How to Use MainStage in Your Music Setup
You can add MainStage to your music equipment setup by following these steps:
Stage 1: Creating a Concert from a Template You begin working in MainStage by creating a new concert from a template. MainStage includes concert templates for keyboard, guitar, and other instruments, making it easy to choose a template suited to your needs. MainStage recognizes many popular MIDI controllers and automatically assigns hardware controls on the controller to corresponding screen controls in the workspace, simplifying hardware setup. For information about choosing a template to create a concert, see Choosing a Concert Template. Stage 2: Adding and Editing Patches to Customize Your Sounds After you create a concert, you add patches for the sounds you want to play, and edit the patches by adding channel strips, instruments, and effects, and adjusting their parameters to dial in your custom sounds. You edit and organize patches in Edit mode. In Edit mode, your patches are live so you can hear the results of your edits instantly. You can select and play patches, choose channel strip settings, and edit channel strip and plug-in parameters. You can quickly define key ranges for channel strips to create keyboard layers and splits, scale expression and other parameters using transforms, and filter incoming MIDI messages. For information about editing patches, see Working with Patches in Edit Mode. Stage 3: Organizing Your Patches for Easy Access When you open a concert in Edit mode, the patches in the concert appear in the Patch List, where you can select them and start playing. You can edit patch parameters, add channel strips to existing patches or create new ones, and reorder patches to build your custom collection of sounds to use when you perform. You can also organize patches in sets for added flexibility. Sets are like folders that can store groups of patches you want to keep together, which can be useful in several ways. For example, you can store all your favorite lead synth patches in a set or store multiple patches you intend to use in a single song, and quickly select the patches you want while performing. You can also add channel strips at the set level, and have them available with every patch in the set. For information about organizing patches, see Working with Patches in Edit Mode. For information about creating and editing sets, see Working with Sets in Edit Mode.
Stage 4: Customizing the Visual Layout of Your Concert to Match Your Hardware Devices In Layout mode, you arrange screen controls in the workspace to create the visual layout corresponding to your hardware controls. MainStage features a variety of screen controls, including keyboards, knobs, faders, pitch bend and modulation wheels, foot pedals, drum pads, and more. Also included are screen controls to display parameter and system informaton, text and images, and a selector that you can use to view and select patches or markers while performing. You can quickly add screen controls to the workspace, and move, resize, and copy them to create your layout. Alignment guides and other tools make it easy to visually arrange screen controls, and you can customize display color, text labels, and other parameters in the Screen Control Inspector. You can also group controls and arrange the grouped control as a single unit. For information about working with screen controls in Layout mode, see Working with Screen Controls. Stage 5: Making Connections Between MainStage and Your Music Hardware In Layout mode, you connect physical controls on your MIDI hardware to the screen controls in your concert by assigning the physical controls to the corresponding screen controls in the workspace. You can move and resize screen controls in the workspace and customize the display of visual feedback for parameter values and other information. You only need to make hardware controller assignments once for an entire concert, greatly reducing the amount of work required to connect your hardware with your computer. For information about making hardware assignments, see Assigning Hardware Controls to Screen Controls. Stage 6: Mapping Screen Controls to the Parameters You Want to Control in Performance Edit mode is where you map screen controls to channel strip parameters. You can map whichever parameters you want to modify for each patch to screen controls so they can be easily manipulated from your hardware when you perform live. You can also map screen controls to MainStage actions, such as selecting the next patch you want to play. For information about mapping screen controls, see Mapping Screen Controls. You need not follow these steps in a strict order; however, in most cases you will find working easier if you create your layout before making hardware assignments and make hardware assignments before you map screen controls. If you plan to use one of the existing concert templates without modifying its layout significantly, you can concentrate on stages 1 to 3 and stage 6.

To make setup easier, MainStage divides these tasks into two groups, with separate modes for each group of tasks. You customize and organize your patches in Edit mode and customize your layout and make connections with your hardware in Layout mode. The advantage of this division is that it separates tasks you normally perform only once, such as setting up your layout (the Layout mode tasks), from those you are likely to repeat more often, such as editing your sounds (the Edit mode tasks).
Using MainStage in Live Performance
After you have created a concert with your custom patches following the steps described above, youre ready to play. When you perform live, you can use your computer as the final sound module and effects box in your rig. You can select a patch and start playing it instantly. MainStage switches seamlessly between patches and can sustain notes from the previous patch while you start playing the newly selected one. You can view feedback about your patches, including names, parameter values, and audio output levels, in real time. You can also adjust concert-wide effects using auxiliary channels and control other concert-wide settings. MainStage provides two modes optimized for performing live:Perform mode and Full Screen mode. In Perform mode, the workspace fills the MainStage window but lets you retain access to the Finder and to other applications. In Full Screen mode, the workspace fills your entire screen, optimizing available screen space for your onscreen layout. You can use whichever mode you prefer. You can use MainStage with multiple MIDI controllers, microphones, musical instruments, and other music equipment. For time-based effects such as reverb and delay, you can set a pre-defined tempo, use MIDI input for tempo changes, or tap the tempo as you perform. For tips and other information about using MainStage when you perform live, see Performing Live with MainStage.

Setting Up Your System

You can use MainStage with a wide variety of MIDI controllers and Core Audio-compliant audio devices. For basic information about designing and configuring your system, including information about computer requirements, connecting audio and MIDI devices, and configuring your audio hardware, see the Setting Up Your System chapter in the Logic Pro User Manual. Real-time generation and processing of digital audio requires intensive processing by your computer. If you plan to work on large or complex projects, using a computer with a faster processor and extra random-access memory (RAM) installed can facilitate your productivity. Additional RAM is useful particularly when using a large number of effects plug-ins and when playing sample-based software instruments. It is recommended that you do not run other processor- or RAM-intensive applications simultaneously with MainStage, particularly when performing live. This chapter covers the following: Using MIDI Devices with MainStage (p. 17) Using Audio Devices with MainStage (p. 19) Using Effects Plug-ins with MainStage (p. 19) Using MainStage with Time Machine (p. 19)

Chapter 2 Setting Up Your System
Using Audio Devices with MainStage
MainStage works with Core Audio-compliant audio devices, including FireWire, USB, ExpressCard, and PCI audio interfaces. You can connect microphones, electronic musical instruments, and other musical equipment to your computer, or to an audio interface or other audio device, and use them with MainStage. For detailed information about using audio devices, see the Setting Up Your System chapter in the Logic Pro User Manual. MainStage can require a large amount of available RAM, particularly when playing sample-based software instruments. It is recommended that you test your system and the concerts you plan to use before you perform using MainStage to make sure there is enough available memory to select and play the patches you want to use without causing audio drop-outs or distortion. Unlike in Logic Pro, you can choose different audio input and output drivers in MainStage. For more information about choosing audio drivers, see Setting MainStage Preferences.
Using Effects Plug-ins with MainStage
You can use all of the Logic Studio effects plug-ins, except for surround plug-ins, in MainStage channel strips. For more information about the included effects plug-ins, refer to the Logic Studio Instruments and Logic Studio Effects manuals. You can also use Apple and third-party Audio Units effects in MainStage channel strips in the same way you use them in Logic Pro channel strips. Some Logic Studio effects, including Space Designer, require intensive realtime processing of the audio signal. Using Space Designer on individual patches can affect the performance of your concert, and in some cases result in audio dropouts or glitches, particularly if you set the audio buffer to a smaller size. For this reason, it is recommended that you use Space Designer sparingly in your concerts, and use a few Space Designer instances on auxiliary channel strips shared between multiple patches, rather than in individual patches. Some Audio Units plug-ins can introduce latency. Using effects that introduce latency, such as compressors and limiters, can produce undesirable or unpredictable results during live performance. Other Audio Units plug-ins, particularly instrument and amp modelling plug-ins, require high levels of realtime processing and can affect the performance of your concert.
Using MainStage with Time Machine
If you use Time Machine to back up the computer you are using to perform with MainStage, be aware that if Time Machine runs while you are performing in Perform or Full Screen mode the performance of your MainStage concert could be affected. To avoid any impact on performance, it is recommended that you disconnect your Time Machine backup drive when you perform with MainStage.

