In this article we will take a look at 2023 and briefly summarize some of useful features, activities and things that stood out during the year.
New massive Gig Performer features
As some of you may know, in August, 2023, after many months of active development, we introduced several major new features as well as numerous other enhancements into Gig Performer v4.7 and v4.8. The significant upgrade was free to existing customers who had previously purchased Gig Performer at full price and available as a cross-grade to customers who had purchased a previous version at discount. Here are some of the great major new features that stand out.
Streaming Audio File Player
Firstly, our new Streaming Audio File Player plugin supports multiple audio formats, including MP3, WAV, OGG, and FLAC and enables users to seamlessly integrate thousands of songs into their gig files without using significant RAM resources. Watch this video to learn more about this feature.
Timeline and Actions
Additionally, the video above also explained how to create markers and add timeline actions to automate various aspects of your performance. You can easily automate widget movement, set captions, send out program changes or other MIDI events to plugins, external hardware or DMX lighting systems, and automatically switch rackspaces or song parts. Moreover, OSC messages can also be included in actions. On the other hand, advanced users can leverage Gig Performer’s proprietary GPScript programming language to trigger custom actions as well as functionality developed by 3rd parties using Gig Performer’s SDK.
Auto Sampler
This feature allows you to create a set of samples from individual or interconnected plugins that, if used together, might demand too much CPU to be practical for live performance. In addition, external synths can also be sampled with added plugin effects, eliminating the need to bring those heavy synths to a show. Check out this video to learn more:
Additionally, you may also want to check out this older Auto Sampler video.
Radio Groups
Radio groups allow you to define mutually exclusive parameters such as the Fast-Off-Slow choices for the well-known Leslie rotary sound. Users can assign a radio group number to a collection of buttons and then click any button to turn it on while automatically turning off other buttons in the same radio group. Up to 99 radio button groups can be deployed. Check out this YouTube Short to learn more.
Custom Font Support
Gig Performer’s custom font support allows users to incorporate their favorite fonts to enhance readability and visual appeal, design front panels that resonate with their unique style, imitate the design of their favorite hardware tools, or create a look that quickly grabs their attention. Every glance at their workspace provides inspiration and a personal touch to the live performance experience.
See this video where professional bass and Chapman stick player Alistair Begg walks you through this new feature and demonstrates his wizardry in eye-candy panel designs.
Locked Widgets
Gig Performer’s locked widgets feature prevents widgets from being altered inadvertently by mouse clicks while allowing control via the user’s MIDI device, bringing peace of mind to the musician’s preparations, rehearsals and performances. To see this feature in action, watch this YouTube Short.
MIDI Finger Tap
This feature, originally implemented through GPScript, is now built into the MIDI File Player plugin and allows you to playback MIDI files with multiple tracks sequentially by simply tapping keys, typically with two fingers (or even a foot pedal) to trigger the next note or chord. Gig Performer user Bob Millar demonstrates this feature in action in the video below.
Each time the user taps, the Player will step by a quarter or eighth note (or any duration chosen), and the MIDI events in that range will be sent to connected plugins. This keeps the user’s performance in sync with the rest of the band while enjoying freedom from click tracks. Also make sure to watch this YouTube Short, that explains this feature.
Multiple Tap Tempo Algorithms
Tap Tempo that adapts to everybody’s taste! With new multiple Tap Tempo algorithms, users can quickly and easily achieve the perfect tempo taking into account one’s personal sense of time. These algorithms work to align the system tempo or to shift effects, ensuring precision each time the tempo is adjusted. Watch this YouTube Short to learn more.
Other improvements
Needless to say, there are too many other enhancements to mention here, but there is more awesome stuff we want to share with you. In short, take a look at new v4.7 features and new v4.8 features in our user manual.
Backstage with Gig Performer interviews
During 2023, through our popular live show, we have interviewed nearly twenty music makers to provide you with their best ideas, tips and tricks and make your live performance and Gig Performer journey the most pleasant experience.
