Abeem Live Technologies updates Rack Performer to 0.99-beta

Abeem Live Technologies has updated Rack Performer to version 0.99-beta.

This new version includes several important new features, mostly centered around MIDI and connectivity.

External instruments and effects can be controlled by adding instances of the new "External MIDI Gear" special module to the patch. This module acts as a bridge between the application and the external gear. It can be mapped and automated like any standard module, and appropriate MIDI messages are automatically sent to the controlled gear.

The new "MIDI output turbo mode" option improves MIDI output events timing and reduces jitter by dedicating one CPU core to the task. This option works especially well when coupled with the "aggressive scheduler timing" advanced option. Both options are enabled by default when available on the host machine.

Incoming MIDI events can be filtered by type at three levels (per MIDI input device, per input channel or per module) and all modules can have MIDI effects applied to their inputs. The included effects allow the user to create keyboard splits, layers and merges.

MIDI can be freely routed between modules (interlinks) and plugins operating in pure MIDI mode (ex: VST sequencers) are now supported.

New modules:

• External MIDI Gear (special module to control external instruments and effects via MIDI output).
• Dual-Stereo Clear-Path Master Module (2x2 in + 2x2 out + clock).
• Octo-Channel Clear-Path Master Module (8/8 + clock).
• 16-Channel Clear-Path Master Module (16/16 + clock).
• 32-Channel Clear-Path Master Module (32/32 + clock).

New features:

• MIDI Output is now fully functional (up to 8 devices for a maximum of 128 output channels).
• MIDI Output turbo mode option (allocate one core to greatly improve MIDI output timing precision and reduce jitter).
• MIDI input messages can be filtered per type at different levels (global, per device or per channel, and also per module).
• MIDI effects can be applied individually to all modules that can receive MIDI.
• Notes transpose MIDI effect (transpose all notes inside configured range).
• Notes range MIDI effect (excludes all notes outside of configured range).
• Message filter MIDI effect (filter incoming messages by type).
• VST plugins with MIDI output can send MIDI to other modules (interlinks).
• Pure MIDI processing VST plugins are now supported (ex: sequencers with no audio I/O).

Minor modifications:

• Optimized patch live-updating (faster and less resource intensive).
• Refactored advanced thread affinities configuration (now 3 possible choices: OS managed, balanced and strict).
• Optimized multi-core load balancing (in strict and balanced affinity modes).
• Holding a modifier key (shift or control) when creating audio patch links allow to connect multiple pins at once.
• All modules having name labels on their GUIs now properly update when the module is renamed.
• Added support for two new keyboard physical layouts (US 104 variants).
• Module and control context menus now display ticks when mappings are active.
• Improved presets XML loading to allow better forward compatibility.
• Improved MME and DirectSound polling wave engines performance.
• Selecting a hard drive root directory as VST plugins path is now prevented.
• New hidden option to remove all document save confirmation prompts (some of you hate those, use at your own risk).
• Added some integrated help and instructions to the monitor groups management dialog.
• Thread priorities configuration is now hidden deeper in the advanced config tab (new dialog).
• Optimized VST plugins MIDI input (more efficient handling code).

Bug fixes:

• Fixed regression in Rapier DX and Trident DX (single) DirectSound wave engines.
• A fix introduced in previous version led to a regression in the way VST GUIs dimensions are retrieved (some GUIs had wrong size in wrappers, ex: dblue Glitch).
• SyncToPush and other events coming from the synch engine did not trigger clock location change flags.
• Changing VST control rate in config without reloading document would crash.
• Partially incorrect clock information was sent to VST plugins, leading to some sequence looping issues (ex: Superior Drummer).
• Finally resolved the long lasting bug around MIDI input (falsely identified as a timing bug in previous release, now properly fixed).
• Resolved a nasty bug leading to the "problem with the modules" error message.
• Sometimes patch was not live-updated after using undo/redo history.
• Fixed a bug that prevented disabling MIDI routings (driver-level thru-mode) after a config change with engine running.
• Fixed some edge cases around presets management when operating on disabled or non-powered modules.
• Too many VST plugins do not support a tempo value of zero, a tiny value is sent instead to avoid crashes.
• Module popup context menu is no longer displayed for internal modules inside a PopUp Design GUI wrapper (led to bad things).
• Fixed slight font display issue in two RMC modules as well as the RMC LFO.