The MainStage Interface

You do all your work in MainStage in a single window, the MainStage window. The MainStage window is organized to make it easy to work with your patches and the layout of your concert. When you open MainStage, the workspace fills the center of the window, with Inspectors and other editing areas on the sides and below. When you are ready to perform, you can use one of two performance-oriented modes to maximize your computer performance and also maximize your display space for easy viewing on stage. The first time you open MainStage, the Choose Template dialog appears so that you can choose a concert template to create a new concert. To learn how to open MainStage, see Opening MainStage. For information about choosing a template, see Choosing a Concert Template. This chapter covers the following: The MainStage Window (p. 22) Layout Mode (p. 23) Edit Mode (p. 24) Perform Mode (p. 25) Full Screen Mode (p. 26) Customizing the MainStage Window (p. 26)

Control-click the toolbar, then choose Icon & Text from the shortcut menu. In the Customize Toolbar dialog, choose Icon & Text from the Show pop-up menu. To close the Customize dialog When you are finishing customizing the toolbar, click Done. To hide the toolbar Choose View > Hide Toolbar. When the toolbar is hidden, the menu item becomes Show Toolbar.
Getting Started with MainStage
You can quickly start working in MainStage by choosing a concert template and trying out the patch settings in the concert. This chapter provides a brief guided walkthrough you can follow the first time you open MainStage. If you wish to continue learning the major features of the application in a hands-on manner, consult the Exploring MainStage guide included in the Logic Studio package. This chapter covers the following: Before You Begin (p. 29) Opening MainStage (p. 30) Choosing a Concert Template (p. 30) Selecting Patch Settings in the Patch Library (p. 31) Adding a Patch (p. 32) Naming a Patch (p. 33) Selecting and Playing Patches (p. 33) Adding a Channel Strip (p. 34) Changing a Channel Strip Setting (p. 36) Learning a Controller Assignment (p. 37) Mapping a Screen Control (p. 39) Trying Out Full Screen and Perform Modes (p. 39)

Before You Begin

Before you start working in MainStage, you should connect the hardware equipment that you plan to use, such as your keyboard controller, audio interface, instruments, or microphones, to your computer. To use keyboard controllers and other MIDI devices with MainStage, the devices should be capable of sending standard MIDI messages. If youre not sure whether this is the case for a particular device, consult the owners manual or the product website. For more information, see Setting Up Your System.

Opening MainStage

You start by opening MainStage and creating a new concert from a template.
To open MainStage Double-click the MainStage icon in your Applications folder or in the Dock.
Choosing a Concert Template
MainStage includes templates for different musical instruments, including Keyboards, Guitar Rigs, Drums, Vocals, and more. You can choose a concert template in the Choose Template dialog, which appears the first time you open MainStage and when you create a new concert or close a concert. To choose a concert template 1 Choose File > New Concert (or press Command-N).

To show signal flow channel strips Choose Show Signal Flow Channel Strips from the Action menu in the upper-right corner of the Channel Strips area.
Creating an Alias of a Channel Strip
You can create an alias of a channel strip and use the alias in different patches or sets. Aliases allow you to share highly memory-intensive plug-ins, such as third-party multi-channel instruments and samplers, between different patches, rather than creating multiple instances of these plug-ins. In some cases, creating an alias can be more efficient (use fewer resources) than adding a concert- or set-level channel strip. To create an alias of a channel strip 1 In the Channel Strips area, select the channel strip. 2 Choose Edit > Copy, or press Command-C (default). 3 In the Patch List, select the patch in which you want to use the alias. 4 Choose Edit > Paste as Alias, or press Command-Option-V (default). The alias is pasted after the last channel strip in the patch (but before any signal flow channel strips, if they are visible). An alias icon appears near the top of the alias to distinguish it from the channel strips in the patch.
You can use an alias in multiple patches or sets. When you change any setting on the original channel strip, those changes are reflected in the aliases of the channel strip. You may want to audition each patch that uses an alias after changing the settings of the original channel strip, to make sure it sounds the way you want. Note: You cant import a patch or set containing an alias, because the aliased channel strip may not be available. You can create an alias of a multi-output instrument, such as the EXS24 mkII, to use in another patch or set in the concert. When you copy a multi-output instrument to create an alias, be sure to select all of the aux channel strips for the instrument so that the complete multi-output instrument is pasted as an alias. For information about using multi-output instruments in MainStage, see Using Multiple Instrument Outputs in MainStage.
Editing Channel Strips in MainStage
You can add instruments to software instrument channel strips and add effects to any channel strip in the Channel Strips area. Adding instruments and effects to a channel strip is the same in MainStage as it is in Logic Pro.
You edit channel strip parameters in the Channel Strip Inspector, which appears below the workspace when the channel strip is selected in the Channel Strips area. You can set the key range and velocity offset, create a controller transform, and filter MIDI control messages to the channel strip. You can also rename the channel strip and change the channel strip color and icon. The Channel Strip Inspector has four tabs, which provide the following functions: Channel Strip Library and Plug-In Library: With a channel strip selected, you can choose channel strip settings from the Channel Strip Library. With an Insert slot selected, you can choose settings for the plug-in from the Plug-In Library. Attributes: You can rename the channel strip and choose a different channel strip color and icon. MIDI Input: You can create controller transforms in the MIDI Input tab. For software instrument and external instrument channel strips, you can also choose the MIDI input device, filter MIDI input, transpose the instrument, and create velocity scaling graphs. Layer Editor: For software instrument and external instrument channel strips, you can define the key range, set floating split points, and set the minimum and maximum velocity for the channel strip. Using the Channel Strip Library you can access any Logic Studio channel strip. However, some channel strips include plug-ins, particularly Space Designer, not suited for live performance because of their intensive CPU usage. Using these channel strips can affect the performance of your concert, resulting in audio dropouts and other issues. Logic Studio surround effect plug-ins cannot be used with MainStage. If you choose a channel strip setting containing one of these effects, the unused effects are shown disabled (gray, with a diagonal line running through the effect name).