Here is the complete list of interviewed artists along with links to the episodes:
- Matteo Cifelli – A world-recognized sound engineer who has worked with greats such as Bryan Adams, Tom Jones, and Robert Plant → LINK
- Peter Claes – Internationally renowned live sound engineer with a bunch of tips → LINK
- Cameron Winters – Awesome episode for guitarists! Tips and tricks for a guitarist who has covered every single Tool song ever released → LINK
- Jens Skwirblies – An absolute master of the keyboard with many tips → LINK
- Sam Andersson – Amazing episode dedicated to reggae musicians → LINK
- Mike Lopez – How to build a Worship Rig in Gig Performer → LINK
- Mike Rosenstark – How to incorporate random internet radio stations into your music making → LINK
- Alex Faust – How Gig Performer can help organizing a gig when all of your hardware gear is stuck in transit!!! → LINK
- Robin Tournemenne – A member of the Research and Development team at Modartt, the creators of the awesome Pianoteq physically modeled acoustic piano → LINK
- Samuel Williams – A reggae, gospel and R&B keyboard player based in St. Thomas → LINK
- Harvey Jones – How to use Gig Performer alongside some of his favorite synthesizer plugins → LINK
- Dave Boulden – Learn how to seamlessly move between songs during setlist-free performances without a moment of silence! → LINK
- Karl Treier – See an extensive collection of synthesizers plugged in and completely accessible via MIDI via 96 channels of audio connected into Gig Performer. → LINK
- Michael Zuber – The creator of Mobile Sheets – sheet music and setlist management tool → LINK
- Jeffrey Nannes – How to utilize multiple rackspaces across different song parts → LINK
- Ronald Wassink – One of the leaders of the drum and bugle corps group Jung Jubal → LINK
- Dave Schulz – Inspiring episode with a true live performer (30 gigs in a month!) → LINK
YouTube videos and Shorts
As you may expect, lots of good stuff can be found on our Gig Performer YouTube channel. If you are not already subscribed, make sure to subscribe so to not miss any of new features, feature reveals or tutorials.
Here is a partial list of twenty videos we released on our YouTube channel:
- How to use AVB with Gig Performer → LINK
- Review of the FREE e-book The Ultimate Guide To Optimizing Your Windows PC for the Stage → LINK
- How to create a vocal effects chain in Gig Performer → LINK
- How to troubleshooting back-line gear and rented keyboards → LINK
- How to use Scriptlets (live stream) → LINK
- How to use Extensions (live stream) → LINK
- How to use an Auto Sampler in Gig Performer, pt. 1 → LINK
- How to use an Auto Sampler in Gig Performer, pt. 2 → LINK
- How to create beautiful panel designs using third-party fonts → LINK
- How to use Streaming Audio File Player, Timeline and Actions → LINK
- How to enable custom fonts in the script editors → LINK
- How to record Gig Performer’s Sounds to your DAW of choice using BlackHole → LINK
- How to use Radio Buttons in Gig Performer (Short) → LINK
- How to reverse MIDI sustain polarity (Short) → LINK
- How to quickly assign multiple widgets to a plugin (Short) → LINK
- How to use the MIDI Finger Tap (MIDI Step Through) (Short) → LINK
- How to lock widgets in Gig Performer (Short) → LINK
- How to show the Setlist view without the song part bar (Short) → LINK
- How to add Poly Aftertouch feature to any keyboard! (Short) → LINK
- How to add Sostenuto feature to any VST plugin! (Short) → LINK
Make sure to check out all the other videos and Shorts created to showcase some of the Gig Performer features or wise tips from the Backstage guests.
Moreover, we are also happy to see more and more Gig Performer videos on YouTube channels from high-profile artists, producers and audio engineers. (Note that these videos are not affiliated with Deskew Technologies. We simply find them
An example is this video from DECAP:
Gig Performer in Action stories
.We have several hundred stories from various artists playing various instruments and in various genres. These stories vouch for Gig Performer’s maturity, versatility, robustness and stability.
We’ll present you with a list of top thirty threads to check out.
