Live Performance Software

AbleSet

Paid

AbleSet manages setlists and controls playback in Ableton Live for performers, bands and playback operators. Build a running order from your Live project's locators, then launch songs, jump between sections and display performance information from a computer, phone or tablet. Organise the show around your Live project AbleSet reads song and section information from Live, so you can change the setlist without moving the audio and MIDI clips in your arrangement. Save different running orders for different shows, add song notes and colours, and see the set's duration. - Reorder songs, add stops and delays, and save or import setlists through the editor. - Define sections and loops, then cue a chorus or repeat a passage during rehearsal or performance. - Display synchronised lyrics and chords, with a performance view that can show different information on each device. - Map MIDI controllers to playback commands and use the AbleSet Cues plugin for spoken song and section announcements. - Split a show across multiple Live project files when one large project is impractical. - Use AbleNet in Standard or Pro to control multiple playback computers together. Pro adds a track-group mixer, custom Canvas controls, OSC tracks and scripting. Editions, licence and trial AbleSet 3 is paid software with three editions. Intro covers setlist management, MIDI mapping, performance view and one lyrics track, with one computer activation. Standard allows two computer activations and adds AbleNet redundancy, unlimited lyrics tracks, OSC control and Stream Deck support. Pro provides three activations and the additional mixer, Canvas and automation tools. Licences do not expire and include one year of updates. Renewing is optional if you want later releases. The trial has no overall expiry, but playback stops every 15 minutes and you must restart the app to continue. It is for evaluation, rather than an ongoing free edition. Compatibility and setup The host application runs on macOS 12 or later, including Intel and Apple Silicon Macs, or Windows 10 and 11. It works with all editions of Ableton Live 10, 11 and 12. Section clips and lyrics tracks need Live 11 or 12. The optional Max for Live controller requires Live Suite or Standard with the Max for Live add-on. Phones and tablets access AbleSet's local browser interface on the same network as the host computer. Internet access is not needed for show control. Live and the playback computer remain part of the rig. Rehearse song jumps and quantisation with the actual project. For redundancy, load matching sets on the computers and plan the audio switching as well as the software control. AbleNet's documentation recommends Ethernet connections for the playback machines. Product views The hero is generated editorial artwork incorporating the official logo and a genuine interface view. These developer-supplied images show the setlist editor, song settings and an example AbleNet setup. They do not represent a hands-on test. !AbleSet setlist editor showing song order, durations, editing controls and playback transport. !AbleSet song settings showing stop behaviour, descriptions and song colours within the setlist editor. !Official AbleNet illustration showing two computers running Ableton Live for a redundant playback setup. See the AbleSet documentation and compatibility and licensing FAQ for setup details. Alternatives to AbleSet - Setlist by Henry Strange Systems (official site) is a close alternative for building and reordering a show inside Ableton Live. It supports Arrangement and Session View workflows and requires Max for Live. - Taz 3 Pro by Oaktone (official site) combines show presets, reordered cues, spoken slates and a phone or tablet remote. Consider it for a macOS rig with Live 11 or 12 and Max for Live, particularly when using Oaktone controllers.

A live performance tool designed to run instruments and patches on stage using a keyboard or controller. It’s used to manage sounds reliably in a live setup without relying on multiple hardware units.

A sheet music reader for importing PDFs and images, annotating scores and organising setlists. On compatible devices, blink and head gestures turn pages hands-free, with optional paid features for cloud access and larger setlist libraries.

