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Where you add an instance of the Playback plug-in depends on how you want to use it.
If you want to play back an audio file while you play a single patch, you can add it to the
patch. If you add a Playback plug-in at the set level, you can select different patches in
the set and have the audio file continue playing. This can be useful, for example, if the
set includes all the patches you’ll use in a song, and the Playback plug-in plays an audio
file with a backing track for the song. If you add a Playback plug-in at the concert level,
you can select different patches in the concert and have the audio file continue playing.
The ability to use the plug-in at any level gives you a great deal of creative freedom in
how you use it.
Each instance of the plug-in can play one audio file. You can use audio files in a variety
of file formats including AIFF, WAVE, and CAF. You can play audio files containing marker
information, including files exported (bounced) from Logic Pro and Apple Loops, and
shift playback to markers located at different time positions in the audio file.
There are two ways to add a Playback plug-in: by dragging an audio file to the Channel
Strips area or from the Instrument slot on a channel strip.
To add a Playback plug-in by dragging an audio file
1 In the Patch List, select the patch to which you want to add a Playback plug-in. You can
also select a set or the concert icon.
2 Drag an audio file from the Finder to the space between channel strips in the Channel
Strips area.
A black line appears between the channel strips, and the pointer becomes an Add File
pointer as a new channel strip is created. The new channel strip contains a Playback
plug-in with the audio file you dragged to the Channel Strips area.
To add a Playback plug-in from the Instrument slot
1 Click the Add Channel Strip button to add a new channel strip to the patch, set, or concert.
2 In the new Channel Strip dialog, select Software Instrument as the type. Leave other
settings at their default values, or change them to suit your setup.
A new software instrument channel strip appears in the Channel Strips area.
3 In the I/O section of the channel strip, click the Instrument slot, choose Playback from
the menu, then choose either Mono or Stereo from the submenu.
126 Chapter 8 Playing Back Audio in MainStage