ArKaos GrandVJ

ArKaos GrandVJ is a specialized tool that provides you with a user-friendly environment where you can manipulate, trigger and mix videos with sounds, live cameras or animated text strings.

Following a quick and uneventful installation, you come face to face with an intuitive interface that is unlikely to give you any troubles, regardless of your experience with similar tools. In fact, you can customize the GUI according to your needs and preferences.

The tool is designed to work well with a MIDI controller for which you can easily add mappings from a template or by pressing the desired keys. On a side note, the developer recommends you to try the  ArKaosConnect plug-in if you want to make the most out of the MIDI sounds, particularly since it makes it so easy to pop an unexpected video track to the composition during a live performance.

The application is capable of mixing up to 8 layers and comes with a comprehensive library of transitions, simple sounds or audio that triggers visual generators as well as numerous video effects. Since the tool addresses users who usually perform live, it is worth mentioning that the app includes an independent A/B cross-fading mode with independent preview, so you can check the everything from the sound to the transition and effects.

As far as the compatibility goes, you will be happy to learn that the program accepts all the common video and image formatting. Then again, if you have been working with other third-party solutions for the making the compositions, you may have to convert the data before using it with this tool.

In the eventuality that you hosting or perhaps are invited to mix at various parties and celebrations, then perhaps you can consider giving ArKaos GrandVJ a try. Not only is it lightweight on your computer resources, but it is a decent solution for adding various effects in real time without too much hassle.