GP5 - What are the benefits?

[GeorgeWood]

Greetings guys,

This will be my first post so please be gentle; I’ve always been a Windows guys (unless you count the Amiga), but I recently drank the Kool-Aid and bought a MacBook Pro to replace my HP Laptop (Win 11 running Cantabile). This is my live setup, I’m still running Windows and Cubase 13 on my main DAW.

I initially downloaded MainStage as this is what everyone seemed to be using, however this wasn’t really a good fit for me, so here I am with GP5 a few days later.

Here’s the thing, I only use 3 VSTi’s HALion 7, Arturia V Collection and VB3-II. Almost everything is done in HALion with the exception of the Hammond and a couple of synths. As a result I got the GP5 wiring configured very quickly, but I’m looking at the blank Rackspace and I’m not sure what my next stems should be?

Everything works as it should, but I can’t help feeling I’m missing I’m missing out on all the bells and whistles; what are my best options for creating racks, do I even need them given my whole set-list is on HALion already? I’d love to hear from some of you guys who are using GP5 day in, day out to hear you recommendations on getting the best out of it?

Thanks in advance,

Kind regards,

George

[pianopaul]

I do a lot of automation and MIDI manipulation using GP Script.
Also the sync between Ableton Live and GP is implemented using OSC messages.

[GeorgeWood]

Thanks Paul,

I’m not familiar with Ableton, but I am interesting in getting more out of the Rackspace, I’m sure there’s a ton of stuff I could do to streamline my live workflow, I just don’t know what it is yet.

Regards,

George

[dhj]

@GeorgeWood

but I am interesting in getting more out of the Rackspace, I’m sure there’s a ton of stuff I could do to streamline my live workflow, I just don’t know what it is yet.

I would focus more on what you want to accomplish and then see how GP will help you accomplish it.

For example, I have quite a few songs where the rackspace panels are completely empty because I don’t need to adjust anything when I’m playing those songs. Don’t feel like you have to fill up the panels with buttons and widgets for the sake of it.

Some players may have 20 (or 100) rackspaces, others may just use one rackspace. There’s no single best way.

It would probably make sense for you to just read through the user guide, perhaps watch some of the videos so that you get some idea of what can be done. Then you can decide which of those are things you want to do.

[jeffn1]

You would just insert Halion with the sound you want in the rackspace and, if you are using them, the other plugins.

I would probably just use a difference instance of Halion in the rackspace for each different sound you are using at the same time.

The Midi In block allows you do all the splits you would every want.

For my learning style, videos (Gig Performer on Youtube) are the way to go. Watch them, maybe re-watch them and pause when necessary if the are doing something you want to do.

Just my thoughts to consider…

Jeff

[GeorgeWood]

Thanks for the input guys, I really appreciate it!

As far as I can tell, all I need is a single Instance of HALion, it has all my songs which are called ‘Multis’ on HALion; these include all the Instrument, Samples, Effects, Splits, Layers, MIDI filters etc. TBH, if I didn’t want to use 2 other VSTs I could probably gig without a host and just run HALion/

With HALion, I just drag and drop the songs in the order I need them for the gig, and save the list. I’d still need to do that within GP5, so as far as I can tell I’ll be spending most of my time in the Wiring screen so I can access HALion.

I’ve looked at the Widgets, and they’re geared towards affecting specific MIDI perimeters in real time (which is certainly something I could use), but I really need to be able to view HALion to access my song list, and select the next song.

I’m guessing it’s not possible to view a VST within a Rackspace, or am I missing something really obvious?

Kind regards,

George

BTW I use 3 keyboards:
Roland A-88 → MIDI Channel 1
Roland A-37 → MIDI Channel 2
Native Instruments S61 MkII → MIDI Channel 3, 4 and 5 depending on which VST I’m playing

[dhj]

@GeorgeWood

I’m guessing it’s not possible to view a VST within a Rackspace, or am I missing something really obvious

Double click on the plugin on the wiring view to open it and/or map a button widget to the Open parameter of the plugin to be able to open it from panel view

[Vindes]

@GeorgeWood

As far as I can tell, all I need is a single Instance of HALion, it has all my songs which are called ‘Multis’ on HALion;

As others have said, there’s no right or wrong way. But there are definitely more and less practical ways, more or less cumbersome ways, and more or less flexible ways.

The three things I like the most about GigPerformer (relative to other options) are 1) the flexibility to lay out and adjust sounds with different combinations of instruments and effects using the wiring view; 2) the ability to switch between them instantaneously and easily; and 3) the ability to quickly copy, paste, adjust, or re-order them for whatever my current needs are.

I suspect all three of those are among the reasons that you ended up doing almost everything in HALion. Back before things like GigPerformer existed my alternative was to do all this in a DAW using multiple tracks and multiple VSTs, which was extremely cumbersome, or use an “all in one” thing like Halion, Sampletank, Reason, Komplete, Analog Lab, etc.

I always felt constrained by those programs. Usually because none of them could do the things I wanted as well as separate VSTs could. If I had a great piano VST I wanted to use that, not something that was “good enough”. Or a great B3 VST, Rhodes, or the gamut of analog synths.

The fact that you’re using VB3-II and Arturia V suggests that perhaps you also found some limitations in Halion that you want to augment with additional instruments.

If it were me, in your situation with the use case you describe, I’d take a small amount of time to create a different Rackspace for each song. Every one of them would have Halion in it, set to the Song/Patch you set up for that song.

This way you have one Rackspace per song, and then you can add your instances of VB3 or whatever V-Collection VSTs you want/need.

I expect the main things that buys you initially is that it’s easier to move between songs or re-arrange songs in a determined playlist order for a gig, and you don’t have to manually change your Halion patch and (for example) your B3 patch when changing songs.

Over time you may find that you do find uses for widgets, or that you can construct sound combinations for songs more easily in the GigPerformer wiring view using multiple VSTs than forcing everything into HALion.

If you don’t like it, no big deal. Delete them and work entirely within one Rackspace if that’s better for you. Only way you’ll really know is to give it a try and play around with it for a bit.

[GeorgeWood]

Hey Vindes,

Thanks for taking the time and effort, that was a great reply and certainly food for thought. Having spent $200 on both Windows and Mac version I definitely want to get my moneys worth!

Have a great weekend Buddy!

Kind regards,

george

[npudar]

My advice is, when you have time, to check the Backstage with Gig Performer show.

It is fascinating how people, following their thoughts and needs, use Gig Performer in their own ways.

Some people use the Global rackspace only (Church music/CCM), some people don’t use Setlist view at all, some people use only a few rsckspaces and capture variation edits, some people rely heavily on using variations, some have one giant rackspace and enable/disable things… Some of them have zero widgets. Some of them a very large number, etc, etc.

These interviews are helpful to give you ideas, but ultimately, it is your path, your journey.