Abeem Live Technologies has updated Rack Performer, the modular environment for live performance, to version 1.1.
The free update brings improvements to streamline the patch creation experience, designed to make it as quick and effortless as possible. This includes the new modules tree in patch mode, for drag'n'drop module instantiation. The integrated search bar is designed to find plug-ins in large collections, as it narrows down the tree contents as soon as letters are typed in. There are also the new "magnetic linking" and "snap linking" features, to make audio links creation easier by moving modules close to each other (magnetic) or dragging links close to audio pins (snap). There is also visual feedback to help discover and better understand the N:N and 1:N linking mode when using a keyboard modifier key.
With the new release comes the ability to create live-sets. Live-sets are collections of individual live files. By grouping files together it is possible to have a completely different patch, samples and mappings configuration per song during a concert, and to switch easily between them. This way each document can use all CPU and RAM resources without interfering with the others. Unified mappings allow to define MIDI and keyboard mappings to switch documents easily, without having to define the same mappings in every document. The "direct select" mapping mode is best suited for linear performances where the song order does not change, whereas the "free select" mode makes document recall in arbitrary order possible, by displaying the document pre-selection in the screen ticker (two-step pre-select + validate process)
Other improvements like the new velocity filter built-in MIDI effect are included. Here is the full change list for this version:
New features:
- Live-sets allow a user to create collections of documents (ex: songs) and recall them easily during the concert performance.
- Live-sets are stored as .RPS files and can now be created and edited with the new live-set manager window.
- Live-set individual documents can be recalled by a unified keyboard or MIDI mapping in direct-select or select+validate modes.
- New modules tree in patch mode allows a user to create modules faster (drag and drop or double-click).
- Search bar in modules tree narrows down the displayed list when characters are typed.
- New "notes velocity" internal MIDI effect allows to create velocity layers and splits (as well as creative velocity compression/expansion/noisegating effects).
- Magnetic patching makes audio link creation in patcher quicker by moving modules close to each others to add new links.
Minor modifications:
- Virtual screens can be re-ordered by drag'n'drop directly from the "dispatch" dialog (same behaviour as the screen switcher floating bar).
- Clicking on the recorder peak display when not recording now resets the peak value.
- When switching live-sets documents with a controller, selection is displayed in ticker (+ option to disable).
- Documents (live files) can now have a title distinct from the file name (title is editable in the "info and latency" dialog).
- Modules tree can be displayed or hidden via the "Patch" menu.
- When dragging audio links in patcher the link now snaps to the closest target when closing in.
- Clicking on an audio pin in patcher with a keyboard modifier key pressed disconnects that pin.
- Magnetic patching can be enabled and disabled using the "patch" menu.
- Added visual feedback of the outcome when patching multiple pins at once in patcher using keyboard modifier key.
- Selecting multiple links with mouse plus keyboard modifier key in patcher is less tedious (previously any off-click would lose the selection).
Bug fixes:
- Presets box GUI control did not enforce presets port custom upper bound.
- After a quick keyboard mapping cinematic, keyboard mapper could become enabled while in patch mode (mappings are normally enabled only in edit mode).
- "Decrement" MIDI mapping type could produce incorrect control values sometimes.
- When starting the main window looked maximized but was not completely maximized.
For more detailed release notes, please read this forum post.
