Joué Play
Customer Reviews
I feel like this thing has been a bit overhyped, but I am only on day one, so may revise this review as I experiment with it more. These are my initial perceptions:
Pros:
- build quality is overall nice (although the power light had some excess plastic molding and looks really cheap). I like the wood.
- easy plug and play with a versatile cable
- swapping the pads is quick and easy
- compact enough you can throw it in a bag (although it is fairly heavy for its size)
- the different pads give you some good versatility
The not so good:
- 'velocity sensitive' - its over-sensitive, quickly maxing out at 127, and that makes it hard to actually use it in an expressive way; it feels like a really blunt instrument in that respect
- the mystery effects knob and sliders either seem to do barely anything or are too extreme; they don't seem useful and aren't settable as far as I can tell
- the iPad app is very limited and not very good. You can choose from about a dozen sounds for each pad, and you can record loops with optional quantization and metronome. You can buy another 16 sounds in two optional sound packs for about $10 (given there's only two seems a bit lame; just bundle them). There are 'tutorial' songs, but as far as I can tell the tutorial feature in the app is next to useless unless you want to just play along; you get no note guidance, no feedback, etc. If you actually want to learn the pieces, you have to go watch videos on their website. Accessing these videos must be done by you separately via a web browser; there is no access to them through the app, even though that would have been an easy thing to do
- there is often 'bounce' - press a note and it registers twice. Also, occasional misses when it doesn't register.
My overall impression is that I would not buy this to use it just for the app. So that means forking out another $50 (or $45?) to unlock the MPE functionality so it can be used with a DAW. I'm reluctant to do that because of the velocity issue.
Super creative and a very inspiring musical tool. Super easy to use. A real booster for producing music on the go. Really compact and strong gear. As a music producer since more than 35 years, i highly recommend this music instrument. plug, play and enjoy.
Really fun controller that comes with its own app but also works with DAWs like FL Studio, Ableton or Logic, as well as Bandlad on phones (free app). Fun and intuitive experience, instruments change when you change the pad. Very solid build, feels high quality and easy to carry around.
I’ve had more midi controllers than I can remember but I think I finally found a keeper. It’s portable, durable and with different templates, it’s very flexible. As a guitarist, I didn’t expect the guitar template to be as useful as it is. I can easily play riffs and lines into midi notes then play them with any synth sound.
This is one of the coolest controllers available. I've used MPE-enabled products before, and the Play is probably the easiest to get comfortable with. The app helps get started, the interchangeable surfaces give you plenty of flexibility, and the overall build quality is very sturdy so far.
I'm having a blast and would recommend it to anyone looking to incorporate more natural human expression into their digital music creation.
NEW AUDIO PAD
Shape any audio recording with ease!
Experiment Music Creation Freely
Get started now with Joué Play, an all-in-one system combining:
an expressive, compact & durable multi-instrument
a dedicated, ultra intuitive application
a library of built-in video tutorials
Open New Musical Worlds in a Snap
Switch pads on the fly to instantly transform your Joué Play into a guitar, piano, drums or keyboard and explore their assigned sound banks.
Transform the Sound
Play and experiment with a multitude of effects by varying the pressure of your fingers to adjust their intensity.
creative effects
The effect zones on each of the Play Pads allow you to modify the sound to add the little touch that will make the difference in your creation. Add distortion, reverb and more.
expressive effects
Joué Play's unique technology offers a sensational expressiveness. Express yourself in the moment with natural gestures and enjoy all the spontaneity and expressiveness of acoustic instruments.
Don't Program, Just Play!
Enter a creative mode with no barriers thanks to a turnkey app. No need to spend hours on overly complex music software, enjoy the simplified version of essential music creation tools in the Joué Play App.
Available on macOS, Windows and iPadOS.
Build your Skills
Practice by learning the basics or by replaying a selection of famous songs step by step through a series of video tutorials, also available as projects in the Joué Play App.
Practice tutorials
Get familiar with the fundamental principles of musical practice.
