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
Getting to Know the Playback Interface
The Playback interface resembles a hardware tape player. This section will familiarize you
with various areas of the Playback plug-in window.
Waveform display
Action menu
Information display
Sync, Snap To, Play From,
and Group pop-up
menus
Transport buttons
Function buttons
• Waveform display: The waveform display shows the waveform of the currently loaded
audio file, the current playback position, and the ruler. See Using the Playback Waveform
Display.
• Transport and function buttons: The transport and function buttons appear on either
side of the information display in the silver bar below the waveform display. See Using
the Playback Transport and Function Buttons.
• Information display: The information display shows the current playback position and
audio file length, meter, tempo, fade time, and pitch. See Using the Playback Information
Display.
• Sync, Snap To, Play From, and Group pop-up menus: The bar across the bottom of the
Playback window contains controls you use to set playback behavior: the Sync, Snap
To, Play From, and Group pop-up menus. See Using the Playback Sync, Snap To, and
Play From Parameters. The Group pop-up menu sets group membership for each
Playback instance. See Using the Playback Group Functions.
• Action menu and File field: The Action menu (with the gear icon) contains options for
adding an audio file, choosing the flex mode, and other functions. See Using the
Playback Action Menu and File Field. The File field displays the name of the currently
loaded audio file.
• Shortcut menu: You can add, edit, and remove markers using the shortcut menu (not
shown), which you can access by Control-clicking (or right-clicking) the waveform
display. See Using the Playback Shortcut Menu.
148 Appendix A The Playback Plug-in