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 Sharing Great Software 
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Post Sharing Great Software
Hi all,

Wanted to share a couple of pieces of software that have become central parts of my musical life with my computer.

The first is called GigPerformer http://www.gigperformer.com This is designed to be an alternative to MainStage or other similar plugin hosts. Personally, I never really liked MainStage for a number of reasons and did not use it. GigPerformer however is fantastic. The main things I like are the super flexible visual routing as well as the fact that it has proven to be CPU efficient and very very stable.

Here's is a screenshot of my favorite Stick routing.

http://www.dropbox.com/s/jdajt75jrbahaz ... rStick.jpg

Explaining; The melody side comes in on the left side of my Focusrite Scarlett audio interface, the bass on the right side. Following the signal paths, the melody and bass sides each pass through a compressor, an eq plugin, and gain control. Then they each have a send to a reverb, the melody also has a delay inline and then the wet and dry signals are summed at a limiter before going to a master volume and out of the Scarlett.

At the same time, both sides of the Stick are routed to an instance of JamOrigins Midi Guitar software to convert pitch to midi. That midi data is then sent to an instance of U-he's Hive synth, which I use for a soft ambient pad background wash kind of thing. The Hive has a gain control before being summed at the limiter and on out.

On the far right, you can see an instance of Ircamlab's The Snail tuner being fed by both sides. More on that later.

Like Mainstage, you can create panel interfaces to control any parameter of any plugin in the chain. Mapping is super easy. Here's a simple litter interface I made to control basic parameters. You can create as complex a set of controls as you can imagine including multiple racks and ganged controls. Again, has proven to be super stable.

http://www.dropbox.com/s/0xl57bcth4lr6p ... _Panel.jpg

Works on Windows and Mac though I have only used it on Mac. Love this thing. Like I said, on my Mac it has been really really stable. You can see on the left side I also use it for straight virtual instrument patches for keyboards.

The second piece of software to recommend is Ircamlab's The Snail tuner. Works as a plugin or standalone. http://www.ircamlab.com/products/p2242-The-Snail/

The main thing is that it processes both sides of the stick without having to change inputs and it is super accurate and stable. I've used a number of tuners over the years including Peterson. This one is hands down the best tuner I've ever used, software or hardware. I bought mine from AudioDeluxe where it's on sale right now https://www.audiodeluxe.com/products/ircam-lab-snail.

Anyway, that's it... I'm not associated with any of these companies. Just sharing on a quiet morning in NC.

Best
Karma


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Wed Feb 22, 2017 6:38 am
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Post Re: Sharing Great Software
Karma, thanks
Had a good look at that , pretty interesting. Not at that stage myself but hopefully heading that way,cheers. :)

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Wed Feb 22, 2017 6:50 am
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Post Re: Sharing Great Software
Karma, this looks very interesting, and is also a very timely post. We've been talking about various virtual pedalboards setups through various threads on Stickist lately. We've looked at the MOD Duo and also Mainstage.

I like the visual GUI and look of the software, and that you can map out your effects just like how Dean (Skydiver) has been showing with his MOD Duo and also Mainstage threads.

I also like that you can use it on your existing computer, both MAC and PC. That is both an advantage and a disadvantage over the MOD Duo, in that it has a small footprint and dedicated hardware, but you are limited by the onboard processing power. (I hear you, Gusset, that it's powerful enough for most needs!) I have been building a rig using Pro Tools to house all my many plugins, the same way people use Mainstage. Gigperformer looks like another way to arrange a virtual pedalboard.

At $129, it's quite a bit more than Mainstage (which I've never used), but it's less than Pro Tools (which is where I'm making my virtual pedalboard). I think this might be a great solution to many of us--particularly the PC folk who can't do Mainstage. (I think Mainstage is only MAC.)

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Wed Feb 22, 2017 7:21 am
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Post Re: Sharing Great Software
Hi Karma,

I've heard the Ircam stuff is amazing and always been on my radar.

I always wondered what alternatives to Mainstage are out there... especially software that will work on windows for non-mac users.

The Jam Origin Midi Guitar 2 looks amazing. I wish they made some kind of hardware version like the Sonuus G2M...
It's possible to make a plugin for the Duo but it would use up all the CPU...

