Hi folks. I just went rhu a nightmare with a different virtual guitar company. Their licensing was so terrible I asked for and received a refund. Thus, before I spend money on Gig Performer, I have a few questions to ask. Using Helix Native in a DAW has one major drawback when it comes to live use. The midi implementation sucks. Does anybody have experience with Helix Native in Gig Performer using a midi controller like midi commander? Does anybody have experience using the Genki Wave midi ring in gig performer?
The issue with the last software was a requirement to redo the license every two weeks. Thus an internet connection. I am going to places where this just wonāt work. So when you buy this software, do you actually own it, or is it rented? As far as Iām concerned - having to renew the license every 2 weeks is a rental.
Any comments, suggestions, help or experienced users replies MOST appreciated.
I know we have some Helix users so hopefully some of them will be able to answer your questions about using it with Gig Performer.
As for licensing, Gig Performer requires an internet connection for initial activation when you buy it. Once you have activated, you will not be required to activate again unless you update your operating system in which case, depending on the upgrade, reactivation may be required. We would recommend that you should never perform OS upgrades (or indeed any kind of upgrade) to your system while you are on tour as, independent of our licensing, you never know what some other plugin upgrade might require or, if youāre running an anti-virus system and it gets updated, all sorts of things can break.
Before Gig Performer was developed, I implemented a plugin host in Max/MSP (version 5) and was touring with it. In particular, I had developed hundreds of abstractions for manipulating MIDI, automation and so forth. Consequently, when we developed Gig Performer, one of the original design requirements was that it could be controlled from MaxMSP.
Consequently, all plugins and widgets in Gig Performer can be assigned OSC handles and you can send OSC messages from MaxMSP into Gig Performer to control plugins (e.g, send various MIDI events, set plugin parameters) and widgets. You can also send OSC messages to GP to switch rackspaces, select song parts, change the tempo, transpose and various other operations.
Below is an example of a patcher I still use with Max8 to trigger various plugins and widgets. (The references to āGigRackā rather than GigPerformer or GP is because the code name for Gig Performer was Gig Rack )
Are you familiar with the GP concept of rackspaces and variations? e.g. you can set up multiple rackspaces for different guitar setups/sounds and then switch between them seamlessly using Program Change messages from your controller.
Within a single rackspace itās possible to change Native snapshots and control individual parameters using GP widgets. This uses āhost automationā so you donāt actually send any midi messages directly to Native.
YAY! Clear and concise answers, in a timely manner. A forum that is used. This experience is ALREADY far superior than my recent last one. Thank you so much.
Having a full image of the system drive while touring, on top of an identical computer is what Iāll be doing to endure to the best of my ability to keep the system running. My use is unique - Iāll fill in the community when I become an owner - later today me thinks.
I only got introduced to Gig Performer a short while ago and was immediately interested. But I have a lot to learn. Now that I have my refund, looks like Iāll dive in and give this a go.
Thank you all. In the famous words of the terminator - Iāll be back!
Still love to hear from any Helix Native users out thereā¦
Your learning curve will not be steep, as Gig Performer uses the visual approach, the documentation is always up-to-date with new Gig Performer updates (or major upgrades), and there are many Gig Performer gurus that are active here (a beer for them ).
On top of that, developers are also active in the community, so Gig Performer is really a āno brainerā choice
Gettin better and better. I have a really important meeting (funding) today at 1:00 PM local time Iām getting preped for. After that Iāll move to the studio and take care of the purchase and get started. Thanks for the reply!
Iāve toyed with Helix Native, along with most of the other guitar FX packages like that. I use Overloud TH-U currently, but at one point or another Iāve messed with them all.
With Helix Native (at least last I tried) itās a two step process to assign a parameter in Helix (e.g. reverb tail length) to a widget in GP (e.g. a knob).
Once you have your patch set up in Helix you use the āAutomation/Controller Assignā tab to assign parameters in your patch to a finite list of Helix automation controls. I believe it gives you 16 knobs and 16 switches. So, for example, if you want real time control of the reverb tail length you could assign that to Knob 1 within the Helix Automation controls.
Then in Gig Performer you could place a knob widget on a panel and assign that to Knob 1 in the Helix Native plugin.
You can also create button assignments to switch between Helixās Snapshots, as npudar indicated with the Gig file linked above. I never messed with that myself.
Thank you. Taking a look at TH-U. When in my band doing all cover material (why I left) the Helix floor unit was just a fantastic tool. I bought Native to practice at home without having to carry the Helix around. It worked. What I REALLY need is an acoustic guitar simulator - the best one I can find. Helix does ok, but not great, to he best Iāve been able to find thus far. Amp modeling is getting great and getting distorted sounds is not that difficult - getting really great clean tones, I find, is more difficult.
My project will allow me to carry only one guitar. Thus the need to model acoustics as best as possible, thatās all Iāll have. Sold my 1976 Martin D35 - still cryingā¦
Gig Performer should allow me a centralized place to get quick setups done for live performances. Iām less working out recording and multitracking. Would this be a good assumption?
I will take a look at this, but I need to stay in the can. Later today, I am going to purchase Gig Performer and then will lay out my project for review and comments. Youāll may understand better after that. Thank youā¦
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