4 On the channel strip, click the Add button to add additional outputs. Each time you add an output, a new section of the channel strip is added, with the next available pair of outputs. Each output uses the same instrument, but each can have its own inserts, volume, pan, and expressions settings and its own effect sends, as well as its own outputs. For more information about using multiple instrument outputs, see the Logic Pro User Manual and the Logic Studio Instruments manual. Information about specific instruments (for example, Ultrabeat) can be found in the chapters covering those instruments.
Using External MIDI Instruments in MainStage
You can add an external MIDI instrument channel strip to a patch and use it to play an external instrument, such as a hardware synthesizer. You can also use an external instrument to play a ReWire application. When you use an external MIDI instrument channel strip, you choose the MIDI channel to send MIDI output from MainStage to the instrument, and choose the audio inputs to receive audio from the instrument. The audio output from the instrument is routed to the input of the channel strip, where you can process it using MainStage effects. To add an external instrument channel strip 1 Click the Add Channel Strip (+) button in the upper-right corner of the Channel Strips area. 2 In the New Channel Strip dialog, select External Instrument. You can also choose the MIDI input and output, the format, and the audio input and output for the channel strip. You can choose an audio channel or a ReWire application for the input, but cannot choose a bus. The MIDI input pop-up menu shows the Keyboard or MIDI Activity screen controls (which receive MIDI note input) currently in the workspace. Note: When using an external instrument to send MIDI to a ReWire slave application (such as Reason or Live), you should disable any MIDI input the slave application receives directly from the hardware controller. For information about disabling MIDI input from a hardware device, consult the documentation for the application. For ReWire applications, when you add an external channel strip, set the MIDI port to the ReWire slave. The Channel list also updates based on the port. Some ReWire slaves set up multiple ports. To use a ReWire application with MainStage, open the ReWire application after opening MainStage.
When you play your keyboard controller with the patch containing the external MIDI instrument selected, MainStage sends note and other MIDI messages to the chosen MIDI Output and MIDI Channel, receives audio from the chosen Input, and sends the audio output to the chosen Output. You can also send a program change message to the external instrument when you select the patch to control which program the external instrument uses. To send a program change to an external instrument when you select a patch 1 In the Channel Strip Inspector, click the MIDI Out tab. 2 In the MIDI Out tab, select the Send Program Change checkbox. The Program Change value is set to 1 by default, so that no program change is sent when you select the Send Program Change checkbox, until you change the value. 3 Set the program change number you want to send using the Send Program Change value slider. 4 If you want to send a Bank Change message, select the Send Program Change checkbox, then set the most-significant byte (MSB) and least-significant byte (LSB) of the bank change number using the Bank MSB and Bank LSB value sliders. When you select the patch, the program change and bank change messages are sent to the external instrument. Also note that program and bank changes are sent when you edit the program change and bank change value sliders in the Channel Strip Inspector (so you can be sure that the values you enter send the correct program and bank change messages). For more information about using external MIDI instruments, see the Logic Pro User Manual. If you want the external instrument to respond to the program change, but do not want it to receive note or other MIDI information from your controller, click the MIDI Input tab and choose None from the Keyboard pop-up menu. You can also use a knob or fader mapped to the Program Change action to send program changes to an external instrument. To send program changes to an external instrument using a screen control 1 In the workspace, click the screen control you want to use to send program change messages. 2 In the Screen Control Inspector, click the Unmapped tab. 3 In the Mapping browser, select the external instrument, then select MIDI Controller folder from the submenu. 4 In the third column from the left, select Program Change. The screen control is mapped to the Program Change parameter. By moving the hardware control assigned to the screen control, you can send program changes to the external instrument.

Setting the Pan Law for a Concert
Audio signals panned to the center position may sound louder than signals panned hard left or right. The Pan Law value determines the amount of volume reduction applied to audio that is panned to the center position. You can choose from the following settings: 0 dB: With no change to the volume level, signals will seem louder when panned to the center position, in comparison with extreme left or right pan positions. 3 dB: A full scale signal (0 dBfs) will have a level of 3 dB when panned to the center position. 3 dB compensated: A full scale signal (0 dBfs) will have a level of 0 dB when panned to the center position (or +3 dB when panned to extreme left or right positions).
To set the pan law for a concert In the Attributes tab of the Concert Inspector, choose the pan law value for the concert.
Changing the Tuning for a Concert
By default, concerts use equal tempered tuning. You can change the tuning for a concert so that it uses a different tuning. To change the tuning for a concert 1 In the Concert Inspector, select the Tuning tab. 2 Choose the tuning you want the concert to use from the Method pop-up menu. When you change the tuning of a concert, the tuning of the patches and sets in the concert changes if their Tuning Method is set to Use parent tuning. Patches and sets with a different tuning method are not affected.

Silencing MIDI Notes

MainStage also includes a Panic function, which works like the Panic function in Logic Pro. The Panic function immediately silences any hanging MIDI notes. To silence all MIDI notes Do one of the following:
Press Control-P. Double-click the MIDI Monitor in the toolbar. If the Panic button is visible in the toolbar, click it. If you have mapped the Panic function to a screen control, press or move the corresponding controller.
If the Panic button is not visible in the toolbar, you can customize the toolbar by adding a Panic button. For information about customizing the toolbar, see Customizing the Toolbar.

Muting Audio Output

Sometimes when you are playing or editing sounds, you may want to quickly mute (silence) all audio output for the concert. MainStage includes a Master Mute button that silences the output from every patch in the concert.
To quickly mute all sound Do one of the following:
Press Control-M. In the toolbar, click the Master Mute button. If you have mapped the Master Mute function to a screen control, press or move the corresponding controller. The Master Mute button changes to show that the output is muted (a red diagonal line covers the speaker icon). All output remains muted until you click the Master Mute button again. To unmute all sound Do one of the following:
Press Control-M again. In the toolbar, click the Master Mute button again. If you have mapped the Master Mute function to a screen control, press or move the corresponding controller. Master Mute is also a mappable parameter in the Parameter Mapping browser. You can map Master Mute to a button or other controller in your concerts so that you can quickly mute all output when you are playing live in Perform or Full Screen mode. In addition, you can mute audio output for a single channel strip by clicking its Mute (M) button.

Adding Concert-Wide Effects
You can add concert-wide effects such as reverb and delay using auxiliary (aux) channels. When you choose a bus from the Send slot on a channel strip, a corresponding aux appears at the concert level. You can insert effects on the aux and have those effects apply to every channel strip sending its signal to the aux. To send a channel strip signal to an aux 1 In the Patch List, select the patch you want to use with a concert-wide effect. The channel strips for the patch appear in the Channel Strips area.
2 On the channel strip, click one of the Send slots and choose a bus from the menu.
Choose a bus from one of the Send slots.
3 Drag the Send knob next to the slot to set the amount of the signal sent to the aux. To add a concert-wide effect to an aux 1 In the Patch List, select the concert icon. The auxes in the concert appear in the Channel Strips area along with the concert-level channel strips. 2 On an aux, click one of the Insert slots and choose an effect from the menu. After you add an effect to an aux, you can edit the effect as you would any channel strip effect, by double-clicking it to open the plug-in window, and then adjusting parameters in the plug-in window. You can add multiple effects to an aux, and adjust the level and pan of the aux using the channel strip controls on the aux.
You can also add concert-wide effects to an aux at the patch level if Show Signal Flow Channel Strips is active. For information about showing signal flow channel strips in the Channel Strips area, see Showing Signal Flow Channel Strips.
Using Auxes to Control Channel Strip Output
You can also send the output of multiple channel strips to an aux (auxiliary channel) and then use the aux to control the volume level and pan position of the channel strips. Sending the output to an aux is also useful for adding EQ or compression to a group of patches. To send the output of a channel strip to an aux 1 In the Patch List, select the patch you want to control using an aux. 2 In the channel strip, click the Output slot and choose a bus from the menu. When you send channel strip output to an aux, the volume fader of the channel strip controls how much of the signal is sent to the aux. To control the output of channel strips using an aux 1 In the Patch List, click the concert. The concert is selected. The busses added to the concert appear in the Channel Strips area along with the concert-level channel strips. 2 Drag the Volume fader on the aux to adjust the volume level of the overall aux output. 3 Drag the Pan knob on the aux to adjust the pan position of the overall aux output. When you control the output of multiple channel strips using an aux, their relative volume levels and pan positions are preserved, but the overall volume level and pan position are modified by the aux Volume fader and Pan knob.

