm harmonic distortion to the master signal of Beatmaker, affecting the dynamic behavior as well as the overall dirtiness of the signal. In lower settings, Saturate creates a nice little lo-fi edge, whereas in higher settings of the control the sound will become pumping and distorted - which sometimes is exactly what you want.
Maximize
The Maximizer is a popular audio processor that maximizes the perceived volume of a signal without actually raising its technical level. Higher maximizer settings result in the drums cutting through a mix even at lower levels, helping you avoid internal distortion in Beatmaker because of excessive volume levels.
Note: You will always want to find the right balance of Maximizer, Saturate and Volume settings depending on your material.
Ambience
The Ambience knob lets you adjust the amount of space. Ambience can make the entire groove change its character from bone-dry to the Hamilton Mausoleum. These two, the Sweep and the Ambience controls, can be automated in your DAW to create drastic sonic changes to the dynamics of your song.
Ambience Select (Version 2 feature)
Above the Ambience knob you’ll find a menu for selecting one of the 6 available Ambience programs. By default, it reads “Mix Preset”, which means it uses the Ambience set by the Mix preset. Select a different one by clicking on the name or using the little arrows right next.
Volume
This slider and level meter displays and adjusts the output volume of UJAM Beatmaker for maintaining an optimal input level into the mixer or subsequent audio processors.
Building Songs using Drag and Drop (V2 feature)
Beatmaker lets you drag Song Parts from the Interactive Keyboard into any track of your DAW, where it will be converted to a MIDI region with editable notes.
- To drag a Song Part from Beatmaker into your song, click and hold in the dotted drag area of any Song Part key on the Interactive Keyboard and drag the mouse pointer over to the target track.
MIDI regions/notes created by dragging phrases into Logic Pro
Things you can do using Drag and Drop
- You can edit a Beatmaker song part just like any other MIDI sequence – e.g. change note positions, velocities, or add instruments,
- You can combine Song Parts from various Styles into one song. Just switch Styles and drag away.
- Beatmakers are mostly cross-compatible, so you can try using DOPE Styles with EDEN, or just switch between Beatmakers entirely if you find in the middle of mixing that instead of Arena EDM you’re after Boom-Bap.
- Best of all: You can even combine all of the above techniques freely to create your total custom beats.
Note: When you drag Intros, Fills and Endings, note that some of these start mid-bar, so you might sometimes have to adjust the start of the resulting MIDI region after dropping it. Also, while Beatmaker will internally shorten Choruses or Verses when you play a Fill, you’ll have to do it manually in dropped MIDI regions.
I have more questions! Where can I send them?
Please send your questions to our support team: www.ujam.com/contact-us/
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