There is a unique kind of pressure that comes with performing solo.
You are the singer, the musician, the bandleader, the technician, and the person responsible for keeping the show moving. You need to connect with the audience while managing backing tracks, lyrics, video, set changes, key adjustments, break music, and whatever else the night throws at you.
Every extra click pulls your attention away from the reason you are there in the first place: the performance.
PCDJ believes solo performers deserve software designed around that reality.
That is why we are building PERFORM, a new Windows (BETA available now) and macOS (coming soon) desktop application created specifically for solo artists and duets who perform with backing tracks. We are now preparing for the next stage of development, and we are inviting a select group of working performers to help us shape it.
Built Around the Performer, Not the Booth
Many performers have spent years piecing together a live setup from music players, karaoke applications, video tools, lyric screens, playlist software, and separate utilities. Those products may each solve part of the problem, but they were not necessarily designed for someone standing onstage, microphone or instrument in hand, trying to deliver a seamless show.
PERFORM starts with a different question:
What does a solo artist need in the moment of performance?
Our goal is to create a stage-focused workspace where the most important controls are immediate, the show is prepared in advance, and the technology becomes nearly invisible once the first song begins.
A performer should be able to build a set, prepare each song for their voice and show, present lyrics or video on another display, manage the atmosphere between songs, and move through the night without feeling as though they are operating a computer between every number.
We want PERFORM to feel less like a collection of playback tools and more like a dependable performance partner.
Why We Need Real Performers in the Beta
A rehearsal room can reveal a great deal, but it cannot recreate every stage, venue, audio interface, media library, display arrangement, or performance style.
The details that matter most often appear only when software is used by someone who performs regularly and knows exactly where friction can interrupt the flow of a show.
That is the insight we are looking for.
We want to learn how PERFORM behaves with real set lists, backing-track collections, different audio and video formats, common stage hardware, MIDI controllers, and extended displays.
Just as importantly, we want to understand how the interface feels when your attention belongs on the audience rather than the screen. Is the next action obvious? Can you recover quickly from an unexpected change? Does the application help you feel prepared and in control?
Your feedback will influence not only reliability and performance, but also the shape of the product itself. This beta is an opportunity to help define how PERFORM should work before it reaches a wider audience.
Who We Are Looking For
This beta invitation is specifically for working solo performers and duets who use backing tracks as part of a live show.
You may sing with instrumental tracks, perform with a guitar or keyboard over arranged backing, use MP3+G karaoke files as your lyric source, incorporate music video, or combine several of those approaches..
You do not need to be a computer expert. The most valuable testers are performers who know their show, can describe what happened when something did not feel right, and are willing to spend time rehearsing with pre-release software.
We are especially interested in testing across a range of musical styles, venue types, library sizes, audio hardware, MIDI controllers, graphics cards, and single- or dual-display setups.
Initial beta testing is focused on Windows systems. We also welcome interest from macOS performers who would like to be considered as macOS testing expands.
Help Build the Tool You Want to Perform With
PERFORM is ambitious because the job it is meant to support is demanding.
We want it to sound excellent, respond instantly, remain stable through a full night, and make a complicated live setup feel simple. Most of all, we want it to respect the performer’s attention.
If you have ever wished your live software understood what it is actually like to perform alone—or as part of a duet—this is your chance to help build something around that experience.
The current release is a private beta and should be treated as pre-release software. Accepted testers should rehearse thoroughly, use their own non-critical test media first, and keep their established playback solution available as a backup during the testing period.
In return, you will have an early look at PERFORM and a direct opportunity to help PCDJ refine its workflow, stability, and direction.
If that sounds like you, complete the submission form below. Tell us about the kind of shows you perform, the media and equipment you use, your computer and display setup, and why you would like to participate.
We will review submissions and contact selected testers with the next steps.