Gig Performer Pro

Paid

Gig Performer Pro is a live plugin host for musicians building performance rigs on Windows or macOS. Connect instruments and effects with visual wiring, create custom control panels, and organise sounds into rackspaces, songs and setlists. Build a rig around your plugins A rackspace holds a group of connected plugins and the controls used to play them. Variations recall different control settings within that rackspace, so a song can move between sounds without rebuilding the whole chain. Songs and song parts then put those sounds in performance order. - Visual routing: Connect audio and MIDI between instruments, effects, hardware inputs and outputs. Activity indicators help trace the signal path. - Custom front panels: Add knobs, sliders, buttons and meters, then map them to plugin parameters and MIDI controllers. - Shared processing: Use a Global Rackspace for instruments or effects that need to remain available across other rackspaces. - Sound changes: Patch Persist can keep held notes sounding during a rackspace change. Configurable audio tails help manage effects transitions. - Rig Manager: Maintain controller mappings for different hardware setups instead of rebuilding each performance file. - Performance tools: Play audio and MIDI files, arrange setlists and automate actions from the timeline. Pro also supports audio and MIDI recording and Ableton Link. Pro, Essentials and licensing This entry covers Gig Performer Pro, the paid full edition. Gig Performer Essentials is a separate, simpler edition that also includes visual wiring, rackspaces, panels and setlists. Pro adds features such as Rig Manager, controller feedback, recording, Ableton Link and the fuller timeline action set. Compare the editions against your actual rig before buying. Pro uses a perpetual licence, with separate Windows and macOS purchases or a combined Mac + Windows bundle. A single-platform licence allows up to five activations on that platform. The combined bundle allows up to five on each. The 14-day trial includes occasional deliberate audio dropouts and a brief red screen flash. Use it to evaluate the setup before relying on it for a performance. Compatibility and practical limits Gig Performer Pro is a 64-bit Windows/macOS application. It hosts VST and VST3 plugins, plus AU on macOS. Compatible 64-bit plugins are required. Mac downloads include support for Intel and Apple Silicon. Allow time to scan plugins, wire the rig, map controllers and rehearse sound changes. A host does not remove the CPU, memory, driver or licence requirements of the instruments and effects loaded inside it. Check that the plugins needed by a shared gig file exist on the destination computer. Alternatives to Gig Performer Pro - Cantabile — official site: A close alternative for Windows musicians who want a dedicated live VST host with reusable racks, MIDI routing and song switching. Compare its editions for the performance features you need. - Ableton Live: Consider Live when the show depends on launching clips, recording or arranging backing material alongside instruments and effects. Its Session View provides a different performance workflow from Gig Performer's rackspaces. Product views The hero is generated editorial artwork incorporating a genuine panel view and the official product icon. These developer-supplied screenshots illustrate panel design and hardware mapping. They are not a hands-on test. !Gig Performer panel editor showing custom knobs, panels and widget properties for controlling plugins. !Gig Performer Rig Manager showing MIDI input devices and named controller mappings. Check the Pro feature list, licensing options and FAQ for current edition and compatibility details.

MicSheet

Freemium

MicSheet helps open-mic and poetry-slam hosts collect performer signups, manage waitlists and run the lineup from a phone. Each event has a shareable signup page, while a performer contact list keeps attendance history, tags and notes across nights. Set up the night and manage the running order Create an event with its venue, date, slot count and slot length, then share the link with performers. The public page displays your house rules and live lineup. Hosts can adjust the order as the evening develops rather than maintaining a separate paper list. - Accept performer signups through a mobile-friendly event page. - Add further signups to a waitlist when the event fills, and move the next person into a cancelled slot. - Reorder performers, check them in, mark no-shows and add walk-ins. - Calculate slot times from the running order. - Generate future dates for recurring weekly nights. - Keep performer histories, tags and notes, and export the contact list as CSV. Performers receive a private status page with a cancellation link, so they can release a slot themselves. For hosts running regular acoustic nights or songwriter showcases, the shared performer history can help keep track of repeat appearances. Browser access and early-access pricing Hosts create an account and manage events through the website. Performers can claim a slot from their phone, and signing up to perform is free. All host features are currently free during early access, without a payment card. This includes unlimited events, venues and signups, plus up to five co-host seats. Those allowances are temporary: MicSheet says the future free plan will have limits, with the final limits still unspecified. A limited Founding Host offer provides Pro access for a one-time payment. Check the current pricing page before relying on either the offer or the early-access allowances. Product view The image below is a genuine capture of MicSheet's public website. Its sample lineup is a promotional illustration, not a logged-in host dashboard or evidence of a tested event. The hero combines the official icon and that illustration with generated editorial artwork. !MicSheet public homepage showing its illustrative Thursday Night Slam lineup, waitlist and open-mic signup features Alternatives to MicSheet These links go to the products' official websites. - BANDANA supports recurring open mics and open jams, with song submissions and a shared songbook. Consider it when the host needs to group musicians around songs or support a house band as well as manage performer signups. - Grasshopper offers open-mic signup forms with performer slots, custom questions and automatic waitlists. It suits organisers who mainly need to collect registrations and equipment requirements through a shareable form.