Review - Rack Performer 0.99.5.1

VST Plugin GUI:
- I like the new GUI wrappers a lot. Visual feedback on plug status really helpful. Looks nice, too.
- I know screen space is a concern, I wonder why some plugins get extra GUI space at bottom that doesn't seem to have any purpose.
- The pop-up wrappers, with assignable controls are handy. However I wish I could assign buttons while original GUI is open - and that the knob on the pop-up would move at the same time as the corresponding knob on the original GUI. This is because sometimes the plugin doesn’t clearly report the name of the knob to RP, and I want to verify that the assignment is correct.
- I’d like it if the “pop-up” button could toggle show/hide the original GUI.

VST plugin programs:
- Being able to import FXB programs is essential and works well in RP. It would be great if I could remane and save FXP/FXB programs as well, as I would be designing sounds in RP that I would want to migrate to my recording DAW.
- I don’t see why I can’t import FXB programs when the power is “off”.
- We have discussed this before and I hope it is still being considered - for RP to remember the last folder used by each plugin.

Switching between Patch and Edit mode:
- Having the Tab keyboard button to do this is so much better than the older way. However I would like to be able to go from Patch mode to Edit mode by pressing directly on an “F” button. And when in Edit mode, switching to Patch mode by selecting “Tab”. Toggling with “tab” would still work for me in this case as well.

Internal Processors:
- Mostly they seem to be quite good and I think I would use most of them. I particularly like the Ring Modulator. Ideally these would be available as standard VST plugins, as well, so that I could migrate my sounds to my recording/composing DAW.

VST plugin scan:
- I would find a plugin ‘blacklist’ useful.
- I sometimes want to de-activate a VST plugin folder so that it doesn’t scan/load when I start RP.

Operation Time Out:
- Inconsistent. I am trying to be aware of plugins that cause more problems than others. I know some (but not all) plugins made with “synthedit”, etc. can be problematic. I have been testing them with VST-plugin validating tool “VST-Scanner”:

http://vb-audio.pagesperso-orange.fr/us/resources/vst_scanner/vst_scanner.htm

Program and Scene recall:
- I’m still struggling to figure out how to assign program changes to individual plugin programs and RP scenes. I understand that there are different methodologies and I need to experiment further. As an alternative to the 10 x 10 scene banks, I wonder if it would be possible to have a system that uses the 0-127 or 1-128 logic, so that assignments could be made using simple program change PC numbers?

As well as the general robustness of the basic program, it seems to me that scene recall is one of Rack Performers greatest strengths.