Jambient allows you to change the three main parameters for sound - Volume, Pitch and Pan - in many ways. The three main knobs or rotators described in this presentation are part of the mixer in the main window. This is the first point where sound is modified in Jambient; from the mixer, sounds are piped through the Pattern and Timing section, and the Mixing Pads or 3D soundspace, depending on the mode Jambient is in. As well, there is a Master Volume control and a Master Play/Stop button; make sure all of these are at appropriate settings when playing Jambient.

The three main mixer knobs (there are three for each of the 16 looptracks) are demonstrated above. There is lots more information in the manual, or in the contextual help in Jambient if you want to know more; this is meant to get you familiar with how the mixing knobs work so you can get started jamming.

Terms are in the order they appear in the presentation above.

Looptrack or Looptrack Sample: there are 16 looptracks in Jambient. Each can contain a sound; each allows individual control of volume, pitch and pan for that sound. You drag sounds into looptracks from the Browser. Looptracks are the most important component in Jambient, and the one that you work with most often.

Volume Knob, Volume Slider: The volume knob resembles the pitch and pan controls; but volume can also be controlled by the volume slider, which is the rectangular area that appears behind the sample names in the main window. It's worth familiarizing yourself with the slider, since it allows several effects not possible with the knobs. The volume in Jambient is coded to blue: as the sound level falls for a looptrack, the colour at its center becomes a dark blue; conversely, when it becomes louder, it becomes a lighter blue. This colour represents only the level that the control is set to, not the actual intensity of the sound playing.

Fine Adjusting: When dragging a knob to change level, you can use either the main or the secondary mouse button. The secondary button will give you a finer control, by making it necessary to drag further to get the same change in whatever parameter the knob controls, compared to the same operation with the main button.

Fading Out/In: The change in sound intensity (volume) over time. This can be done in many ways in Jambient; a separate presentation on that topic exists.

Secondary Clicking: Many Jambient players prefer to play Jambient using the mouse in the left hand, and running the joystick with their right hand. For this reason, its helpful to reverse the normal position of the mouse buttons for right hand use, with the main button on the right instead of the left. Since different players set their computers up differently, we try to avoid 'left button/right button' terminology. Secondary click means clicking with the button that is not the main mouse button.

Fade Speed: The rate at which automated fades take place. Controlled by the horizontal slider at the top of the Toolbar.

3D Mode: also known as Spatialized mode, Jambient can locate each of the 16 looptracks in a soundspace (see below). Each sound source or looptrack acts as a sound source in the space, and the joystick can be used to move a 'listener' through the space. The effect is enhanced by adjusting the rolloff, which is the tendency of things in the soundspace to be heard less loudly as they get further from the listener.

Soundspace: the 2 dimensional area that contains soundsources in Jambient. Each looptrack is a soundsource. The soundspace is an area of adjustable dimension, allowing the player to cluster or scatter sounds. The use of the panning controls is disabled when the soundspace is active.