jamLink Frequently Asked Questions
The jamLink is an ultra low-latency network audio interface that sends and receives uncompressed, studio-quality audio over the Internet in real time. Using the jamLink, Musicians can now collaborate online with virtually inaudible lag across distances as far as 500 miles. Beyond that distance, the jamLink still provides CD quality audio and lets you collaborate, write songs, produce remote sessions and give lessons. Based on research done at Standford University, musicians can play in sync as long as the latency is 25ms or less. The average delay introduced by two jamLinks is about 7ms which leaves 18ms for Internet travel time when keeping the total lag at or below 25ms. Using typical Internet service provider networks, this allows for about 500 miles between players. New Users: Check out our Getting Started Guide and Setup Videos FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Why should I get a jamLink? Why should I get a jamLink? Are you in a band or putting a band together? You'll experience the same in-the-room sound without lugging all your equipment. When you do get together, your rehearsals will benefit from the prior jamLink real-time collaboration. The jamLink lets you spend more time collaborating and less time traveling. This also means less money spent on gas and rehearsal space and a smaller carbon footprint. Are you a musician looking for collaborators? MusicianLink.com is a jamLink social network. Join our network and you will find other jamLink users and unlimited opportunities to play with like-minded musicians. Who is the jamLink for? Other ways people are using the jamLink: • Distance learning What is a jamLink? How do I find other jamLink users? What do I receive when I buy a jamLink? • jamLink NOTE: Headsets are not included. We recommend a headset with a microphone like those found on a Skype or Gamer Style headset. It's the easiest way to talk to the people while you jam. These headsets are available on our: Amazon jamLink Accessories Store Do the people I play with need to own a jamLink? Is there a monthly subscription? What is latency? How far does the jamLink work? How does jamLink compare to other online jamming services? What instrument(s) can I plug into the jamLink? How many connections can JamLink support at one time? Do I need any special hardware or software for my computer? What are the Bandwidth Requirements? Minimum Bandwidth Requirements are: • Downstream Bandwidth: 1 Mbps or 1,000 Kbps For sessions that include more than two locations (up to four jamLinks can be connected), an additional 1 Mbps upstream bandwidth per location is required, as follows: Three Jamlinks - 2 Mbps upstream bandwidth at each location Four Jamlinks - 3 Mbps upstream bandwidth at each location NOTE: Please make sure you are running this test from where you plan to use the jamLink. Most DSL subscribers will not have enough UPSTREAM bandwidth. What are the network requirements? Can I use my jamLink at my university or at my work? Will other Internet activity affect my jamLink's performance? What if I'm using a computer audio interface? ProTools, M-Audio, Presonus, and etc.?What is the jamLink?
Why it Works
Who uses jamLink?
Bands, songwriters, singers and even barbershop quartets are using the jamLink to practice, rehearse and write new songs without having to travel, rent rehearsal space, or nail down a time when everyone can meet in person.
jamLink Versus the Competition
The next best performing competitor starts with a minimum lag time of 47 ms -- thats almost double the 25 ms that research has shown is required by musicians to successfully collaborate online. And the 47 ms doesn't even include the delay caused by the time it takes the audio to travel over the network.
Who is the jamLink for?
Other ways people are using the jamLink
What is a jamLink?
How do I find other jamLink users?
What do I receive when I buy a jamLink?
Do the people I play with need to own a jamLink?
Is there a monthly subscription?
What is latency?
How far does the jamLink work?
How many connections can JamLink support at one time?
Do I need any special hardware or software for my computer?
What are the Bandwidth Requirements?
What are the network requirements?
Can I use my jamLink at my university or at my work?
Will other Internet activity affect my jamLink's performance?
What if I'm using a computer audio interface? ProTools, M-Audio, Presonus, and etc.?
The jamLink is a major convenience and can save you time and money. Why rent expensive rehearsal space when you can do it over the jamLink for free. Or get the most out of your rehearsal space by working out chord progressions, harmonies, and songs before you getting together. And jamming online is fun!
It's for people who want to play music and collaborate with each other but can't because of time and distance. The only alternative is to get into a car and drive - and sometimes that's not an option.
Bands are using the jamLink to practice, rehearse and learn new songs without having to get together just on weekends or renting space. People are also just jamming for fun! After putting the kids to bed or after the parents are in bed, jam with your friends.
• Singer and songwriter collaboration
• Remote music production
The jamLink is like an audio interface that lets you plug in an instrument and start playing and singing in real-time with other jamLink users over a broadband Internet connection. Sign into MusicianLink.com, plug in an instrument, and launch the jamLink control panel. Starting a jam session is as easy as "chatting" online. We have chat, too,so you can chat with people before you jam with them. With no need for additional hardware or software, you can setup and start jamming in minutes. The jamLink is true plug and play!