Thanks for sharing!

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Wed Feb 22, 2017 8:02 am
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Post Re: Sharing Great Software
http://www.reaper.fm/
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https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=reaper+daw

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Wed Feb 22, 2017 1:30 pm
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Post Re: Sharing Great Software
@WerkSpace... Not sure why you're pointing out Reaper. ???

Thanks
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Wed Feb 22, 2017 2:00 pm
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Post Re: Sharing Great Software
Sharing Great Software...
Karma wrote:
@WerkSpace... Not sure why you're pointing out Reaper. ???

Thanks
Karma

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Wed Feb 22, 2017 2:12 pm
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Post Re: Sharing Great Software
WerkSpace wrote:
Sharing Great Software...
Karma wrote:
@WerkSpace... Not sure why you're pointing out Reaper. ???

Thanks
Karma


Ahh... Cool.


Wed Feb 22, 2017 2:14 pm
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Post Re: Sharing Great Software
I just installed Reaper on a friend's teenage daughter's laptop so she can record her singer/songwriter stuff and got her a Focusrite 6i6 for an interface. Nice rig. It's easy to get around on - a little different than other DAWs but in interesting ways. For example Reaper can live on a flash drive and be operated from any old computer that you happen to plug it into - Mac or PC. Try that with any other DAW. It comes with a lot of pretty great plug-ins and can work with most 3rd party plugs.
$60 for that puppy. Reaper is happening.


Wed Feb 22, 2017 4:08 pm
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Post Re: Sharing Great Software
Skydiver wrote:
The Jam Origin Midi Guitar 2 looks amazing. I wish they made some kind of hardware version like the Sonuus G2M...
It's possible to make a plugin for the Duo but it would use up all the CPU...


Part of my 4-part quest to go from zero guitar effects hardware to complete pedalboard has been to find one or more devices that can do all of these functions:
1. FX Box/Package
2. Controller (Stomp boxes, buttons, whammy/expression pedals, MIDI patch and system controller, etc.)
3. Looper
4. Pitch to MIDI

Right now, I'm using NI Guitar Rig for #1, I just got the Behringer 1010 MIDI controller for #2, the TC Ditto Stereo for #3, and the last nut to crack was Pitch to MIDI. Thanks to you guys and this thread, I've learned about the Jam Origin MIDI Guitar 2.

Let me go to my favorite source for information on audio stuff, particularly products: Sound on Sound. http://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/jam ... idi-guitar

Quote:
Hardware systems for generating MIDI output from guitars are often expensive, impractical and unreliable. Jam Origin's revolutionary software alternative is none of these things.


Great article and read it for yourself but this last paragraph was the kicker for me:

Quote:
Even if you do end up with a millisecond too much latency or a glitch here or there, the absolutely killer aspect of Jam Origin's MIDI Guitar program is its price. I just can't think of any reason, save prejudice or poverty, why a computer‑owning electric guitarist who wants to experiment or simply needs to transcribe his or her playing wouldn't buy this program. If you're a guitarist who owns a computer or iOS device and an audio interface, Jam Origin's MIDI Guitar is an essential trial download and an inevitable purchase. Go for it!

Quote:
Alternatives
There is no directly competing computer program that I know of. Given the huge number of electric guitars in existence, MIDI Guitar's astounding price and performance, the low cost of good‑quality computer audio interfaces and the huge selection of DAW programs that are available, a new generation of guitarists (plus, eventually, other instrumentalists and — I would hope — even singers) can now incorporate MIDI‑based instruments, effects and other programs into their musical performances. I think that we could well be headed for some very interesting times...


I think it's around $130 or so. I think I'll try the free trial and then maybe save up the pennies for this as my Pitch To MIDI solution. How well does it work, if you all who have it wouldn't mind sharing?

Cheer!

--GASsy Steve

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Rosewood 10-string, #5989, M4s
Sapphire Railboard, #6763, MR
Wenge-on-Wenge NS/Stick, #170130, Bass 4ths
http://soundcloud.com/stephen-sink-1
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-RDlN ... Ez0hN49_Qg


Wed Feb 22, 2017 4:41 pm
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