Comparison of remote music performance software
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When playing music remotely, musicians must reduce or eliminate the issue of audio latency in order to play in time together. While standard web conferencing software is designed to facilitate remote audio and video communication, it has too much latency for live musical performance.{{Cite web|title=Zoom: online rehearsals (vocal) {{!}} Making Music|url=https://www.makingmusic.org.uk/resource/zoom-online-rehearsals-vocal|access-date=2020-12-21|website=www.makingmusic.org.uk|archive-date=2020-12-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204025422/https://www.makingmusic.org.uk/resource/zoom-online-rehearsals-vocal|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=Playing Music Together Online Is Not As Simple As It Seems|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/07/14/891091995/playing-music-together-online-is-not-as-simple-as-it-seems|access-date=2020-12-27|website=NPR.org|language=en|archive-date=2020-12-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201226183340/https://www.npr.org/2020/07/14/891091995/playing-music-together-online-is-not-as-simple-as-it-seems|url-status=live}} Connection-oriented Internet protocols subject audio signals to delays and other interference which presents a problem for keeping latency low enough for musicians to play together remotely.{{Cite web|last=Rosen|first=Peter|date=2020-11-15|title=Social Distancing For Musicians: A Quick Guide To Low-Latency Audio|url=https://ksltv.com/449043/socially-distancing-for-musicians-a-quick-guide-to-low-latency-audio/?|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201211525/https://ksltv.com/449043/socially-distancing-for-musicians-a-quick-guide-to-low-latency-audio/|archive-date=2020-12-01|access-date=2020-12-26|website=}}{{Cite web|last=Fischer|first=Volker|date=|title=Case Study: Performing Band Rehearsals on The Internet With Jamulus|url=https://jamulus.io/PerformingBandRehearsalsontheInternetWithJamulus.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118164953/https://jamulus.io/PerformingBandRehearsalsontheInternetWithJamulus.pdf|archive-date=2021-01-18|access-date=2020-12-26|website=}}{{Cite journal|last1=Carôt|first1=A.|last2=Hoene|first2=C.|last3=Busse|first3=H.|last4=Kuhr|first4=C.|date=2020|title=Results of the Fast-Music Project—Five Contributions to the Domain of Distributed Music|journal=IEEE Access|volume=8|pages=47925–47951|doi=10.1109/ACCESS.2020.2979362|issn=2169-3536|doi-access=free}}
Software created specifically to minimise or eliminate some of the issues with Internet-related audio latency enables musicians to perform live music together over domestic broadband connections. The use of various compression and other techniques, together with affordable low-latency audio interface hardware (which most of the systems listed here are also optimised to work with), has reached a state in which it is practical for even large numbers of musicians to play or sing together without experiencing significant problems.{{Cite web|last=Wise|first=Brian|date=2020-09-07|title=Long-Distance, Online Performances Without the Latency?|url=https://brianwise.net/long-distance-performances-latency/|access-date=2020-12-27|website=Brian Wise|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-01-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118062629/https://brianwise.net/long-distance-performances-latency/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|date=2020-05-15|title=Virtual Jamming: The Latest Tools for Playing Together in Real Time|url=https://acousticguitar.com/virtual-jamming-the-latest-tools-for-playing-together-in-real-time/|access-date=2020-12-21|website=Acoustic Guitar|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-12-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222232959/https://acousticguitar.com/virtual-jamming-the-latest-tools-for-playing-together-in-real-time/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|date=2020-09-25|title=Networked Music Performance: An Introduction|url=https://medium.com/@mdessen/networked-music-performance-an-introduction-for-musicians-and-educators-d31d33716bd2|access-date=2020-12-27|website=SmartMusic|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-10-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006052506/https://medium.com/@mdessen/networked-music-performance-an-introduction-for-musicians-and-educators-d31d33716bd2|url-status=live}}
The following table compares key features of software written for the expressed purpose of allowing musicians to perform music together over the Internet. It does not attempt to cover subjective features such as sound quality or ease of use. However, some software on the list may address different aspects of remote collaboration better than others, or may be more suited to certain musical genres.