How to Play Covers
Turn the songs you love into the ones you'll love to replay.
Get Inspired by Artists' Sound Worlds
Available as direct download in the Joué Play App, Artist Packs invite you to explore the musical worlds of renowned artists with 8 new Signature instruments to add to your library to enrich your creations.
Explore Other Forms of Creation
Use the Joué Play with its dedicated app or compose with hundreds of sound banks via Garageband, learn to play in a fun and playful way with Melodics or remix the creations of millions of users from BandLab social platform.
Go further with Pro Option
Your Joué Play evolves with you and leads you through your transition to professional music production softwares to let your creativity express itself fully.
An Eco-Designed Instrument
So that digital music can rhyme with sustainability, the Joué Play was designed to last, just as acoustic instruments. Production is carried out with suppliers at 80% located in France, using sustainable materials.
With You Everywhere You Go
Connect your Joué Play to the app and create anywhere, when inspiration comes! Compact and lightweight, it slips easily into a backpack and follows you on the go so you don't let any musical idea slip away.
In the Box
-Play Board (wood, metal, pressure-sensitive captor)
-Play Pads: Piano, Guitar, Drums, Keys (silicone, RFID tags)
-USB-C to USB-C cable + Apple Lightning Adapter + USB-A Adapter
-Dust Bag
+ Free Joué Play App compatible with macOS, Windows & iPadOS
+ Free Video Content
Customer Reviews
I feel like this thing has been a bit overhyped, but I am only on day one, so may revise this review as I experiment with it more. These are my initial perceptions:
Pros:
- build quality is overall nice (although the power light had some excess plastic molding and looks really cheap). I like the wood.
- easy plug and play with a versatile cable
- swapping the pads is quick and easy
- compact enough you can throw it in a bag (although it is fairly heavy for its size)
- the different pads give you some good versatility
The not so good:
- 'velocity sensitive' - its over-sensitive, quickly maxing out at 127, and that makes it hard to actually use it in an expressive way; it feels like a really blunt instrument in that respect
- the mystery effects knob and sliders either seem to do barely anything or are too extreme; they don't seem useful and aren't settable as far as I can tell
- the iPad app is very limited and not very good. You can choose from about a dozen sounds for each pad, and you can record loops with optional quantization and metronome. You can buy another 16 sounds in two optional sound packs for about $10 (given there's only two seems a bit lame; just bundle them). There are 'tutorial' songs, but as far as I can tell the tutorial feature in the app is next to useless unless you want to just play along; you get no note guidance, no feedback, etc. If you actually want to learn the pieces, you have to go watch videos on their website. Accessing these videos must be done by you separately via a web browser; there is no access to them through the app, even though that would have been an easy thing to do
- there is often 'bounce' - press a note and it registers twice. Also, occasional misses when it doesn't register.
My overall impression is that I would not buy this to use it just for the app. So that means forking out another $50 (or $45?) to unlock the MPE functionality so it can be used with a DAW. I'm reluctant to do that because of the velocity issue.
Super creative and a very inspiring musical tool. Super easy to use. A real booster for producing music on the go. Really compact and strong gear. As a music producer since more than 35 years, i highly recommend this music instrument. plug, play and enjoy.
Really fun controller that comes with its own app but also works with DAWs like FL Studio, Ableton or Logic, as well as Bandlad on phones (free app). Fun and intuitive experience, instruments change when you change the pad. Very solid build, feels high quality and easy to carry around.
I’ve had more midi controllers than I can remember but I think I finally found a keeper. It’s portable, durable and with different templates, it’s very flexible. As a guitarist, I didn’t expect the guitar template to be as useful as it is. I can easily play riffs and lines into midi notes then play them with any synth sound.
This is one of the coolest controllers available. I've used MPE-enabled products before, and the Play is probably the easiest to get comfortable with. The app helps get started, the interchangeable surfaces give you plenty of flexibility, and the overall build quality is very sturdy so far.
I'm having a blast and would recommend it to anyone looking to incorporate more natural human expression into their digital music creation.