Key Performer for iOS

[ElmerJFudd]

Before Deskew Technology's Gig Performer, we had GSi's Key Performer!

https://www.genuinesoundware.com/?a=showproduct&b=38

 

For those that paid attention to GSi software back when 32bit PCs running at 900mhz with 512mb of RAM was getting things done, Guido's vision of putting the sounds he loves into a single application for keyboard players that ran on lean hardware was already apparent. "the Swiss Army knife of the modern gigging keyboardist. It [was] a single software instrument which offer[ed] a wide variety of keyboard sounds that are always used in almost all musical genres where a keyboardist is involved."

 

A 1.94mb installer included:

 

Several classic keyboard sounds including pianos, electric pianos, synths, organs, etc. [clav]

A sample playback section (aka 'ROMpler') with 'adaptive playback'

A physical modeling classic Electric Piano

A physical modeling 'Wurly' piano

A phase modulation synthesizer for the famous DX Piano

A Virtual Analog polyphonic synthesizer

A Virtual Tonewheel Organ with rotary speaker effect

Two effect slots with all the most famous effects

An AMP simulation section with overdrive

A global Reverb effect

64 Programs per bank, 9 snaphots for organ sections and 9 for VA synth

Full MIDI implementation

Easy MIDI Learn

Huge efficiency with very low CPU power requirements

Simplicity of use, Versatility, Stability, Expandibility, Authenticity!

 

Sound demos

 

DX Piano

 

Fender Rhodes MkI

 

Acoustic Piano 1

 

Acoustic Piano 2

 

[video:youtube]

 

Wow, what a great iOS App this would make.

I realize this will likely never happen since the focus shifted to the custom DSP in the Gemini hardware, Mojo61, etc.

But a great concept from the start, none the less.

 

Cheers to the creator!

[D. Gauss]

key performer was/is great. as was/is "mr. tramp" at the time. still use both.

[ElmerJFudd]

key performer was/is great. as was/is "mr. tramp" at the time. still use both.

 

Can I ask what you run it on? You keep an old PC around or have it functioning on Win10? Perhaps in Legacy mode? A 32/64Bit bridge?

[D. Gauss]

key performer was/is great. as was/is "mr. tramp" at the time. still use both.

 

Can I ask what you run it on? You keep an old PC around or have it functioning on Win10? Perhaps in Legacy mode? A 32/64Bit bridge?

 

 

reaper. runs 32 bit no problem. (automatically bridges) https://www.reaper.fm/

[yannis D]

IMO Guido have seen that there are many worthy and more established competitors on this field (Korg Module, Sampletank etc) and he's giving all his forces to the newer products you've refered to. That would be a nice add on to the existing ones though, having experienced his VB3m which i love, but i don't see it coming

[ElmerJFudd]

IMO Guido have seen that there are many worthy and more established competitors on this field (Korg Module, Sampletank etc) and he's giving all his forces to the newer products you've refered to. That would be a nice add on to the existing ones though, having experienced his VB3m which i love, but i don't see it coming

 

 

Good to know that Reaper bridges 32bit plugins successfully and in the application.

 

I don"t know, re: Korg. Everyone on iOS has to compete with Korg, they"ve been very flexible and responsive to the changing market and produced desktop and iOS instruments from the very beginning (and they charge a premium for their brand and IP). But it hasn"t stopped many smaller developers from putting out great instruments that are very popular with music makers even if they feel the need to price more competitively. Yamaha and Roland have been very leery about putting their IP out as software, coming late to the game if at all and in Roland"s case - jumping straight to tiered subscription plans.

[AnotherScott]

Yamaha and Roland have been very leery about putting their IP out as software, coming late to the game if at all

Roland actually did put their toe in the iOS water some time ago, they came out with the Sound Canvas app in 2015, but it's subsequently been discontinued. It still runs (at least on iOS 14), but if you don't already own it, you can't buy it anymore.

Yamaha actually also has a MIDI-playable VA synth inside their free Synth Book app, which was also released in 2015. (And Yamaha also has Cubasis, though I'm not familiar with what if any ability it has to be used as a "sound module.")

[ElmerJFudd]

Yamaha and Roland have been very leery about putting their IP out as software, coming late to the game if at all

Roland actually did put their toe in the iOS water some time ago, they came out with the Sound Canvas app in 2015, but it's subsequently been discontinued. It still runs (at least on iOS 14), but if you don't already own it, you can't buy it anymore.

Yamaha actually also has a MIDI-playable VA synth inside their free Synth Book app, which was also released in 2015. (And Yamaha also has Cubasis, though I'm not familiar with what if any ability it has to be used as a "sound module.")

 

Ya I downloaded both. Very different attitudes about iOS compared to Korg.

[AnotherScott]

Very different attitudes about iOS compared to Korg.

Yup.

 

I guess you could kind of equate Yamaha's Cubasis and Roland's Zentracker with Gadget ("portable production environments"), but Yamaha and Roland don't offer any equivalent to things like Module and all the synth apps (emulating M1, MonoPoly, Wavestation, Odyssey).

 

Though OTOH, Roland and Yamaha have quite a few iOS apps specifically tied to specific hardware (editors and such), which is not something Korg does much of.