Gig Performer Blog

In this article you will learn about some new Gig Performer 4.7 workflow improvements to apply different kinds of actions (operations, changing attributes, etc.) to multiple widgets. 1. Map multiple widgets to the same plugin . First off, Gig Performer 4.7 allows you to select multiple widgets and...

In this article, we will provide you with some useful insights regarding the Lemur and TouchOSC templates and Gig Performer. If you're using Lemur or TouchOSC, we have created templates that make it easy to control Gig Performer widgets from these popular OSC apps. See this...

In this article you will learn about panels and widgets and useful tips for designing your panels. Before we start, if necessary, please check out these user manual topics to become familiar with Panels, Widgets and other basic terms in Gig Performer. Some musicians don't make changes...

In this article we will learn about various features in Gig Performer that are available using the Shift key. In many places, when you hold down the Shift key while performing some action, Gig Performer will behave slightly differently in response to that action. That is...

In this article we’ll show you how to manage various features in Gig Performer related to program changes. About Program Change messages . A program change, also referred to as a patch change (or a "PC", when talking about MIDI messages; don't confuse this with a "Windows computer")...

Suppose you’d like to have a couple of buttons on your MIDI controller that just increment or decrement the global transpose amount. Important note: Gig Performer 4.5 has built-in support to do this. Please check the GlobalTransposeUp and GlobalTransposeDown parameters of the System Actions plugin. The following...

In this article you will learn how to optimize your Apple Macintosh computer for a gig. Apple computers running macOS have great support for real-time audio and MIDI and typically do not require much optimization - however you may still want to make sure that your...

Gig Performer is an audio plugin host for live performance that allows musicians the most flexible MIDI processing and creating very sophisticated live setups. MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface), originally created by Dave Smith (creator of the famed Prophet polyphonic synth) is a technical standard that...

I (David) have often been asked to describe my live keyboard rig which I use with the three bands in which I play: The Security Project Beyond The Wall Reelin’ In The Years . Keyboards . I have four keyboard controllers: Studio Logic SL88 (88 notes weighted) Roland A800...

The MIDI Channel Constrainer is a new built-in plugin in Gig Performer 4 and it allows you to set the MIDI input channel that is allowed through, remap the input channel to another channel, or block all MIDI traffic that goes through this plugin. Learn...

Background . Apple recently released a new line of computers using their new M1 ARM based microprocessors, also known as Apple Silicon. These processors cannot directly run applications developed for older Intel processors. To address this issue, Apple uses an intermediary application called Rosetta that converts (on-the-fly) older Intel...

The System Actions plugin is new with Gig Performer 4 and is multi-purposed. One important feature is to provide local control many Gig Performer global actions such as Tap Tempo, Play/Stop, setting the Master Trim among many others. If you’re familiar with Gig Performer 3 or...

Gig Performer is an audio plugin host for live performance and session musicians, but you don’t have to use Gig Performer just for music! Although Gig Performer’s primary purpose is as a plugin host (AU, VST3, VST host) for live performing musicians, due to its sophisticated...

Gig Performer is NOT a DAW! Gig Performer is an audio plugin host for live performance and session musicians, part of your instrument. . Think of the main view of your DAW containing everything you need for a session as analogous to just one rackspace in Gig...

The short answer is we needed it ourselves! The long answer is, well, much longer, so read on. Although I was using various MIDI sequencers and DAWs since the 80s, I only got back into live performance about nine years ago. As a Mac user I...

Every audio plugin host has its strengths and weaknesses. In the table below - we try to compare Gig Performer® with the most common, comparable audio plugin hosts on macOS and Windows platforms. This page is updated on 2023-10-04 per relevant product user manuals; if the...

  Note: the latest Gig Performer edition is Gig Performer 4. If you are our existing user, please see our upgrade options. [icons size='' custom_size='' icon='fa-stop' type='normal' position='' border='yes' border_color='' icon_color='' background_color='' margin='' icon_animation='' icon_animation_delay='' link='' target='_self'] NEW GIG PERFORMER® EDITION REQUIRES A NEW LICENSE CODE. WITHOUT...

The Rig Manager is used to isolate the particular keyboards and/or MIDI controllers (MIDI pedal boards, etc.) from your actual rackspace setups. The fundamental idea is: - you name your physical devices in the Rig Manager, - and you use those names when you are creating MIDI...

The normal way to use Gig Performer® is to create rackspaces each of which contains a collection of plugins connected together as desired. A rackspace might contain everything needed for a single song or you might use several rackspaces during a single song, switching from...

Scaling Curves


Scaling curves allow you to control the shape of the output of a widget or convert an incoming note velocity to a new velocity. Various predefined curves are available and they can be tweaked as necessary. You can also just draw your own curve as well to achieve the effect you require.

 

MIDI File Player Plugin


You can load up to 128 MIDI song files in a single plugin instance. Switch from one song to another, mute tracks and/or change their channel numbers. Tempo can be controlled by individual songs or you can use the global tempo and tap tempo to control the BPM interactively.

 

Favorites and Presets


Create a sound by placing and interconnecting your desired plugins, such as a synth, some effects and perhaps a mixer. Select them all and then save the selection as a named favorite. The favorite will subsequently show up in all plugin insert menus, making it easy for you to recreate that configuration whenever you need it again. This feature is also very powerful for creating your needed sounds on your studio computer and then transferring them to your touring laptop.

 

Probabilistic Sound Designer


Parameters you select in an open plugin are captured into the Probabilistic Sound Designer dialog window. When you click Randomize, you're only adjusting those selected parameters. Each entry in the PSD dialog has a curve but unlike widgets where the curve controls scaling, in the PSD the curves are used to define the probability of particular values being selected. Make sure the filter cutoff never gets too slow so as to block all sound. Perhaps adjust the max range of the VCA attack parameter so that the sound doesn't have too much delay. Constrain the octave ranges of the oscillators, perhaps ensuring that 1/3rd of the time we select 8' and 2/3rds of the time we select 4'. The possibilities are endless.

 

More Widgets


Numerous new widgets are included in Gig Performer - a new sustain pedal, plastic knobs, drum pads and more colored sliders. Shapes can be colored with different borders and fill colors and morphed from rectangular to circular. Your creativity is now the limit to creating fabulous front panels in Gig Performer.

 

MIDI Message Helper


Select MIDI devices by name. Choose the MIDI message type and adjust the appropriate parameters for the specific type

 

  

Layout management


Gig Performer supports arbitrary resizing. Layout your widgets the way you want - resize the main window and the widgets will grow or shrink as necessary to maintain the same interrelationships. No matter what size screen you have, your front panels will still be neat and usable.

 

Undo Support


If you move your widgets around and/or resize them, or even delete them by mistake, the Undo facility will correct your mistake. Minor moves to a widget by mistake will no longer spoil your design

 

Plugin Channel Count


Some plugins support a large number of outputs and they depend on the traditional channel strip to control how many ports should be available.   When you only need a stereo pair, it is convenient not to have a large horizontal block. In Gig Performer, the number of available ports  is controlled by the channel count override, which can be applied to individual plugins and will be remembered when the gigfile is reloaded or if the plugin is saved as a favorite.