Adding Channel Strips at the Concert Level
You can add a channel strip at the concert level and use the concert-level channel strip for a software instrument or audio input you want to use in every patch in the concert. Important: When you add a channel strip at the concert level, it takes precedence over the channel strips in the patches and sets in the concert. For example, if you add a concert-level channel strip containing a software instrument, the software instrument takes precedence over all of the software instruments in all of the patches and sets in the concert, for the notes in its key range. This means that you will hear only the sound of the concert-level software instrument and will not be able to play any software instruments in a patch or set that fall in the same key range. To add a concert-level channel strip 1 In the Patch List, select the concert. 2 Click the Add Channel Strip (+) button at the top of the Channel Strips area. 3 In the New Channel Strip dialog, select the type of channel strip you want to create.
4 Choose the audio output for the channel strip from the Output pop-up menu. 5 For audio channel strips, choose mono or stereo format from the Format pop-up menu. Important: Audio channel strips can produce feedback, particularly if you are using a microphone for audio input. When you add an audio channel strip, the volume of the channel strip is set to silence, and Feedback Protection is turned on to alert you when feedback occurs on the channel strip. When you add an external instrument channel strip, the volume of the channel strip is set to silence, but Feedback Protection is turned off. 6 Click Create. 7 For software instrument channel strips, you can define the key range for the channel strip in the Channel Strip Inspector so that the concert-level channel strip does not overlap software instruments you plan to use in your patches and sets. For information about defining the key range of a channel strip, see Creating Keyboard Layers and Splits. When you add a channel strip at the concert level, you can map screen controls to the channel strip only at the concert level, not for individual patches or sets.
Using the MainStage Clock
Some plug-ins, including the Playback and Ultrabeat plug-ins included with Logic Studio, require a time source, and use beat and tempo information in order to play in time. Additionally, some third-party applications and plug-ins using their own sequencer or playback engine may behave differently than sequencer-based plug-ins included in Logic Studio. These plug-ins (which include Reason and other ReWire applications and Reaktor) require a play message from the host application to begin playback and require a stop message to end playback. They may also require a continue (also sometimes called resume) message to continue playback from their current time position. MainStage includes an internal beat clock or time base that you can use to control the playback of these plug-ins. The MainStage clock generates beat, time position, and tempo information so sequencer-oriented plug-ins can start, stop, and play in time. The MainStage clock operates similarly to the song position in Logic Pro. You can send play and stop messages in the following ways: Using the Play/Stop button in the toolbar, if it is visible Using the Metronome button in the toolbar, if it is visible (turning on the metronome also starts the MainStage clock, if it is not already running) Using a screen control mapped to the Play/Stop, Play, or Stop action Using a screen control mapped to the Continue action to resume playback of a third-party plug-in (but not a Playback plug-in)

Selecting Patches Using Key Commands
You can select patches in the patch selector using the following key commands:
Key command Up Arrow Down Arrow Left Arrow Right Arrow
Selection The previous patch The next patch The first patch in the previous set The first patch in the next set
Selecting Patches by Typing
You can select a patch in the Patch List by typing the first few letters of its name. To select a patch by typing its name Type the letter f then begin typing the name of the patch. , Once you type enough letters to uniquely identify the patch name, the patch is selected. To cancel typing, press Enter.
Selecting Patches Using Actions
If you have mapped screen controls to actions for selecting patches, such as selecting the previous or next patch, you can select the patches using the physical controls assigned to those screen controls as you perform. You can also select sets or the concert using actions. Buttons are particularly useful for selecting patches, sets, or the concert using actions. When selecting patches using actions, skipped patches are also skipped. For example, if you use a screen control mapped to select +10 patches, any skipped patches would not be counted in the +10. For more information, see Using MainStage Actions.
Selecting Patches Using Program Change Messages
If your MIDI device has buttons or other controls that send program change messages, you can select patches in your concert by program change number. You can use program change messages to select patches but not sets. For information about how your MIDI device sends program change messages, consult the documentation that came with the device or the manufacturers website. For information about changing the program change number for a patch, see Setting Patch Program Change Numbers.
Using Screen Controls in Performance
In performance, you use the controls on your MIDI hardware devices that are assigned to screen controls to manipulate the parameters mapped to those screen controls. When you select a new patch, the parameters you mapped for that patch are instantly available for editing.
When you move a physical control, the screen control updates based on the Respond to Hardware Move parameter in the Screen Control Inspector. If the parameter is set to Jump, the screen control instantly moves to the position of the hardware control. If the parameter is set to Pickup, the screen control starts moving when the hardware control reaches its current position. If the parameter is set to Relative, the screen control moves in sync with the hardware control, starting from its current position.
Handling Tempo Changes in Performance
When you open the concert you plan to use in your performance, MainStage uses the tempo for the concert you set in the Concert Inspector. If the Get tempo from MIDI input checkbox is selected, MainStage uses incoming MIDI beat clock to set the tempo. For information about setting and changing the tempo in a concert, see Using Tempo in a MainStage Concert. If you select a patch or set with its own tempo setting, the tempo changes to the new setting. You can also change the tempo in real time while you perform using the Tap Tempo feature, either by pressing Control-T repeatedly at the tempo you want to use, by clicking the Tap Tempo button in the toolbar repeatedly, or using a screen control mapping to the Tap Tempo action.

Appendix

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.
Transport buttons Waveform display Action menu
Sync, Snap To, Play From, and Group pop-up menus

Information display

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.
Appendix A The Playback Plug-in
Using the Playback Waveform Display
The waveform display shows the waveform of the currently loaded audio file. The vertical line in the center of the display indicates the current playback position as the waveform scrolls from right to left. Above the waveform, the time ruler displays time in either hours, minutes, and seconds (when Sync mode is off ) or bars and beats (when Sync is on). If the audio file contains marker information, the marker names and positions appear below the time ruler.
Playhead/playback position Time ruler Marker bar File field Action menu
You can drag the waveform horizontally to move to a different position while Playback is stopped. Playback starts from the new position if the Play From parameter is set to Current Position. Note: The Snap To and Play From parameters can affect playback behavior. See Using the Playback Sync, Snap To, and Play From Parameters. Markers, if present, are indicated on the marker bar, below the ruler. You can load audio files that contain markers, or add markers to the loaded audio file using the Add Marker command in the shortcut menu. For information about adding, renaming, and deleting markers, see Using the Playback Shortcut Menu. To move to different markers with the marker bar Do one of the following:

Click a marker in the marker bar to move it to the current playhead position (in the center of the waveform display). Playback begins from this position if you are in play mode. Click to the left of a marker to move the preceding marker to the centered current position indicator. Repeated clicks move earlier markers to the current position indicator. Playback begins from this position if you are in play mode.
Using the Playback Transport and Function Buttons
This section covers the buttons used for playback, fade, count-in, click, and marker navigation operations.
Return to Start button Cycle button Fade Out button Count-in button

