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Chapter 8 Perform live with MainStage 125
The Playback plug-in in performance
You can use the Playback plug-in to play backing tracks or other audio les 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 les containing marker
information, you can also use markers to switch playback to dierent sections of the audio le.
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 le 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 dierent patches in the set and have the
audio le continue playing. This can be useful, for example, if the set includes all the patches you
will use in a song, and the Playback plug-in plays an audio le with a backing track for the song.
If you add a Playback plug-in at the concert level, you can select dierent patches in the concert
and have the audio le 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 dierent 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 dierent patches in the set.
•
Add a Playback plug-in at the concert level and use it to play a backing track or sound eect
while you select and play dierent 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 dierent backing tracks.