I just bought a Jamcorder, imported from the states. This little device connects to an electric piano using midi (USB or 5 pin DIN connector), but can still connect to a digital audio workstation (DAW) simultaneously (given the appropriate cables). It comes complete with the cables for simply connecting to the piano. There’s an app that goes with it (also called jamcorder) which works on iPhones, iPads and M1 to M4 Macintosh computers (and Android too, though I haven’t tested that).
I’m using it with my Roland electric piano, and Reaper, and have been using the software on a large iPad and two different (M1 and M4) Macs. (The screen on my iPhone is just too small for me to like using it!).
It records everything you play using MIDI. The files are small, and it comes with a 16Gbyte memory card, which should be enough for a very long time! It’s clever enough to stop recording when you aren’t playing.
I’m still learning how to use the app properly, though it’s easy to use for simply replaying the music using MIDI. It will play it either on the device or on the electric piano. And it will save the midi file for later use, whether in a DAW or whatever.
What it brought how to me was the difference between a MIDI file (which records exactly what you play), and a music score. You don’t actually want the score to record exactly what you play! You end up with demisemiquavers (32nd notes, in the US), and very short rests, as well as seeing just how inexact the timing on thechords you play are! Some systems that translate MIDI to music score do exactly that (the one in Reaper, for example), while others try to be more musician-friendly. The issue is that the MIDI file doesn’t know (for example) the time signature, where bars begin and end, the key signature, etc. To some extent these may be inferrable from the MIDI file, but not necessarily easily or correctly, partticularly if the time or key signature changes – or if one intends to speed up or slow down in the music.
I need to investigate further what software would be best for transcription: there’s quite a lot of choice, some free, and some relatively expensive.
But the Jamcorder itself? Strongly recommended, and easy to use, at least in the basic way that was intended.
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