Comparison of remote music performance software
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.[ 1] [ 2] 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.[ 3] [ 4] [ 5]
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.[ 6] [ 7] [ 8]
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.
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 track[ 9]
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
Mixed[ 10]
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
Yes[ 11]
Opus & Uncompressed
48 kHz
At least 16-bit
2021
2.5
2021-10-01
Jamulus
GPL
Free
Client/Server[ 3]
Win, Mac, Linux, Android
Open & Closed
100+ [ 12]
None
No[ 13]
Opus
48 kHz
132-894 kbit/s[ 14]
2006 [ 15]
3.10.0[ 16]
2023-09-03
JammerNetz
AGPL and MIT available
Free
Client/Server
Win, Mac, Linux
Closed
? [ 12]
None
No
Uncompressed
48 kHz
dep. on # channels
2019
2.0.0
2021-03-21
Digital Stage
Proprietary
Free, restricted[ 17]
Various
Win, Mac, Linux
Closed
30
Prototype testing[ 18]
Sagora
GPL
Free
Client/Server
Win, Mac, Linux, Raspbian
Open & Closed
None
Opus
48 kHz
May 2020[ 19]
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
$0 - $19.99p/m[ 20]
P2P, C/S[ 21] [ 3]
Win, Mac[ 22]
Open & Closed
Unlimited (for $10+ plans)[ 20]
Metronome
Yes (paid plans)[ 20]
48 kHz; 44.1 kHz
2014 (?)
1.0.3950
?
SoundJack
Proprietary
Free
P2P, C/S[ 23]
Win, Mac, Linux
Open & Closed[ 13]
~60
None
β (OSX)[ 13]
Opus & Uncompressed
48 kHz
2006
monthly updates
2022-03-26[ 24]
JackTrip
MIT like[ 25]
Free
P2P, C/S[ 3]
CLI: Win, Mac, Linux
?
Unlimited
None
No
2000 (?)
1.3.0[ 26]
2020-08-04
SonoBus
GPL[ 27]
Free
P2P via AoO[ 28]
Win, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android
Open & Closed
10
None
No
Opus & Uncompressed
48 kHz & 44.1 kHz
2020-08-31
1.5.1[ 29]
2022-03-30
HPS Jam
BSD[ 30]
Free
Client/Server
Win, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android
Open & Closed
256
None
No
8/16/24/32-bit PCM and MIDI
48 kHz
2020-11-19
v1.2.5
2022-10-12
Ninjam / Ninbot
GPL (Server only)
$60[ 31]
Client/Server
Win, Mac, Linux
?
?
Delayed Sync[ 32]
No
?
REAPER 6.18
?
Jamtaba
GPL
Free
Ninjam Client[ 33]
Win, Mac, Linux
?
?
Delayed Sync
Yes
2015-09-26
v2.1.15
2020-06-30
Jammr.net
GPL
Free - $9.99p/m[ 34]
Client/Server
Win, Mac, Linux
Open & Closed
20
Delayed Sync
No
?
1.2.92
2020-09-13
Endless
Proprietary
Free - $4.49[ 35]
?
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
$14.99p/m (directors)[ 36]
Client/Server
Win, Mac, iOS, Android[ 37]
Closed
30[ 38]
Audio track
Yes
?
?
?
?
?
?
Solocontutti[ 39]
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
5 for now[ 40]
Yes
Ringing Room
Proprietary[ 41]
Free
Client/Server
Win, Mac, iOS
Open
16
No
No
21.51[ 42]
Lutefish
Proprietary
$400 hardware
$13p/m or $20p/m
5/50
Yes[ 43]
48 kHz
Summer 2024[ 44]
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
See also
References
^ "Zoom: online rehearsals (vocal) | Making Music" . www.makingmusic.org.uk . Archived from the original on 2020-12-04. Retrieved 2020-12-21 .^ "Playing Music Together Online Is Not As Simple As It Seems" . NPR.org . Archived from the original on 2020-12-26. Retrieved 2020-12-27 .^ a b c d Rosen, Peter (2020-11-15). "Social Distancing For Musicians: A Quick Guide To Low-Latency Audio" . Archived from the original on 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2020-12-26 . ^ Fischer, Volker. "Case Study: Performing Band Rehearsals on The Internet With Jamulus" (PDF) . Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-01-18. Retrieved 2020-12-26 . ^ Carôt, A.; Hoene, C.; Busse, H.; Kuhr, C. (2020). "Results of the Fast-Music Project—Five Contributions to the Domain of Distributed Music" . IEEE Access . 8 : 47925– 47951. doi :10.1109/ACCESS.2020.2979362 ISSN 2169-3536 . ^ Wise, Brian (2020-09-07). "Long-Distance, Online Performances Without the Latency?" . Brian Wise . Archived from the original on 2021-01-18. Retrieved 2020-12-27 . ^ "Virtual Jamming: The Latest Tools for Playing Together in Real Time" . Acoustic Guitar . 2020-05-15. Archived from the original on 2020-12-22. Retrieved 2020-12-21 .^ "Networked Music Performance: An Introduction" . SmartMusic . 2020-09-25. Archived from the original on 2020-10-06. Retrieved 2020-12-27 .^ Backing track with 'Sendahead' for synchronised output.
