2
Table Of Contents
- MainStage 2 User Manual
- Contents
- Welcome to MainStage
- Introducing MainStage
- Setting Up Your System
- The MainStage Interface
- Getting Started with MainStage
- Before You Begin
- Opening MainStage
- Choosing a Concert Template
- Selecting Patch Settings in the Patch Library
- Adding a Patch
- Naming a Patch
- Selecting and Playing Patches
- Adding a Channel Strip
- Changing a Channel Strip Setting
- Learning a Controller Assignment
- Mapping a Screen Control
- Trying Out Full Screen and Perform Modes
- Working in Edit Mode
- Working with Patches in Edit Mode
- Selecting Items in the Patch List
- Skipping Items in the Patch List
- Collapsing Sets in the Patch List
- Copying and Pasting Patches
- Reordering Patches in the Patch List
- Moving Patches in the Patch List Repeatedly
- Creating a Patch from Several Patches
- Setting the Time Signature for a Patch
- Changing the Tempo When You Select a Patch
- Setting Patch Program Change Numbers
- Deferring Patch Changes
- Instantly Silencing the Previous Patch
- Changing the Patch Icon
- Changing the Tuning for a Patch
- Deleting Patches
- Working with Channel Strips in Edit Mode
- Selecting Channel Strips
- Showing Signal Flow Channel Strips
- Creating an Alias of a Channel Strip
- Editing Channel Strips in MainStage
- Choosing Channel Strip Settings
- Renaming a Channel Strip
- Changing the Channel Strip Color
- Changing the Channel Strip Icon
- Using Feedback Protection with Channel Strips
- Setting Keyboard Input for a Software Instrument Channel Strip
- Transposing Software Instrument Channel Strips
- Filtering MIDI Messages
- Setting a Channel Strip to Ignore Hermode Tuning
- Working with Graphs
- Creating Controller Transforms
- Scaling Channel Strip Velocity
- Creating Keyboard Layers and Splits
- Overriding Concert- and Set-Level Key Ranges
- Using the EXS24 mkII Instrument Editor in MainStage
- Using Multiple Instrument Outputs in MainStage
- Using External MIDI Instruments in MainStage
- Using the Activity Monitor
- Deleting Channel Strips
- Mapping Screen Controls
- Editing Screen Control Parameters in Edit Mode
- Overriding Concert- and Set-Level Mappings
- Replacing the Parameter Label
- Choosing a Custom Color for a Screen Control
- Choosing Custom Text Color for a Screen Control
- Setting a Screen Control to Show the Hardware Value
- Setting Parameter Change Behavior for Screen Controls
- Setting Hardware Matching Behavior for Screen Controls
- Resetting and Comparing Changes to a Patch
- Working with Sets in Edit Mode
- Working at the Set Level
- Sharing Patches and Sets Between Concerts
- Recording the Audio Output of a Concert
- Working with Patches in Edit Mode
- Working with Concerts
- Opening and Closing Concerts
- Saving Concerts
- How Saving Affects Parameter Values
- Setting the Time Signature for a Concert
- Using Tempo in a MainStage Concert
- Defining the Source for Program Change Messages for a Concert
- Setting the Pan Law for a Concert
- Changing the Tuning for a Concert
- Silencing MIDI Notes
- Muting Audio Output
- Working at the Concert Level
- Controlling the Metronome
- Working in Layout Mode
- Modifying the Layout of a Concert
- Working with Screen Controls
- Assigning Hardware Controls to Screen Controls
- Editing Screen Control Parameters
- Lifting and Stamping Screen Control Parameters
- Common Screen Control Parameters
- Keyboard Screen Control Parameters
- MIDI Activity Screen Control Parameters
- Drum Pad Screen Control Parameters
- Waveform Screen Control Parameters
- Selector Parameters
- Text Screen Control Parameters
- Background Screen Control Parameters
- How MainStage Passes Through MIDI Messages
- Exporting a Layout
- Importing a Layout
- Changing the Aspect Ratio of a Layout
- Playing Back Audio in MainStage
- Performing Live with MainStage
- Before the Performance Starts
- Using Full Screen Mode and Perform Mode
- Selecting Patches in Performance
- Using Screen Controls in Performance
- Handling Tempo Changes in Performance
- Tips for Performing with Keyboard Controllers
- Tips for Performing with Guitars and Other Instruments
- Using the Tuner
- Using the Playback Plug-in in Performance
- Recording Your Performances
- After the Performance
- Tips for Complex Hardware Setups
- Key Commands
- Appendix A: The Playback Plug-in
- Getting to Know the Playback Interface
- Using the Playback Waveform Display
- Using the Playback Transport and Function Buttons
- Using the Playback Information Display
- Using the Playback Sync, Snap To, and Play From Parameters
- Using the Playback Group Functions
- Using the Playback Action Menu and File Field
- Using the Playback Shortcut Menu
- Appendix B: The Loopback Plug-in
- Getting to Know the Loopback Interface
- Using the Loopback Waveform Display
- Using the Loopback Transport and Function Controls
- Using the Loopback Information Display
- Using the Loopback Sync, Snap To, and Play From Parameters
- Using the Loopback Group Functions
- Using the Loopback Action Menu
- Adding Loopback to a Channel Strip
- Appendix C: Setting MainStage Preferences
- Appendix D: Using MainStage Actions
• Meter field: Displays the meter (time signature) of the audio material. The bar and beat
values can be altered independently, which changes the ruler display and may alter
the Length field display, but does not affect audio playback. Cannot be changed once
the length is set without first clearing the tape loop.
• Tempo field: Displays the tempo in beats per minute. The tempo is “locked” after the
first recording and cannot be changed.
• Fade Time field: Indicates the fade-out time in seconds. Drag vertically to adjust this
value. See Using the Loopback Transport and Function Controls.
Using the Loopback Sync, Snap To, and Play From Parameters
The Sync, Snap To, and Play From pop-up menus in the bar at the bottom of the interface
control various aspects of playback and synchronization of the audio material.
• Sync pop-up menu: Enables or disables synchronization with the MainStage tempo and
clock.
• Snap To pop-up menu: Determines how Loopback starts, in play or record mode, when
stopped. It also quantizes the tape loop length “on the fly” by stopping the first take.
• Off: Loopback starts immediately, without waiting.
• Beat: Loopback starts or stops at the start of the next beat.
• Bar: Loopback starts or stops at the start of the next bar.
• Loop: Loopback waits for the amount of time defined by the Length parameter.
• Play From pop-up menu: Determines the playback start position within the audio
material.
• Loop Start: Playback starts from the beginning of the audio material.
• Relative Position: When you stop and restart the Loopback instance, playback
continues as if the plug-in had been playing continuously, without interruption. This
is useful when several Loopback instances are playing together, or when you are
using Loopback instances with Playback or Ultrabeat instances, allowing you to
effectively “mute” and “unmute” instances while keeping them in sync with each
other.
Using the Loopback Group Functions
If you have multiple instances of the Loopback plug-in in a concert, you can use groups
to control which instances record and play together and which instances operate
independently. Any Loopback instance can either be assigned to one of 26 Groups, named
A-Z, or not be a member of any group. The linked operation of multiple instances can be
used for creative purposes, such as alternative versions of a song verse or chorus.
161Appendix B The Loopback Plug-in