Play/Stop button

Metronome button Previous/Next Marker button
Return to Start button: Moves to the very beginning of the audio material, but does not start playback. If Playback is in play mode, however, playback will continue from the start of the audio file. Play/Stop button: Starts or stops playback. The position playback starts from is affected by the Sync, Snap To, and Play From parameters. See Using the Playback Sync, Snap To, and Play From Parameters. Cycle button: Cycles playback between the current marker and the next marker. Audio is automatically crossfaded at the marker points to minimize clicks. If the file contains no markers, playback of the entire file is cycled. Fade Out button: Gradually lowers the volume level to silence over the number of seconds specified in the Fade Time parameter. The Fade Out button turns blue until the fade out has completed and playback stops. You can stop an active fade out by clicking the Fade Out button a second time. This gradually restores audio playback to the full volume level over the same amount of elapsed time as the fade out. Count-in button: Enables a one-bar count-in, using the MainStage metronome click. The count-in always uses the concert tempo and meter, regardless of the Sync mode. Metronome button: Turns the MainStage metronome on or off. The metronome always uses the concert tempo and meter, regardless of the Sync mode. Go to Previous Marker button: In play mode, immediately moves to the previous marker (to the left of the current playhead position) if the audio material contains markers. Playback continues from this position. If the audio file contains no markers, moves backward 8 bars (if Sync is on) or 20 seconds (if Sync is off ). Playback continues from the new position.
If Playback is stopped, moves to the previous marker or to the beginning of the audio file if the current playhead position precedes the first marker. If the file contains no markers, moves 8 bars (if Sync is on) or 20 seconds (if Sync is off ). Press Play to start playback from this position. Go to Next Marker button: In play mode, immediately moves to the next marker (to the right of the current playhead position) if the audio file contains markers. Playback continues from this position. If the audio file contains no markers, moves forward 8 bars (if Sync is on) or 20 seconds (if Sync is off ). Playback continues from the new position. If Playback is stopped, moves to the next marker or to the end of the audio file if the current playhead position is after the last marker. If the file contains no markers, playback rewinds by 8 bars (if Sync is on) or 20 seconds (if Sync is off ). Press Play to start playback from the new position.

Audio Preferences

These preferences let you set the audio output and input drivers, set the size of the I/O buffer, set the audio sample rate, and choose which note is displayed as middle C. Audio Audio Output pop-up menu: Choose the device you want to use to hear the audio output from MainStage.
Appendix C Setting MainStage Preferences
Audio Input pop-up menu: Choose the device you want to use as the source for audio input. Setup buttons: Click the Audio Output Setup button to open the Audio/MIDI Setup window and configure audio output. Click the Audio Input Setup button to open the Audio/MIDI Setup window and configure audio input. I/O Buffer Size pop-up menu: Choose the size of the buffer for audio input and output in samples. Smaller buffer sizes reduce the amount of latency, but also require more work from the CPU and may result in playback artifacts. You may want to try different settings to find the lowest setting that does not produce any artifacts. I/O Safety Buffer checkbox: When selected, MainStage uses an additional buffer to process audio output streams, providing a safeguard against crackling noises that may occur when using very low I/O Buffer Size settings. If turning on this preference doesnt improve things on your system, disable the checkbox and select a larger I/O buffer size setting. Note: Use of the I/O Safety Buffer preference increases the output latency and therefore the round trip (input plus output) latency. The latency for the current buffer size is displayed below the I/O Safety Buffer checkbox. Sample Rate pop-up menu: Choose the sample rate for audio input. If you are using an audio interface or other audio device with MainStage, the Sample Rate value should be set to the sample rate of your audio device. Apply Changes button: Click to apply changes to the input, output, sample rate, and buffer size settings. If you do not click the Apply Changes button, changes are applied when you close the Preferences window. Silence Previous Patch: Choose the amount of time sustained notes and effects tails continue to sound before falling to silence when you select a new patch. Hot-Plug Behavior pop-up menu: Choose what action MainStage takes when you hot-plug an audio device while MainStage is open. The choices are: Alert me: Displays an alert when a device is hot-plugged. The alert includes buttons allowing you to use or ignore the device. Automatically Use Device: Switches the audio drivers to allow immediate use of the hot-plugged device for audio input and output. Do Nothing: Does not switch the audio drivers. Display audio engine overload message: When selected, an alert appears when the audio engine overloads. Recording Output pop-up menu: Choose the audio output to record.

MainStage 2

Exploring MainStage

KKApple Inc. Copyright 2009 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.
Your rights to the software are governed by the accompanying software license agreement. The owner or authorized user of a valid copy of LogicStudio software may reproduce this publication for the purpose of learning to use such software. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, such as selling copies of this publication or for providing paid for support services. The Apple logo is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Use of the keyboard Apple logo (Shift-Option-K) for commercial purposes without the prior written consent of Apple may constitute trademark infringement and unfair competition in violation of federal and state laws. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this manual is accurate. Apple is not responsible for printing or clerical errors. Because Apple frequently releases new versions and updates to its system software, applications, and Internet sites, images shown in this book may be slightly different from what you see on your screen.
Apple 1 Infinite Loop Cupertino, CA 95014 408-996-1010 www.apple.com Apple, the Apple logo, Logic, LogicStudio, and MainStage are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Finder is a trademark of Apple Inc. Other company and product names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective companies. Mention of third-party products is for informational purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the performance or use of these products.

Contents

27 Chapter 1: A First Look at MainStage Getting Ready Opening MainStage Exploring Edit Mode Exploring Layout Mode Exploring Perform Mode Exploring Full Screen Mode Key Concepts Chapter 2: Adding and Organizing Patches Getting Ready Adding a Patch Selecting Patches Organizing Patches in the Patch List
30 Playing Patches 31 Key Concepts

Chapter 3: Editing Patches Adding a Channel Strip Changing the Channel Strip Setting Adding a Plug-in Creating a Keyboard Split Key Concepts
43 Chapter 4: Learning Controller Assignments 44 Learning a Controller Assignment 46 Key Concepts 64 Chapter 5: Mapping Screen Controls Mapping a Screen Control to a Parameter Mapping a Screen Control to an Action Mapping a Screen Control to Multiple Parameters Editing a Parameter Graph Key Concepts Chapter 6: Working with Concerts and Sets Adjusting the Overall Concert Volume Defining the Tempo for a Concert Adding a Concert-Wide Effect Adding a Set-Level Channel Strip Overriding Concert- and SetLevel Mappings Key Concepts

Chapter 7: Editing Concert Layouts Adding Screen Controls Arranging Screen Controls Grouping Screen Controls Editing Layout Parameters Customizing the MainStage Window
76 Key Concepts Chapter 8: Playing Back Audio Adding a Playback Plug-in Using Playback Plug-in Parameters Key Concepts Chapter 9: Performing Live with MainStage Before the Performance Starts Using Perform or Full Screen Mode Selecting Patches in Performance
88 Using the Tuner 89 Silencing MIDI Notes or Audio Output 91 Chapter 10: Getting Answers 91 Exploring MainStage Help 92 Whats Next?
A First Look at MainStage
Welcome to MainStage. If youre new to MainStage, this guide is for you. Youll learn by doing as you work on a concert, customize your sounds, and get ready to perform.
MainStage turns your computer into a powerful, customizable musical instrument and effects processor that you can use with your music gear in live performance. Whether you are a keyboard player, a guitarist, a vocalist, or play another instrument, you can use MainStage in your rig when you play live. This Exploring guide presents the main features of MainStage and guides you in trying out different parts of the application. Youll start by learning the basics and move on to more advanced features you can use when you perform live with MainStage. If you prefer to learn by reading in-depth explanations of the features and controls in MainStage, open MainStage, then choose Help > MainStage Help to view the MainStage User Manual.

