Hardware and VST rig

General discussion about Gig Performer
1

I am interested in any comments or observations regarding “mixing” hardware and VST with Gigperformer.

I have the option of combining Hardware and VST in a number of ways as listed below and have started to experimen but am keen to hear any one elses general experiences or advice:-

  1. Hardware fed into a sub-mixer, audio from computer into mixer also, via seperate USB Interface - output to FOH and my mix.

  2. Take hardware output into interface and route all audio through Gigperformer into mixer e.t.c.

  3. Output from the interface into audio in of hardware and route the audio from the hardware into the mixer etc.

  4. Utilise USB audio to get VST/Gigperformer output through either MODX/YC. Audio is combined in hardware and output as before.

Using Yamaha YC73 and Modx both of which have audio input and built in USB audio interfaces.

As I am at the very begining of converting from hardware to VST option 1 seemed logical to me as I then have redundancy IF Computer/USB Audio had an issue in a live gig.

John

2

I am using RME UFX II as my Audio Interface.
This way I can get analog Audio In and via USB the Audio from Gig performer and
send it together to the FOH.

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3

I would choose configuration no.2
That way you’ll have full control over everything at only one place!

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4

But then latency is twice: Audio coming in and Audio going out.

5

I also use config #2 in my hybrid setup. @pianopaul I do not have latency issues…

I also did #3 in a very small rig some time ago: MBP Headphone out into Keyboard. Main Keys out to FOH.

6

I do a version of No. 1 mostly because that is how I initially figured things out. But, now I am comfortable with it and do not want to change it.

The downside is you lose all the control of going through GP (and you might have to turn down the master volume on the hardware keyboard when you want to use it as a controller) (I have both of my keyboards connected to my laptop via USB midi (hub)).

So, it is not the “preferred way.”

But one upside is, if I have a problem with the computer, I can revert back to my hardware keyboards without the any involvement by the computer (or audio interface).

7

I would agree with @schamass Erik, and the method I use too.

At the end of the day what you do will be determined by your specific setup and requirements. There is no single “right” and only way to do this. The thing, or problem, (depending on your point of view) is as Neo said to the Architect in the Matrix: “The problem is Choice”. The best news though is that there are these choices, and you get to make the one that works best for you.

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8

Like @pianpaul I also use an RME UCX and control the mix from GP and I also input hardware synths like suggested by @schamass. It is for example very nice to play a Wurly or a Rhodes and to have the effects processed within GP.

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9

I don’t use hardware synths at all any more but when I did have a mixed system (in the earlier days of GP before it could do everything I needed) I used to carry a Korg Kronos and I fed its audio outputs into my RME UFX and routed it through GP — in particular it was nice to be able to add some extra effects to the Kronos that way. The roundtrip latency was never an issue (remember that guitar players using GP have that roundtrip latency all the time with no issues)

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10

I went the full software route, but then backtracked to also using my Korg Triton Rack as a peripheral in a mixed system. There are still things it can do just as well as any software, I know how to use it, and the big advantage is I can dump some things off to it and free up cpu cycles on my PC. The problem is choice! But what a wonderful problem to have :smile:

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11

Qual der Wahl! :wink: :de::beers::beer::pretzel:

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12

Thanks everyone for your comments, I am going with option 2 for now and routing all audio into my UCM1820, budget interface as stereo pairs, then into GP and combining/mixing and manipulating everything as required. I have an Asus i9 13th gen 32gb laptop running everything easily. Audio is routed back out through the interface of course. Main VST loaded is Arturia V collection 9, looking at Kontakt too in next week or so.

In this set up I am not using either of the keybaords built in USB Audio capabilities, just the USB MIDI routing.

I think I am a few months off “switching” completely to GP for gigs, while I build the racks and optimise/tweek the set up and investigate the various VST’s. I’ve used Bandhelper for about 2 years and will look forward to get that up and running with GP.

Anyway thanks again for all the great posts, videos and advice.

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