Digital Performer

If you've lots of third-party plug-ins in different formats, it can be a pain to keep tabs on where they're stored and which version to use. We explain how DP's plug-in manager functionality can help, as well as offering guidance on DP6 features, including the essential new 'pre-generation'.

Digital Performer has retained the same basic look and feel from its introduction right up to version 5.13 — but no more. The new DP6 looks almost like a different application, and conforms much more to OS X standards, so this month we bring you the first-look guide to what's new.

DP's Memory Cycle can benefit you whatever kind of music you make. We look at how to work smart and fast with this crucial feature.

How do you create a four-minute masterpiece out of just a few measures? And what's the best reverb to make you sound like that drumming gorilla on the TV ad? These questions, and more, answered in this month's Digital Performer workshop...

DP's Drum Editor provides a unique environment for programming and editing MIDI data, free from the 'piano roll' - and it's not just for drums, either. We look at how to get the best from this great feature.

DP offers an excellent environment for working with the little pieces of 'ear candy', such as filtered drops, beat-mangled breaks and reversed audio phrases, that can make such an impact in pop and electronica production. We look at some of the techniques involved.

We offer a clutch of hints and tips for DP users considering adding a Focusrite Liquid Mix DSP plug-in platform to their setup.

The days are getting longer and Spring is definitely springing, but with so many exciting product announcements recently — including Digital Performer 6 — DP users might well feel like it's Christmas all over again.

There's more useful stuff than you can shake a stick at this month, including advice on input monitoring, ways to get around latency issues, and news of CD-burning and audio networking applications to make your life easier.

Everyone performs better when they can hear exactly what they need in their headphones. After our guide to simple DP monitor mixing options last month, we follow up with ideas for those with more complex monitoring requirements.

With so many exciting features on offer in modern DAWs, it's easy to overlook less glamorous things that you need every day. A prime example is proper monitoring — not sexy, but a crucial factor in successful multitrack recording.