Getting Ready

Before you begin, you should install MainStage on your computer. For instructions, see the Installing Your Software booklet that comes with LogicStudio. You should also connect the music equipment that you plan to use, such as a MIDI controller, audio interface, musical instruments, or microphone, to your computer. For more information about using music hardware with MainStage, see the Setting Up Your System chapter in the MainStage User Manual.

Opening MainStage

You start by opening MainStage and creating a new concert from a template. Open MainStage: mm Double-click the MainStage icon in your Applications folder or click the icon in the Dock.
When you open MainStage, and each time you create or close a concert, the Choose Template dialog appears, showing available concert templates for keyboards, guitars, vocals, and other instruments.
Chapter 1A First Look at MainStage
Choose a concert template: 1 Click an instrument from the list on the left to see the templates for that instrument type. If you play a keyboard controller, select Keyboards to view keyboard templates featuring software instrument patches. If you play an electric guitar, select Guitar Rigs to view guitar templates featuring audio patches with guitar amps and effects. 2 Scroll through the available templates to find the one you want. 3 Double-click the template you want to use. A new concert created from the template opens in a full screen window. In the center of the MainStage window, the workspace shows the screen controls that correspond to the controls on your MIDI hardware. To the left of the workspace is the Patch List, where you can select patches and sets in the concert. The channel strips for the selected patch appear in the Channel Strips area to the right of the workspace. Below the workspace is the Inspector, which shows parameters for different items when you select them.
The new concert will look similar to this:

Workspace

Patch List

Inspector

Channel Strips area
Name and save the concert: 1 Choose File > Save. 2 Enter a name for the concert in the name field. 3 Click Save.

Exploring Edit Mode

A new concert opens in Edit mode. Edit mode is where you create, customize, and organize your sounds, called patches. Patches contain channel strips with LogicPro instruments and effects. You can add and edit patches, add channel strips, and create keyboard layers and splits to customize your sounds. Edit mode is also where you map screen controls to channel strip parameters and actions, and edit patch, set, and concert-level parameters. A new concert contains at least one patch, which is selected in the Patch List. Below the workspace, the Patch Library is open so that you can select and audition different patch settings for the selected patch.

Adding and Organizing Patches
You add and organize the patches in a MainStage concert in the Patch List.
A MainStage concert can hold all the patches youll use in one performance or a series of performances. The number of patches you can have in a concert is limited only by the amount of available memory in your system. MainStage includes a Patch Library with a large collection of patch settings for software instruments, guitar rigs, audio effects setups, and more. When you add a patch, you can select a patch setting for it in the Patch Library to play or to use as a starting point for your own custom setting.
You add, organize, and edit patches in Edit mode. If the concert is currently in another mode, switch to Edit mode before you continue working. Switch to Edit mode: mm Click Edit at the upper-left corner of the toolbar (or press Command-2).

Adding a Patch

By default, most new MainStage concerts contain at least one patch. When you add a patch, it appears below the selected patch in the Patch List.
Add a patch: mm Click the Add Patch button (+), located in the upperright corner of the Patch List. A new patch appears in the Patch List. The Patch Library tab is selected in the Patch Inspector so you can quickly audition patch settings and select one for the new patch. The patch settings visible in the Patch Library match the type of concert template used to create the concert: if you selected a Keyboard template, software instrument patches appear in the Patch Library. If you selected a Guitar Rig template, audio patches with guitar amps and effects appear.
Click the Add Patch button to add a new patch.
Chapter 2Adding and Organizing Patches
Select a patch setting: mm In the Patch Library, select a patch setting, then play the patch to audition the new setting. Try out different patch settings until you find one you like.
When you select a patch setting, the patch name changes to match the patch setting. You can also give the selected patch a custom name to identify it. Name the patch: mm In the Patch List, double-click the patch name, then type a new name for the patch. Add another patch: mm Add a third patch to your concert, following the steps described above. Select a different patch setting for the patch, and give the patch a custom name.

Selecting Patches

After you have added a few patches to your concert, you can quickly select patches in the Patch List and start playing the selected patch.
Select a patch in the Patch List: mm Click a patch in the Patch List to select it, then start playing the selected patch. mm Try sustaining some notes while you select a new patch. Notice that the notes continue to sustain, but you can play notes using the new patch.

Chapter 3Editing Patches

If you are using a Keyboard concert, use software instrument channel strips for the following tasks. If you are using a Guitar Rig concert, use audio channel strips.
Add a channel strip to a patch: 1 Select the patch you want to work with in the Patch List. 2 Click the Add Channel Strip (+) button at the upper-right corner of the Channel Strips area. 3 In the New Channel Strip dialog, select Software Instrument as the type if you are playing a keyboard, or select Audio as the type if you are playing a guitar.
4 Choose the audio output for the channel strip from the Output popup menu.
5 Do one of the following: For software instrument channel strips, choose the MIDI input device from the MIDI Input pop-up menu. (The menu shows recognized input devices by name, while other devices appear as Keyboard1, Keyboard2, and so on.) For audio channel strips, choose mono from the Format popup menu and choose the audio input source from the Input popup menu. 6 Click Create. A new channel strip appears in the Channel Strips area and is highlighted. The Channel Strip Inspector appears below the workspace, showing the Channel Strip Library. 7 For audio channel strips, play or sing, gradually raising the channel strip volume fader until you hear sound on the channel. Important: Audio channel strips can produce feedback, particularly if you are using a microphone. When you add an audio channel strip, the volume of the channel strip is set to silence, and Feedback Protection is turned on to alert you when feedback occurs on the channel strip. When you add an external instrument channel strip, the volume of the channel strip is set to silence, but Feedback Protection is turned off.
Changing the Channel Strip Setting
In MainStage, you can access the LogicPro Channel Strip Library, which contains a large collection of predesigned channel strip settings. After you choose a new setting, you can quickly change the instrument, effects, and other parameters to customize the sound to your liking.
Choose a channel strip setting from the Channel Strip Library: 1 In the Channel Strips area, select the channel strip you want to change. The selected channel strip appears highlighted. 2 In the Channel Strip Inspector, click the Channel Strip Library tab.
Available settings for the channel strip appear in the Channel Strip Library. LogicStudio content appears in a series of folders with different instrument categories. If you have GarageBand or any JamPacks installed on your computer, their settings appear below the LogicStudio settings.
3 Click a category from the column on the left, then click subcategories from the columns on the right until you see the settings you want. 4 Click the new channel strip setting. 5 Play the patch. Try out different channel strip settings and see how the sound changes.