MusicianLink.com is a jamLink social network. Like other social networks you can find and make friends, and connect with other musicians of similar talent and interests. Each jamLink user creates a profile to share and there are several different privacy settings.
• Power supply (9v DC, 0.5a)
• Standard 6-foot Ethernet cable
Each location needs a jamLink in order to jam over the internet.
There are no monthly subscription fees. Once you purchase a jamLink, you are free to jam as often as you like.
If you are standing 10 feet away from your amp it takes about 10 milliseconds for the sound to reach your ears. This creates 10 milliseconds of latency (time delay). Latency is one reason why orchestras have conductors to keep everyone in sync. At MusicianLink, we believe that when the jamLink delivers your sound to your playing partner in less than 25 milliseconds, the latency is low enough to be insignificant and an in-the-room experience is achieved. We built the jamLink with one thing in mind; get the sound out and onto the Internet as fast as possible.
The jamLink delivers CD quality sound with virtually inaudible latency as far as 500 miles, and sometimes further depending on your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Beyond that range, jamLink users can still enjoy collaborating with others, writing songs, producing remote sessions, and using the jamLink as a tool for distance learning. Types of music which are more ambient or have a slow tempo feel can tolerate greater latency and distance.
Other online services are dependent on the speed of your computer and require additional computer hardware. Audio cards and software, internal busses and operating system queues each introduce more and more latency. By the time the sound gets out of your computer much of the 25 millisecond latency budget is used up and an in-the-room feel is not feasible. The jamLink's sole purpose is to get audio into and out of the Internet as fast as possible, your computer is only used to access your browser.
The jamLink is equipped with a TRS input which takes any ¼" inch instrument cable. This enables the user to plug in a single instrument: i.e., guitar, bass, keyboard or microphone. The jamLink also supports multi-channel, audio mixers enabling multiple inputs, more flexibility and control. For more information you can read the jamLink Audio Setup Guide.
You can have up to 4 jamLinks connected in a single session, which is perfect for groups like The Fab Four. As you increase the number of connections, you are also increasing the amount of bandwidth required. As a rule-of-thumb, each remote partner will add a requirement of 1Mbps both down and up. You can reduce the audio sample rate from 48 Khz to a lower sample rate, 24 Khz for example, to accommodate bandwidth constraints. To ensure the perfect mix for your session, you can also control each remote jamLink's volume and pan settings
The jamLink is equipped with an Ethernet port that connects it to the network and is controlled by your computer or mobile device on the same network. All you need is a web browser and a user account on MusicianLink.com. From MusicianLink.com, you launch the jamLink control panel and initiate jam sessions. Playing with a friend is as easy as starting a chat session.
To fully utilize the jamLink, you are required to have a high-speed Internet connection: fiber, cable, T1, VDSL2, FiOS, or Internet2. Unfortunately, most DSL services, with the exception of VDSL2, don't provide enough upstream bandwidth to fully utilize the jamLink.
• Upstream Bandwidth: 1 Mbps or 1,000 Kbps (two-jamLink session)
The JamLink, like a computer, is a network device and requires an IP address to access the Internet. A network device gets its IP address from a router or a modem. Your router must have at least one ethernet port on the back: that will be the ethernet connection for the JamLink device. Wireless routers typically have additional ethernet ports on the back. You can use a wireless connection for the computer or mobile device providing the browser; however, the jamLink needs a wired connection to the router which must be the same router which the computer or mobile device is using to connect to the Internet.
JamLink cannot be used with single-ethernet-port modems which are provided with cable or DSL. If you have a single-port modem, you can purchase a network router enabling you to plug in the jamLink, more computers and network devices.
Universities and corporations tend to have very secure firewalls. Network devices like the jamLink and Microsoft Xbox 360 may require registering with the network administrator. We have many users at different universities who have registered their jamLink MAC address with the network administrator. Please check with your network administrator regarding the network policy.
Yes. Your router is sharing and dividing your Internet bandwidth with other devices on the network. If someone else in your home starts a network intensive process (e.g. streaming a YouTube video or uploading a large file) this will affect your jamLink's performance. However, the jamLink provides an option to reduce audio sample rate down in this case.
JamLink does not receive audio from your computer through the network connection. Whatever is generating your sound (guitar, mic, keyboard, mixer, computer audio interface) needs to be patched into the Input jack of the JamLink. You can patch the headphone output of your audio interface into the input jack of the JamLink. If your computer audio interface is patched into an outboard mixer, then patch one of the outputs of the mixer to the input jack of the JamLink. (See the JamLink Audio Setup Guide for more options.)