- DECAP – Billboard Top 10, multi platinum-certified producer, and sound designer → LINK
- Michael Whalen – A two times Emmy award-winning composer, music supervisor, recording artist and producer → LINK
- Matteo Cifelli – Multi-platinum mixing engineer/producer and FoH engineer for world-class leading artists, such as Tom Jones, Will Young, Robert Plant, Il Divo and Bryan Adams → LINK
- Cameron Winters – A very extensive article describing how many features Gig Performer can offer to a modern guitarist → LINK
- Jesper Jensen – How to use Gig Performer to create a robust guitar modeler and effects unit → LINK
- Thorsten Hillmann – Many great videos and sound tutorials in German → LINK
- Christian Louw Pedersen – Beautiful Rhodes sounds → LINK
- Mike Rosenstark – Unique Gig Performer use with Internet radio stations → LINK
- Frode Berg – How bass and upright bass maestro performed with the Bendik Hofseth band → LINK
- John E. Keys – Original videos and audio of mostly unrehearsed, improvised, musical performances → LINK
- Matthew W Polack – Tips to use Gig Performer setup for a hot outdoor show → LINK
- Stephan Machon – A music teacher and keyboardist for the band JusToto → LINK
- Jones Tomas – Running 17 instances of Kontakt in Gig Performer plus a few stand alone instruments on a 2012 15″ Mac! → LINK
- Dave Boulden – Shares his gradual transition from hardware to VSTs. A keyboard player based in the UK and plays with the band Marylebone Jelly → LINK
- Darren Davis – Shares how he recreated 31 sounds originally created on his Korg keyboard inside Gig Performer → LINK ; he also shared how GP saved his gig when his hardware audio failed → LINK
- Joe Luca – Interesting article describing ‘HAL’ – an Asus/Intel based PC mounted in a server chassis seated in a flight case! → LINK
- Harvey Jones – Take a look at the “Stream of Consciousness” featuring Jerry Marotta, Arjun Bruggeman, and Sarah Perrotta → LINK
- Alan Minnear – Can you perform with a PS3 Guitar Hero controller and Gig Performer? Sure! → LINK
- Samson Andersson – Interesting experience of flying to the St Lucian Jazz Festival with The Ark Band without bringing a keyboard rig and how to fit your sound in a backpack! → LINK
- Don Jackowski – This post details Live and Let Die sound → LINK
- Paul Eisermann – A story about Muffin Tops and funk rock → LINK
- Jan Fitschen – Showcased how he added Gig Performer to his live mixing rig for a stage production of Dämonen on SRF2 (Swiss television) → LINK
- Rory Townsend – Explains how Gig Performer can revolutionize your vocals/mic setup! → LINK
- Phil Muller – Considers Gig Performer to be the best music software product of its kind and is ‘like a narcotic’ → LINK
- Jerry Sierzenga – How to control a plenty of hardware synths with Gig Performer → LINK
- Mikko Patama – How to combine hardware synthesizes with virtual CV racks running inside of Gig Performer → LINK
- Michael Manchisi – How to create an exceptionally flexible MIDI guitar set-up by blending the GP10 audio interface with carefully selected VSTs and a myriad of Gig Performer superpowers! → LINK
- Magnus Sidborn – How to create a lightweight, easy to set up, and versatile keyboard set-up that can be completely unpacked and set up within 5 minutes → LINK
- Rich Thomsen – A unique use case where plants gig with Gig Performer! → LINK
- Tim Heizer – Explains a solid set-up for worship gigs → LINK
You are most welcome to share your own Gig Performer in Action story with us!
Certainly, also make sure to check the other threads and see what setups Gig Performer users use for different use cases along with photos and videos.
FREE Gig and Rackspace files
Being part of various forums and Facebook groups we know how much our customers appreciate the Gig Performer community whose members are friendly, knowledgeable, quick to respond and help each other – a one of a kind community on the Internet.
Apart from gems that you can find all across the community, we’ll present here twenty new gig and rackspace files – free downloadable templates crafted by our diligent community members.