Adding a Plug-in

In addition to the plug-ins included in patch and channel strip settings, you can add individual plug-ins to a channel strip and adjust plug-in parameters to dial in your custom sound. You add a plug-in to a channel strip in MainStage in exactly the same way as you do in LogicPro.
Add an effect plug-in to a channel strip: mm Click one of the empty Insert slots on the channel strip, choose an effect category from the Plug-in menu, then choose an effect from the submenu. Change the instrument plug-in for a software instrument channel strip: mm Click the Instrument slot on the software instrument channel strip, choose an instrument category from the Plug-in menu, then choose an effect from the submenu. Choose a different plug-in setting: mm Click the Insert or Instrument slot containing the plug-in, then select a new plug-in setting from the Plug-in Library below the workspace.
Adjust plug-in settings: mm Double-click the Insert or Instrument slot containing the plug-in, then try adjusting different controls in the plug-in window. Your changes are saved for as long as the concert is open. To save changes to channel strip and plug-in parameters permanently, save the concert before closing it.
Creating a Keyboard Split
When you add a software instrument channel strip to a patch, it extends over the entire MIDI keyboard range (C2 to G8). Two or more channel strips in the same range produce a layered sound. You can easily create keyboard splits in your patches so different channel strips cover different parts of the keyboard. You create keyboard splits by defining a key range for each channel strip. Key ranges can have floating split points, in which case the high and low notes of the key range change depending on the keys you play as you approach them.
Open the Layer Editor: 1 Select a layered patch, or add a channel strip to an existing patch. 2 In the Channel Strips area, select the first (leftmost) channel strip. The Channel Strip Inspector appears below the workspace.
3 In the Channel Strip Inspector, click the Layer Editor tab. The Layer Editor shows a horizontal, colored layer for each channel strip in the patch. The layer for the selected channel strip is highlighted.
Create a keyboard split: mm Move the pointer to the left edge of a layer, then drag the layer right to set the Low Key for the layer. mm Move the pointer to the right edge of a layer, then drag the layer right to set the High Key for the layer. Define floating split points: mm Enter a value in the Low Key Floating value slider. You can type an integer value, click the arrows to increment or decrement the value, or drag the slider to set the number of notes used for the split.

mm Enter a value in the High Key Floating value slider, in the same way as you did for the Low Key Floating Split value slider.
Now when you play notes leading down to the Low Key note, or play notes leading up to the High Key note, the key range extends to follow your playing by the number of semitones defined for the floating split point.
Key range:For software instrument channel strips, the key range defines the incoming MIDI notes that will produce sound using the generator of the software instrument. Two instruments with overlapping key ranges create a layer. Keyboard split:A patch containing two or more channel strips, the key ranges of which are adjacent, so the sound is produced by different instruments depending on which notes you play.
Learning Controller Assignments
You make connections between your hardware MIDI devices and a MainStage concert by learning controller assignments.
A MainStage concert contains information about which knobs, sliders, and other controls on your MIDI hardware devices control the screen controls in the workspace.You make connections between your MIDI hardware and the concert by assigning hardware controls to the screen controls in the workspace. You only need to make controller assignments once for a concert as long as you are using the same music hardware. MainStage recognizes many popular MIDI devices and automatically assigns some screen controls to hardware controls it recognizes. For many popular keyboard controllers, the pitch bend and mod wheels and the sustain pedal will work without any further configuration. For other controls, you need to learn controller assignments before you can use them to manipulate the screen controls in your MainStage concert.
Learning a Controller Assignment
You can quickly assign hardware controls to screen controls using the Learn process, which is similar to learning controller assignments for a control surface in LogicPro.
mm Make sure your MIDI hardware device is connected to your computer and is working. mm Move the controls on the device and observe the Activity Monitor to make sure MainStage is receiving MIDI input from the device.
Switch to Layout mode: mm Click the Layout button in the toolbar (or press Command-1). MainStage switches to Layout mode. Learn a controller assignment: 1 In the workspace, select the screen control you want to learn. The selected control appears highlighted in a blue rectangle.
Chapter 4Learning Controller Assignments
2 Press Command-L. The rectangle around the screen control turns red to indicate that the Learn process is active.
The Learn button glows red when the Learn process is active.
3 On your MIDI device, move the control you want to assign. Move faders and knobs through their full range of motion, and press buttons exactly three times (not too quickly) to enable MainStage to correctly learn the MIDI message types sent by these controls. Notice that some values in the Screen Control Inspector change to reflect the type of hardware control learned by the screen control. Any incoming MIDI messages appear in the Activity Monitor. 4 Learn additional controller assignments by selecting another screen control and moving the hardware control you want to assign to it. You can learn as many assignments as you wish while Learn mode is active. 5 When you are finished assigning controls, press Command-L again to turn off the Learn process.

Mapping:The connection between a screen control and a channel strip or plug-in parameter that allows you to change the parameters value using the screen control. Action:A MainStage function that can be controlled by a screen control to the action. MainStage actions are available in the Actions folder of the Parameter Mapping browser, and include functions for selecting patches and sets, tapping the tempo, showing the Tuner, displaying transport information, and more. Graph:A visual representation of a range of parameter values. MainStage includes transform, velocity scaling, and parameter graphs that you can edit to remap input values to different output values.
Working with Concerts and Sets
You can define the tempo for a concert, control the overall concert volume, and add channel strips at the concert level so they are available in every patch.
You can also edit parameters for a set, use the set to change the tempo, and add channel strips at the set level so they are available in every patch in the set.
Adjusting the Overall Concert Volume
Each MainStage concert contains Output and Master channel strips that you can use to control the overall volume of the concert. The Master channel strip always controls the output volume of the entire concert. If the concert has multiple Output channel strips, each Output channel strip controls the volume level for a particular (mono or stereo) physical output. You can use the Output and Master channel strips to control the overall volume in the same way you control the overall volume of a LogicPro project.
Adjust the overall volume level of a concert: 1 In the Patch List, select the concert icon. 2 In the workspace, click a fader screen control. (If there is none, add one.)
A new tab titled Unmapped appears in the Screen Control Inspector. The tab is selected, and the Parameter Mapping browser appears in the Inspector. 3 In the leftmost column of the Parameter Mapping browser, select Output 1-2. 4 From the column to the right, select Volume. 5 Drag the fader assigned to the fader screen control. Observe that the volume of the concert changes in step with the movements of the fader.

Chapter 6Working with Concerts and Sets
Defining the Tempo for a Concert
Each concert has a tempo, which you can change in different ways while you are performing. The tempo controls time-based plug-in parameters, such as delay times, and affects sequencer-oriented plug-ins such as Playback as well as ReWire applications. When you open a concert, the Tempo setting in the Concert Inspector is used as the tempo. You can change the tempo by selecting a patch or set with its own Tempo setting or by tapping a tempo. When you change the tempo, MainStage uses the new tempo until you change it again or until you close the concert.
Set the initial tempo for a concert: 1 In the Patch List, select the concert icon. 2 In the Concert Inspector, drag the Tempo slider or change the value using the value slider.

Drag the Tempo slider

or set the tempo using the value slider.
Tap the tempo using your computer keyboard: mm Press ControlT several times at the desired tempo.
Chapter 6Working with Concerts and Sets 57
Tap the tempo using the Tap Tempo button: mm Click the Tap Tempo button in the toolbar several times at the desired tempo. Change the tempo by selecting a patch: 1 Select the patch you want to use to change the tempo. 2 In the Patch Inspector, select the General tab. 3 Select the Change Tempo To checkbox. 4 Set the patch tempo using the Change Tempo To value slider.
Click the Change Tempo To checkbox and drag the slider.
When you select the patch, the tempo changes to the value set in the Change Tempo To slider.
Adding a Concert-Wide Effect
You can add concert-wide effects such as reverb and delay using sends and auxiliary channels (auxes). When you choose a send from the Send slot on a channel strip in a patch, the corresponding auxiliary (aux) channel strip appears at the concert level. You can insert effects on the aux and have those effects apply to every channel strip sending its signal to the aux.
Send a channel strip signal to an aux: 1 In the Patch List, select a patch you want to use with a concert-wide effect. 2 In the Channel Strips area, click one of the Send slots on the first channel strip (not an aux) and choose Bus 3 from the menu.
Choose a bus from the Send menu.
3 Drag the Send knob next to the slot to set the amount of the signal sent through the bus to the aux. A new auxiliary channel strip, Aux 3, appears in the Channel Strips area. Add a concert-wide effect to the aux: mm Click one of the Insert slots on the Aux 3 channel strip, then choose an effect from the Effects menu. Try out different effects and see how they change the sound of the patch. mm Double-click the effect in the Insert slot to open the plug-in window, then adjust parameters in the plugin window. mm Choose another patch and click one of the Send slots on a channel strip in the patch. Bus 3 (Aux 3) is available to add to a channel strip in any patch in the concert. You can also add concert-wide effects to an aux at the patch level if Show Signal Flow Channel Strips is active.

