3.5

73MainStage User Guide
Add text notes to a channel strip in the MainStage Channel Strip
Inspector
In addition to the Channel Notes area of a channel strip, you can use the Notes tab of the
Channel Settings Inspector to add text notes and other information about a channel strip.
1. In MainStage, click on the Notes tab of the Channel Strip Settings Inspector.
2. Enter your text note in the Notes field.
The Notes field lets you use special ASCII characters and any installed languages, font
symbols, and emoji. You cannot style text or change the font.
Work with plug-ins
Overview of working with plug-ins in MainStage
MainStage includes a full collection of professional-quality instrument and effect plug-
ins, as well as utility plug-ins such as the Tuner. For more information about the included
effects plug-ins, refer to the MainStage Instruments and MainStage Effects manuals. You
can use plug-ins in MainStage channel strips in patches and also at the concert and set
level. You use instrument plug-ins in software instrument channel strips, and you can
use effect plug-ins in audio, software instrument, external instrument, and auxiliary
channel strips.
You can add and remove plug-ins from channel strips, and move and copy plug-ins
between slots on the same channel strip or between two channel strips. You can also
use plug-in settings, adjust plug-in parameters, and use the other controls in the plug-in
window header.
Many effects plug-ins can be inserted on channel strips used in real-time performances
without any issues. Some effects, such as Space Designer, require intensive real-time
processing of the audio signal. Using Space Designer and other processor-intensive plug-
ins on individual patches can affect the performance of your concert, and in some cases
result in audio dropouts or glitches, particularly if the audio buffer is set to a smaller size.
It is recommended that you should use Space Designer and other, similarly processor-
intensive plug-ins sparingly in your concerts. Rather than insert such plug-ins on individual
channel strips, you can use a few instances on auxiliary channel strips shared between
multiple patches, rather than in individual patches.
MIDI plug-ins
MainStage also includes a set of MIDI plug-ins that you can use in software instrument and
external MIDI instrument channel strips for real-time MIDI processing. In a channel strip,
MIDI plug-ins appear below the EQ display and above the instrument slot. You can also
use third-party Audio Units MIDI plug-ins with MainStage. For more information, see the
MainStage Effects manual.