How to Set String Height & MIDI Pickup for Best Performance with the Jamstik MIDI Guitars

The ideal Jamstik string height is approximately 1-2mm from the MIDI pickup to the string.

If you notice that a majority of the strings appear to be higher than 3mm, try raising the MIDI pickup using a small flathead screwdriver (tighten to lower, loosen to raise) rather than adjust each string individually.

Note: If you are experiencing missed open notes and fretted notes are being detected, make sure to tune your guitar to E standard before making any adjustments to the string height or the MIDI pickup.

A few example signs of when it's warranted to adjust string height:

- Missed notes and or low velocities = String is too far away from the MIDI pickup; string needs to be lowered or MIDI pickup raised (note: missed notes could be caused by the guitar being out of tune so make sure to tune it up to E standard)

- High velocities and increased artifacts = String is too close to the MIDI pickup, string needs to be raised or MIDI pickup needs to be lowered

Tools Needed:

-Allen Key (Provided in Gig Bag)
-1mm Guitar Pick (Provided in Gig Bag)

Calibrating The MIDI Pickup

• Measure the distance between the string and pickup with the included 1mm pick laid flat as shown below
• Adjust each string as needed using the provided Allen key to set the string saddle height to approximately a 1-2mm gap between the string and pickup. Alternatively, if all strings need an adjustment you can adjust the MIDI pickup height by using a small flat-head screwdriver (tighten to lower, loosen to raise)

Video Instructions: 


1. Loosen String Tension (using the tuning key)



2. Loosen the screw on the left as needed



3. Adjust the screw on the right until the string is at the desired height



4. Tighten the string and check the string to pickup height using the 1mm guitar pick, the string should be approx 1-2mm from the MIDI pickup.

Calibration in the Jamstik Creator Plugin

In the calibration menu found on the top menu bar, you can tune your guitar as well as check the velocities of your MIDI data.

String Velocity

String velocity shows the MIDI velocity that is being sent from each input. You can use this to check your velocities for each playing style and it can also be a helpful tool for use while physically adjusting your guitar for best performance. Make sure your Device Settings are set to MPE Mode and Pitch Bend Send is active. When you play loudly, the notes should register in the red. When you play quietly, the notes should register at the bottom of the yellow. 

Tuner

To tune your guitar, make sure your Device Settings are set to MPE Mode and Pitch Bend Send is active. Then strum your guitar and tune with the provided tuner visual feedback. The tuner for that string will show if you are flat or sharp, and approximately how many cents. For more information on tuning your Jamstik Studio MIDI Guitar see our full article on tuning.