Adding a Set-Level Channel Strip
You can add channel strips at the set level and play the setlevel channel strips together with every patch in the set. This can be useful, for example, if you want to use the same bass instrument in a single song or group of songs. You can place the patches for all of the songs in a set, add a channel strip at the set level, and then add a bass instrument to the setlevel channel strip. You can set the key range of the bass instrument to play only notes in the lower octaves so that you can play it together with your patches. When you add a channel strip at the set level, it takes precedence over the channel strips in all of the patches in the set. For example, if you add a software instrument channel strip at the set level, the software instrument takes precedence over the software instruments in all of the patches in the set that fall within the same key range as the concertwide software instrument. You can define the key range for the set-level instrument so it does not overlap the key ranges of any patches you want to play.
Add a channel strip at the set level: 1 In the Patch List, select the set. 2 Click the Add Channel Strip (+) button at the top of the Channel Strips area. 3 In the New Channel Strip dialog, select the type of channel strip you want to create. 4 Choose the audio output for the channel strip from the Output popup menu. 5 For audio channel strips, choose mono or stereo format from the Format popup menu and choose the audio input from the Input popup menu. 6 Click Create.
Overriding Concert- and SetLevel Mappings
By default, mappings you make at the concert level (to parameters and actions) take precedence over mappings for individual patches or sets in the concert. If you map a screen control to a parameter at the concert level (for example, to Master Volume), that screen control cannot be mapped to a parameter or action in a patch or set unless you override the concert-level mapping. Similarly, mappings you make at the set level take precedence over mappings for any patches in the set. If you map a screen control to a parameter at the set level (for example, to an effect on a setlevel channel strip), that screen control cannot be mapped to a parameter or action in a patch in the set, unless you override the setlevel mapping. When a screen control is mapped at another level, the parameters in the Screen Control Inspector are dimmed and are unavailable. You can override the concert- and setlevel mappings for an individual patch, and then map the screen control at the patch level.

1 Drag three different audio files between two existing channel strips in the Channel Strips area. 2 Choose A from the Group pop-up menu for two of the Playback plug-ins. 3 Choose B from the Group menu of the third Playback plug-in. 4 Click the Play button for one of the two plug-ins in Group A. The other plug-in in Group A starts, but the plug-in in Group B does not start. 5 Try using the Return to Start, Fade Out, and other parameters to see how they affect the plug-ins in Group A and the plug-in in Group B.
Tempo information:Information stored in an audio file that indicates the tempo at which it was recorded. Apple Loops and files exported from LogicPro 9 contain tempo information that the Playback plug-in can use. Sync:Short for synchronize. The Sync parameter lets you control whether an audio file containing tempo information plays at its recorded tempo or at the current tempo of the MainStage concert. Group:Each instance of the Playback plug-in can be a member of a group (there are 26 possible groups, indicated by the letters A to Z). When you start playback of any member of a group, all members of the group start playing, and all other groups stop playing. You can stop playback of all members of a group and control other parameters, including Cycle, Fade Out, Go to Previous Marker, and Go to Next Marker, for all members of a group.
Performing Live with MainStage
Now your concert is ready to goits time to play.
This chapter includes some tips you can use when you play live with MainStage.
Before the Performance Starts
Here are a few things to check before you start performing: Make sure your MIDI controllers, instruments, microphones, and other music equipment are connected to your computer and are working. Select a patch with a software instrument channel strip and play your keyboard controller. Watch the Activity Monitor to verify that MainStage is receiving MIDI input from the controller, and make sure you can hear the audio output. Check to ensure that any instruments or microphones you plan to play through audio channel strips are connected to the correct audio inputs on your audio interface. Select a patch with an audio channel strip and play or sing to check whether you can hear audio output. For the best results, close any applications that you do not need while performing, particularly applications with high processor or RAM requirements. Make sure you are not connected to any wired or wireless networks.

Using Perform or Full Screen Mode
When you perform live, you can use either Perform mode or Full Screen mode, depending on which you prefer. Each mode offers some advantages for different performance situations. If you need to access other applications or access buttons in the toolbar, use Perform mode. If you want to view the workspace at maximum size on your display and do not need to access the Finder or the toolbar, use Full Screen mode.
Switch to Perform mode: mm Choose View > Perform (or press Command-3). Try practicing some of the songs youll perform, and see how you like working in Perform mode. Switch to Full Screen mode: mm Choose View > Full Screen (or press Command-4). Try practicing some songs and see which mode you prefer to work in. Exit Full Screen mode: mm Do one of the following Press the Escape (Esc) key. Click the circled X in the upper-left corner of the screen. Use the key command for one of the other modes (Command-1 through Command-3).
Chapter 9Performing Live with MainStage
Selecting Patches in Performance
In Full Screen or Perform mode, you can view and select patches using the selector screen control in your layout. Patches and sets appear in the selector in the same order as in the Patch List in Edit mode. When you select a patch, you can start playing it instantly. If you are sustaining notes from the previous patch, they continue to be sustained until you release the notes or the sustain pedal. If the previous patch contains effects (such as a reverb or delay effect) with a release tail, the effect tail continues sounding for the amount of time set in the Silence Previous Patch pop-up menu in MainStage Preferences.
Select patches using key commands: mm Press Down Arrow to select the next patch in the selector. Do this several times to move through the patches in the selector. mm Press Up Arrow to select the previous patch. Do this several times until you return to the first patch in the selector. mm Press CommandRight Arrow to select the first patch in the next set. mm Press CommandLeft Arrow to select the first patch in the previous set.

Using the Tuner

If you play guitar or another instrument using audio channel strips, you can use the built-in Tuner to tune your instrument while you are performing.
Tune an instrument using the Tuner: 1 Select the audio channel strip to which the instrument you want to tune is connected. Note: The Tuner only works on the first audio instrument in a patch. Channel strips that can use the Tuner are indicated by a tuning fork icon near the top of the channel strip. 2 Click the Tuner icon in the toolbar (or press Command-T). The Tuner appears in the workspace. 3 Play a single note on your instrument, and watch the Tuner display. As you play, the Tuner shows the note name of the closest note. If the note is not in tune, red vertical bars appear on the left or right side of the Tuner, showing whether the note is sharp or flat. 4 Adjust the tuning peg for the string you are tuning until the only vertical bar appears in the center and is blue in color.

Whats Next?

Youve now had a brief introduction to MainStage and a selection of its features. You can continue to experiment with the included templates and patches or edit them to create your own. Refer to MainStage Help for the in-depth information you need.
Chapter 10Getting Answers