3.5

169MainStage User Guide
The MainStage Playback plug-in in performance
You can use the Playback plug-in to play backing tracks or other audio files while you are
performing. Playback can be triggered either when you select a patch or set or by using
a button or other screen control. You can control other Playback parameters to which
you have mapped screen controls, including fading out the sound and looping playback.
For files containing marker information, you can also use markers to switch playback to
different sections of the audio file. You can start and stop playback of multiple Playback
plug-in instances using the Group menu.
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 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.
You can use the Playback plug-in in software instrument channel strips in a patch or at the
set or concert level.
The Playback plug-in is designed so that it can be used in a variety of ways. Following are
a few ideas for how to use the Playback plug-in in different situations. You can try them out
or use them as a starting point for your own creative uses.
• Add a Playback plug-in to a patch and use it to play a backing track while you play an
instrument on another channel strip in the patch.
• Add a Playback plug-in at the set level and use it to play a backing track that continues
while you select and play different patches in the set.
• Add a Playback plug-in at the concert level and use it to play a backing track or sound
effect while you select and play different patches in the concert.
• Add multiple instances of the Playback plug-in at the set or concert level, and use them
to play and remix different backing tracks.
Record your performances in MainStage
You can record a performance to an audio file. Before you record a performance, you can
choose the file format of the recorded audio file.
If you choose AIFF as the file format for recording, the maximum file size for the recorded
file is 2 gigabytes. If you choose WAVE as the file format, the maximum file size is 4
gigabytes. If you choose CAF as the file format, there is no practical limit to the file size.
You can choose the file format in MainStage > Preferences > Audio, and also set the
location of the recorded file and choose which audio outputs are recorded (if you are using
multiple sets of outputs in your concert). For information about recording preferences, see
Audio preferences in MainStage.
You can record in Perform mode by mapping a screen control to the Record action. You can
also assign a key command to the Record action and use it to record in Perform mode (but
not in Perform in Full Screen).