- Plugin Persist 2.0 – A powerful scriptlet with extra features → LINK
- CCM genre example – Mike Lopez’ Global rackspace example for CCM → LINK
- Behringer Flow 8 – Eye candy rackspace for Behringer Flow 8 USB mixer → LINK
- Drawbar Organs course – Another addition to Mikko Patama’s pedagogical toolbox → LINK
- Visual Splits – Graphical representation of keyboard splits by Alex Faust → LINK
- Splits visual organization – Another graphical take on organizing keyboard splits → LINK
- Eight classic synthesizer sounds – An interactive self-study tutorial to program 8 classic synthesizer sounds → LINK
- Looper – Discover how to use the bundled TH-U Looper → LINK
- Audio Assault Medley – Eye candy panels for AudioAssault’s Double Take, Echo Verb and Echo Vibe → LINK
- The Stealer – A new rackspace for S-Gear v3.1 → LINK
- Hammond B-3X – A nice rackspace for Hammond B-3X by IK Multimedia → LINK
- Mic’d guitars – Three mic’d guitars and multi-layered keyboards → LINK
- Lowest or Highest Note – Play lowest or highest note only, but remember held notes! → LINK
- Streaming Audio File Player Controls – A nice template for the Streaming Audio File Player with some custom fonts → LINK
- Manual All Notes Off – Solves the stuck notes issue when a plugin won’t react to the normal All notes off MIDI message → LINK
- Hammond B-3X – A top notch take on this IK Multimedia plugin where some of the new Gig Performer features are used → LINK
- Tone King Imperial Mk2 – A state of the art design for this Neural DSP plugin → LINK
- Unlimited guitar modeler – Incredible gig file used in this article → LINK
- VB3-II rackspace – A simple rackspace for the VB3-II plugin → LINK
- Ear Graph – Just for fun: a small test over the complete frequency spectrum → LINK
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At the time of writing, this repository had more than 120 downloadable templates.
Of course, every member is very welcome to contribute to the community with their own work.
Blog articles
Fervent readers, we have a treat for you, as well!
We’ll present you with top ten blog articles detailing many configurations and integration with other applications (the screenshot above is from the Mobile Sheets article listed below).
- Gig Performer Maintenance: Save, Export and Backup → LINK
- How to set up live streaming using OBS, Gig Performer and JACK Router → LINK
- How to set up Mobile Sheets on a PC with Gig Performer → LINK
- How to temporarily block a widget → LINK
- How to invoke GPScript functions from Timeline Actions → LINK
- How to deal with back-lined or rented keyboards → LINK
- How to apply operations to multiple widgets → LINK
- How to install and use the Stream Deck extension in Gig Performer → LINK
- Wait, what plugin did I use for that sound → LINK
- How to manually refresh all widgets mapped to a plugin’s parameters → LINK
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Additionally, we’ll also mention these useful articles in the community forum:
- Setting Up an external Live Prompter (Tutorial)
- iPad + Mac: TouchOSC via USB cable
- Possible helper plugin for modern Intel CPUs
Gig Performer Extensions in 2023
Importantly, Gig Performer functionality can be expanded even more with other third-party extensions.
Below, here is the list of extensions developed in 2023.
- Morningstar extension – Works with MC8, MC6, or MC6 Pro MIDI controller pedals. → LINK
- Novation SL MkIII extension → LINK
- Basic Song Chooser – A free version of the premium Advanced Song Chooser extension → LINK
- Advanced Song Chooser – A premium extension that allows you to easily filter through the songs on your setlist, bookmark upcoming songs, and many more → LINK
- Image Viewer Extension – Integrates seamlessly with new radio buttons and Streaming Audio File Player → LINK
- Stream Deck extension – learn more in this blog article or this live stream.
In addition, make sure to check out all Gig Performer extensions in this index.
What’s next?
With many pieces of puzzle matched perfectly in 2023, we are heading into 2024 with even more passion for developing Gig Performer and providing you with the thrilling new content!
Certainly, many exciting new features are already in the beta stage and are meticulously tested by many Gig Performer power users and music makers.
In addition, numerous Backstage guests are already scheduled!
Needless to say, we constantly feel the pulse of our community and gather ideas for more tutorials and videos.
Thank you for being the part of our community — we are grateful for all your support!
If you have any questions or you want to share your feedback, please visit our Community.
Share this article to support Gig Performer and spread the word!
Own The Stage® with Gig Performer®
Nemanja Pudar
Related topics:
– Gig Performer is the best companion for all your musical efforts and more
– Why use a computer with Gig Performer rather than hardware