New York, NY (September 8, 2023)—Deskew Technologies has announced a major upgrade to Gig Performer with the introduction of Version 4.7. Gig Performer can load any VST or AU plug-in, and route any output to any input without need for DAW software or a mixer, making it possible for engineers or musicians to manage virtual instruments or effects for live performance.
Gig Performer 4.7 includes a variety of new features and updates. A Streaming Audio File Player plug-in supports multiple audio formats, (MP3, WAV, OGG, and FLAC), enabling users to integrate songs into their gig files while preserving RAM resources. Users can switch from one song to another or crossfade (DJ-style) between two blocks in a gig file. Using the Streaming Audio File Player, Gig Performer now supports timelines, allowing users to insert markers in song tracks and add actions triggered during audio playback as each marker is reached.
Musicians new to Gig Performer can use numerous actions (including OSC messages) to control widgets, set captions, send out program changes or other MIDI events to control hardware or DMX lighting systems, and automatically switch rack spaces or song parts. Advanced users can employ proprietary GPScript programming language to trigger custom actions and functionality developed by third parties using Gig Performer’s SDK.
A new Auto Sampler allows users to create a set of samples from individual or interconnected plug-ins that, if used together, might otherwise demand too much CPU power to be practical for live performance. Hardware synths can also be sampled while adding plug-in effects, eliminating the need to bring them on the road.
The new Radio Groups feature facilitates defining mutually exclusive parameters such as Fast-Off-Slow for a 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 Groups can be deployed.
Kit Plugins BB A5 — Mix Product of the Week
MIDI Finger Tap (previously available only by using GPScript) is now accessible via the MIDI File Player plug-in. Users can play back MIDI files with multiple tracks sequentially by tapping keys, typically with two fingers (or a foot pedal) to trigger the next note or chord. 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 plug-ins, keeping a musician’s performance in sync with the rest of the band while providing freedom from click tracks.
Additional features include custom font support, Locked Widgets (prevents widgets from being inadvertently altered by mouse clicks while allowing control via a user’s MIDI device), and improved plug-in management (supports keyword tagging for individual plug-ins), and a filtering mechanism to find individual plugs. Plug-in collections (i.e., those used routinely in setups) can be added as “favorites” which can be recalled to recreate sections of a system to streamline workflow. A gig file’s plug-in lineup can be reviewed using the Plugins In Use feature.
Version 4.7 offers an increased number of widgets, including an expanded range of knob, fader, and slider styles, each intended to enhance front panel design. The software comes bundled with a sampler of synths, guitar amps and effects from third-party plug-in developers designed to help musicians get up and running, and is available as a universal application that runs natively on new M1 and M2 processors.
Gig Performer 4.7 is available for US $169.00 (macOS or Windows) or $199.00 for a cross-platform bundle. The Version 4.7 upgrade is free to Deskew customers who already have a Gig Performer 4 license.