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Name !Licence !Charge !Architecture !Platforms !Session type [a] !Max. participants !Synch. [b] !Video !Codec !Sample rate !Bitrate !First release !Current release !Date |
| Koord
|GPL |Freemium |Client/Server |Win, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android |Closed |Up to 75 |None |Yes |Opus |48 kHz |132-894 kbit/s |2021 |1.4.47 |2023-01-28 |
| Jamstud.io
|Proprietary |Free |P2P |Win, Mac, Linux |Open & Closed |6 |None |Yes |Uncompressed |44.1 kHz |16-bit |April 2021 |1.24 |2021-11-9 |
| Sublive
|Proprietary |Free/donationware |P2P |Win, Mac |Open & Closed |5 |Audio trackBacking track with 'Sendahead' for synchronised output. |Yes |Opus |48 kHz |32-384 kbit/s |May 2021 |0.42 |2021-09-21 |
| Groovesetter
|Proprietary |Free plan or Free Trial |P2P |Win, Mac |Closed |8 Locations |MixedNone under 400 miles. Delayed synch at longer distances. |No |Uncompressed |From 44.1 kHz to 192 kHz |16-bit, 24-bit, 32-bit |May 2021 |1.2.13 |2021-08-08 |
| Jam Connect
|Proprietary |Freemium |P2P |Win, Mac, iOS, Android |Open & Closed |Up to 16 locations |Tracks possible |YesIncludes screen sharing and recording. |Opus & Uncompressed |48 kHz |At least 16-bit |2021 |2.5 |2021-10-01 |
| Jamulus
|GPL |Free |Win, Mac, Linux, Android |Open & Closed |100+ Limited only by server resources |None |Opus |48 kHz |2023-09-03 |
| JammerNetz
|AGPL and MIT available |Free |Client/Server |Win, Mac, Linux |Closed |None |No |Uncompressed |48 kHz |dep. on # channels |2019 |2.0.0 |2021-03-21 |
| Digital Stage
|Proprietary |Free, restrictedFree for members of artistic associations and project partners. |Various |Win, Mac, Linux |Closed |30 | | | | | | | |
| Sagora
|GPL |Free |Client/Server |Win, Mac, Linux, Raspbian |Open & Closed | |None | |Opus |48 kHz | |1.1 |2020-08 |
| LoLa
|Proprietary |Free/shareware |P2P |Win |Closed |3 locations |None |Yes | | |at least 1 Gbit/s |2005 |2.0.0b1 |2019-10-18 |
| JamKazam
|Proprietary |P2P, C/SFree version is P2P only, commercial chooses faster route. |Open & Closed |Metronome | |48 kHz; 44.1 kHz | |2014 (?) |1.0.3950 |? |
| SoundJack
|Proprietary |Free |Win, Mac, Linux |~60 |None |Opus & Uncompressed |48 kHz | |2006 |monthly updates |
| JackTrip
|Free |CLI: Win, Mac, Linux |? |Unlimited |None |No | | | |2000 (?) |1.3.0{{Cite web |url=https://github.com/jacktrip/jacktrip/releases |title=Releases · jacktrip/jacktrip · GitHub |website=GitHub |access-date=2020-12-27 |archive-date=2020-11-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119165658/https://github.com/jacktrip/jacktrip/releases |url-status=live }} |2020-08-04 |
| SonoBus
|Free |Win, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android |Open & Closed |10 |None |No |Opus & Uncompressed |48 kHz & 44.1 kHz | |2020-08-31 |2022-03-30 |
| HPS Jam
|Free |Client/Server |Win, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android |Open & Closed |256 |None |No | |48 kHz | |2020-11-19 |v1.2.5 |2022-10-12 |
| Ninjam / Ninbot
|GPL (Server only) |$60Requires purchase of a REAPER software licence. |Client/Server |Win, Mac, Linux |? |? |No | | | |? |REAPER 6.18 |? |
| Jamtaba
|GPL |Free |Win, Mac, Linux |? |? |Delayed Sync |Yes | | | |2015-09-26 |v2.1.15 |2020-06-30 |
| Jammr.net
|GPL |Client/Server |Win, Mac, Linux |Open & Closed |20 |Delayed Sync |No | | | |? |1.2.92 |2020-09-13 |
| Endless
|Proprietary |Free - $4.49Includes in-app purchases for advanced features. |? |iOS |Open & Closed |? |Metronome |No | | | |? |1.1.2 |2020-11-13 |
| Ejamming Audio
|Proprietary |$9.95p/m |P2P(?) |Win, Mac |Closed |4 |? |No | | | |? |? |? |
| Rehearsal Live Share
|Proprietary |Client/Server |Closed |Audio track |Yes |? |? |? |? |? |? |
| Solocontutti{{Cite journal|last=Redactie|first=Onze|date=2013|title=Op afstand samen muziek maken|url=https://www.klankwijzer.nl/media/archief/klankwijzer_editie_02_2013.pdf|journal=Klank Wijzer|pages=50–53}}
|Proprietary |Free |P2P |Win, Mac, iOS, Android |Open & Closed |12 |Metronome |Yes (limited) |Opus |up to 48 kHz |100 - 500 kbit/s |2013 |1.6.2 |2021-11-20 |
| FarPlay
|Proprietary |Freemium |P2P |Win, Mac, Linux |Closed |About 8 | |Yes |Uncompressed |48 kHz |768 kbit/s per audio channel |2021-11-18 |1.2.7 |2024-05-08 |
| Elk Live
|OS is open source |$15.99p/m + $399 bridge |P2P |Elk Audio OS |Closed | |Yes | | | | | | |
| Ringing Room
|Free |Client/Server |Win, Mac, iOS |Open |16 |No |No | | | | | |
| Lutefish
|Proprietary |$400 hardware $13p/m or $20p/m | | | |5/50 | | |48 kHz | | |2024-02-13 |
| ovbox
|GPL |Free |P2P/CS |Linux, Mac |Closed |Unlimited / up to 10 on Raspberry Pi 4B |Metronome |Yes (limited) |Uncompressed |up to 192 kHz | |2020 |0.21.1 |2024-02-19 |
Table Heading Notes
: [a] - Whether the system supports public or private performance or playing.
: [b] - Whether the system has a built-in mechanism for helping or enforcing the musicians to play together. For an explanation of "delayed sync" method see https://jammr.net/howitworks.html (or, more in depth, https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?p=2230659#post2230659)
See also
References
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