Abeem Live Technologies has updated its Rack Performer modular host for Windows to version 0.98-beta.

Rack Performer (routing matrix)

Do you own musical gear? Or do you play with other musicians? Then you need to be in perfect synchronization! With this new major release, you will get everything you ever dreamt of to stay in synch, and much more. Whatever the protocol and the connection scheme, Rack Performer can handle it!

With the Live Synch slave mode you can join any running master and not only get a perfect tempo/rate locking, which alone would lead to long term drift, but also a full phase-locking, meaning it will stay in tight synch relative to the moment you joined. You then coarsely adjust the downbeats using the Sync-to-Push control and fine-tune the phase using the V-Push or Rate skew controls, much like a DJ would do.

Of course the application can also operate in Full-slave mode where the transport position follows exactly the master, and in Hand synch mode using the existing transport bar controls (those controls are now mappable to any controller)

Five synch schemes are provided, from ultra-fast convergence with very tight tracking, to ultra-slow convergence with very stable tempo locking, you can select the best compromise for your musical style between fast reaction to tempo changes and minimal wow/flutter effect due to varirate.

Most standard protocols are supported: MIDI Timecode (MTC), MIDI Clock, Standard MIDI Control, MIDI Machine Control (MMC) and MIDI Show Control (MSC). This should cover most scenarios.

Amongst the other additions in this version, we also implemented complete timecode support (all rates supported, including HD ones, start offset) and we hope this will be useful to those working with film or video.

New in Rack Performer v0.98 beta

  • Classic full-slave synchronization mode, with sample-accurate start/stop, rate and phase locking.
  • Live synch mode, allow to join and synch to any running master on the fly, while retaining both rate and phase locking.
  • Master clock transport control can be received, when “transport input” is enabled, with selectable protocol and source.
  • 5 different synchronization schemes to offer a tradeoff between tracking accuracy and wow/flutter effect.
  • Clock input control using MIDI Timecode protocol (MTC).
  • Clock input control using MIDI Clock protocol.
  • Transport control input using standard MIDI protocol (Start / Stop / Continue / SongPositionPtr).
  • Transport input control using MIDI Machine Control protocol (Play / Stop / Locate / Reset).
  • Transport input control using MIDI Show Control protocol (Start / Stop / Set / Zero).
  • Transport input control using first MIDI note received (start only).
  • Transport input control using space key on local keyboard (Ctrl+space to restart).
  • Metronome with LED display GUI (useful for drummers) bar/beat/sub enable and volume controls.
  • Metronome internal MIDI mode (sends notes to any internal instrument to use as a metronome).
  • Module execution order can now be altered using the new Patch execution order dialog.
  • Master clock location can be displayed in timecode format on transport bar.
  • Tempo can be displayed in quarter notes per minute (QNPM), beats per minute (BPM) or compound beats per minute (CBPM).
  • Many improvements and bug fixes, details here.

The new beta is available to download at no cost (free registration required).

More information: Rack Performer