3.5

452MainStage Instruments
Sampler memory management
Multigigabyte sample libraries are commonplace today, delivering incredibly detailed and
accurate instrument sounds. In many cases, these sample libraries are too large to fit into
your computer random-access memory (RAM). To use these huge sampler instruments,
Sampler can use a portion of your hard drive as virtual memory. When you turn on Sampler
virtual memory, only the initial attacks of audio samples are loaded into the computer RAM;
the rest of the sample is streamed in real-time from the hard drive.
MainStage automatically addresses all available system memory. The amount of RAM
available for use by Sampler is determined by several factors, including:
• The amount of physical RAM installed in your computer.
• How much RAM other open applications and the operating system are using.
• How much RAM MainStage is using. This varies in accordance with the number and size
of audio files in the concert, and other plug-ins used. Sample playback instrument plug-
ins not made by Apple can significantly affect the amount of RAM that MainStage uses.
Sampler extended parameters
You can use Sampler extended parameters to enable use with MPE and guitar controllers,
providing enhanced expression capabilities. You can access these parameters by clicking
the disclosure triangle at the lower left of the interface.
Extended parameters
• MIDI Mono Mode pop-up menu: Choose Off, On (with common base channel 1), or On
(with common base channel 16).
In either active mode, each voice receives on a different MIDI channel. Per-voice
channels support pitchbend, aftertouch, modwheel, and CC messages. Controllers and
MIDI messages sent on the base channel affect all voices.
• Mono Mode Pitch Range slider: Set a value from 0 to 96.
The chosen pitch bend range affects individual note pitchbend messages received on
all but the common base channel. The default is 48 semitones, which is compatible
with the GarageBand for iOS keyboard in pitch mode. When using a MIDI guitar, 24
semitones is the preferable setting because most guitar to MIDI converters use this
range by default.