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HexJam - Hexagonal Jammer Concertina app for iPhone and iPad


4.1 ( 8031 ratings )
Music Education
Developer: Michael Eskin
Free
Current version: 1.1, last update: 7 years ago
First release : 12 Jun 2010
App size: 15.97 Mb

HexJam is a high-quality, easy-to-play, hexagon-based "Jammer-style" concertina.

Version 1.1 that fixes a possible crash issue found on iOS4 has been submitted to Apple for review.

Please visit my website for a live demonstration video!

The scale patterns are very intuitive, and the built-in note guide makes it easy to learn to play!

Concertinas, sometimes called "squeezeboxes", sound like a small accordion or reed organ.

The 52-button keyboard can be configured by a switch on the settings page to play with either the left or right hand. The keyboard has a 3 1/2 octave range.

Wikipedia has a great article about this style keyboard, just search for "Jammer Keyboard".

To play, simply touch the buttons. Buttons light up when playing.

Multiple buttons may be touched at the same time to play chords.

You may slide between buttons.

Touch the ? icon to show the note names for each button.

Touch the i icon to show the settings/help page.

The diagram at the top of the settings/help page shows the relative scale intervals from any single hexagon. The pattern is the same for every hexagon on the keyboard.

On the settings/help page, select between right and left hand layout.

Using the right hand layout, the notes for the scales go higher as you move to the right. Using the left hand layout, the notes for the scales go higher as you move to the left. The help diagram at the top of the screen will reflect the current setting.

Play along with tunes in your iTunes library by starting a track using the iTunes app on the device, then launching HexJam. Adjust HexJams relative volume to the iTunes music by touching the i icon and setting the volume slider.

Using the iPads Settings app, under General/Home, enable the "iPod Controls" setting to allow you to bring up the iTunes control panel by double-clicking the home button while HexJam is running.

On the settings/help page, use the "Release Speed" slider to adjust the sound release speed slower to eliminate any clicks if heard between notes. By default, the value is set to the fastest release speed.

Uses high-quality audio samples recorded from an acoustic concertina.