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Chapter 2 Set up your system 20
Connecting some electric instruments, such as electric guitars, to your computer’s audio input
port may result in a low-level input signal. To increase the input signal, you can connect the
guitar to a preamplier and connect the preamplier to your computer.
Connect an audio interface
Using an audio interface, you can connect microphones, instruments, and other music
equipment to your computer to use with MainStage. You can also connect a mixer, speakers or
monitors, headphones, and other equipment to hear the audio output from your concert.
MainStage supports plug-and-play for audio interfaces, making it possible to connect and turn
on a new audio interface while MainStage is open. An alert appears when you connect a new
device, and prompts you to select and conrm the audio interface and driver that you want to
use.
All digital audio interfaces can be susceptible to latency—a noticeable delay between the time
the audio signal is produced and when you hear it. You should always attach your audio interface
directly to the computer, rather than through a hub or daisy-chaining it through another device.
Doing so can cause an unacceptable amount of latency, particularly with slower USB 1.1 devices.
Connect an audio interface to your computer
Do one of the following:
m Connect an audio interface to your computer’s USB or FireWire port.
USB (Universal Serial Bus)
FireWire 400 (6-pin)
(Sometimes labeled iLINK)
FireWire 400 (4-pin)
FireWire 800 (9-pin)
m Connect an audio interface to a PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) card installed
in your computer. PCIe provides extremely high bandwidth and fast data transfer rates, allowing
audio input and output at the highest possible sample rates and bit depths.
m Connect an audio interface to an ExpressCard/34 slot installed in your computer. ExpressCard/34
supports both PCIe and USB 2.0 connectivity. ExpressCards available include audio interfaces,
hard disk controller (eSATA) cards, networking, wireless adapters, and more.
After connecting an audio interface to your computer, be sure to choose the audio interface
as audio input source in the Audio preferences pane. After choosing the audio interface as the
input device, you can set the individual inputs on the audio interface as the input source for the
audio channel strips in your concert.