^ None under 400 miles. Delayed synch at longer distances.
^ Includes screen sharing and recording.
^ a b Limited only by server resources
^ a b c "SoundJack: Real Time Online Music" . Ian Howell, DMA . Archived from the original on 2020-11-01. Retrieved 2020-12-31 .^ "Quality, Delay and Bandwidth – Jamulus Wiki" . jamulus.io . Archived from the original on 2021-03-03. Retrieved 2021-06-25 .^ "June 2020, "Community Choice" Project of the Month – Jamulus - SourceForge Community Blog" . Archived from the original on 2021-03-29. Retrieved 2020-12-25 .^ "Jamulus/Releases/Latest" . GitHub . Retrieved 29 March 2022 .^ Free for members of artistic associations and project partners.
^ Kurtz, Holger. "Noch ruckelt die digitale Konzertbühne | Ausgabe: 5/20 | nmz - neue musikzeitung" . neue musikzeitung . No. 5/2020. Archived from the original on 18 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021 . ^ "Sagora - Agora Sonora" . sagora.org . Retrieved 8 January 2021 .^ a b c "What Are JamKazam's Free vs. Premium Features?" . JamKazam . 2020-12-05. Archived from the original on 2021-01-24. Retrieved 2020-12-25 .^ Free version is P2P only, commercial chooses faster route.
^ Wilson, David. "What Gear Do I Need to Play on JamKazam?" . JamKazam . Archived from the original on 2021-02-26. Retrieved 2020-12-27 . ^ "Server - Soundjack" . Archived from the original on 2020-12-29. Retrieved 2020-12-25 .^ "Dev Status - Soundjack" . www.soundjack.eu . Archived from the original on 2021-06-25. Retrieved 2021-06-25 .^ "jacktrip/jacktrip" . GitHub . Archived from the original on 2020-12-05. Retrieved 2021-01-01 .^ "Releases · jacktrip/jacktrip · GitHub" . GitHub Archived from the original on 2020-11-19. Retrieved 2020-12-27 .^ "SonoBus License" . GitHub . Archived from the original on 2021-10-31. Retrieved 2021-01-29 .^ "Audio Over OSC" . GitHub . Archived from the original on 2021-10-31. Retrieved 2021-01-29 .^ "SonoBus Releases" . GitHub . Archived from the original on 2021-10-31. Retrieved 2021-01-29 .^ "hselasky/hpsjam" . GitHub . Archived from the original on 2021-05-30. Retrieved 2021-01-01 .^ Requires purchase of a REAPER software licence.
^ Marraccini, Fabio (2020-04-06). "Best services for online music jam (2020)" . AudioGeek11 . Archived from the original on 2020-12-03. Retrieved 2020-12-27 . ^ "elieserdejesus/JamTaba" . GitHub . Archived from the original on 2020-12-25. Retrieved 2021-01-12 .^ "Get premium! | jammr" . jammr.net . Archived from the original on 2020-11-28. Retrieved 2020-12-31 .^ Includes in-app purchases for advanced features.
^ "Pricing/Ordering" . Rehearsal Live Share . Archived from the original on 31 October 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021 .^ "Hardware Recommendations" . Rehearsal Live Share . Archived from the original on 31 October 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021 .^ "FAQs" . Rehearsal Live Share . Archived from the original on 31 October 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021 .^ Redactie, Onze (2013). "Op afstand samen muziek maken" (PDF) . Klank Wijzer : 50– 53. ^ "Elk.Live Brings Musicians Together to Play Online" . Geekazine . Archived from the original on 30 August 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2022 .^ "Ringing Room" . App Store . Apple Inc. © 2021 Matthew Goodship ^ "Ringing Room" . ringingroom.co.uk . Retrieved 8 August 2022 .^ 10 Crazy & CREATIVE things at NAMM 2024 , retrieved 2024-02-13 ^ 10 Crazy & CREATIVE things at NAMM 2024 , retrieved 2024-02-13
