“Weird Al” Yankovic keyboardist – Rubén Valtierra
This video features keyboardist Rubén Valtierra, who has famously played with “Weird Al” Yankovic for many years. The discussion centers on how Rubén has transitioned his live performance rig to Gig Performer, a move he describes as life-changing for his touring setup.
Key takeaways:
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Transitioning to Software: Rubén explains how Gig Performer allows him to manage complex, Broadway-style show requirements without relying on specific hardware backline, which was previously a major logistical challenge (5:57 - 9:54).
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Efficiency in Production: Previously, programming a tour could take Rubén months of work; with Gig Performer, he can now program an entire show’s worth of sounds in just a few days (20:11 - 20:25).
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The “Weird Al” Standard: Rubén shares stories about the professional rigors of working with Weird Al Yankovic, emphasizing that the show requires precision, specific sounds from original records, and extreme consistency every night (31:07 - 35:20).
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Technical Workflow: The duo dives into the technical details of Rubén’s setup, including his use of widgets for quick volume control and navigation, his method for organizing MIDI blocks and mixers (naming them with an ‘X’ to stay at the bottom of lists), and the use of GP Relayer to manage audio routing for streaming (42:11 - 46:09, 1:05:41 - 1:06:50).
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Advice for Musicians: Rubén recommends investing in a strong, modern computer to handle CPU-intensive plugins, and suggests starting with a simple template to get comfortable with the software’s flexibility (109:56 - 113:00).
The interview concludes with Rubén expressing his enthusiasm for how Gig Performer has modernized the dynamic of live performance, noting that he is now a dedicated “cheerleader” for the platform (115:06 - 116:21).