Audio · Practical guide
SuperRack Performer: snapshots, routing and A/B selection
If a plugin setting changes but the signal still enters through the same channel, first write down what you expected to change: level, patch or A/B selection. Use this guide to prepare concert, theater or festival transitions with SuperRack Performer.
Identify Native or Performer before planning the routing
This guide covers SuperRack Performer. If your session comes from SuperRack Native, check each function against the documentation for the installed version before transferring it. Test A/B selection separately during a break and check the channels and returns; recalling a setting with a snapshot does not, by itself, confirm that the patch has changed.
Waves describes Performer as a native processing host for Mac and PC. Record the full application name, build, interface and driver before proceeding. Do not use the Performer manual to assume that a function was available in Native in 2021.
Separate levels, channel assignments and A/B selection
In the Performer manual, 134-page edition with no identified revision, p. 113, Input and Output in Scope refer to levels. The listed parameters do not include patch changes per snapshot.
The manual allows A/B inputs to use different channels with the same format (p. 53). Link A/B Inputs and Outputs links both selections (p. 39); Link Groups can link A/B changes across racks (p. 44). Check those links before rehearsal.
To trace a difference, capture the rack settings and draw the source, interface channel, A/B input, processing chain and destination. Use a separate row for the second path. Mark any unknown connection; drawing a line does not prove that it carries signal.
| Expected change | What to check | What to record |
|---|---|---|
| Level | Input/Output value | Before and after the cue |
| Routing | Patch channel and destination | Capture both states |
| A/B | Selection and links | Racks that changed |
| Plugin | Selected parameter | Recalled value |
Rehearsal plan: check a cue, then an A/B change
Preserve the session and prepare a short test copy. Choose one rack and two cues; note an easily recognizable parameter. Agree on the destinations and keep the paths to the audience out of use during the test. Recall the cue and record the parameter, level, input channel and destination separately: each field answers a different question.
In a second pass, test A/B selection during an agreed break. Note whether only that rack changed or others changed too, and whether the output stayed where expected. If the result differs from the diagram, stop that transition and compare the links before extending the test to the full show.
The manual warns of a brief mute when changing the plugin structure (p. 57), and dropouts or clicks when loading sessions (p. 100). Schedule those operations during a break.
Preparation mistakes and notes for the operator
Avoid three mistakes: treating a cue name as proof of routing, choosing another input without checking its return, and assuming functions transfer between Native and Performer without verification. Before repeating a change, record the application, file revision and observation still needed; repeating it without notes leaves the same question unanswered.
If a dropout occurs, record the operation and what the operator heard. Keep the previous copy and screenshots without assigning a cause yet. The routing worksheet helps hand over outstanding checks to the next operator.
Use the rehearsal alongside DiGiCo–SuperRack sessions, event continuity planning and the planned audio system.
Frequently asked questions
Do Input and Output in Scope change Performer's patch?
The manual defines them as levels. Check channels and destinations to observe routing.
What should I check when moving from SuperRack Native to Performer?
Identify the loaded component, version, input path and return path. Compare Native and Performer controls against their respective manuals before transferring a session.
Can I transfer any Native configuration to Performer?
Check each function in the Performer manual and record the installed build.
What should I check if another rack changes when I switch A/B?
Keep screenshots and check which racks were linked. Repeat the test only after comparing the diagram with the recorded links.
What should I record if the input changes but the return is missing?
Record the A/B selection, source channel, rack and expected destination, with before-and-after screenshots. Leave the cause unresolved until you trace the path with the operator.
Can I rearrange plugins while show audio is running?
Changing the structure can cause a brief mute. Agree on a break with the operator.
Is an interface with four inputs and four outputs enough for the show's signal paths?
Draw the paths required at each point in the show before deciding.
What test results are already in the worksheet?
The worksheet is blank. Complete each result when you run the test, recording the file, build, operation and observation; empty fields remain outstanding.