Basic Mainstage Question

[RoadHousePiano]

Hi all, I have a pretty basic Mainstage question. If I'm using Mainstage(or any VST) with a keyboard that I will also being using as a sound source...in this case, an Electro 2.... whats the best way to mute Mainstage when I'm not using those sounds? I plan on running an out from my electro and an out from my Mac into a stereo mixer which I'll then run into the PA. Is it as simple as just turning the level down on my mixer for the sound source that I'm not using at that time?

[yannis D]

You can go either ways

1) you move the mixer faders depending on which source is on at the time - Electro or Mainstage (or both)

2) You pass you electro through Mainstage and you mute either the VST's channels or the Nord audio channel. This way you can use Mainstages's effects as a plus

 

 

[ELP71]

Yannis #2 is the best solution unless you're on the fly constantly - create a concert in Mainstage that follows your set. Mute/unmute accordingly

[RoadHousePiano]

Thanks guys. #1 was what I was thinking but #2 sounds intriguing. Might be a little more involved than I'm accustomed to. But I'll definitely look into it as an option.

[yannis D]

I don't disagree that the solution #2 is more intriguing. But sometimes i prefer to have a separate out from my hardware synth, so if something happens with the macbook i can still do the gig.

Of course you can send a mono out to the Mainstage and a mono out to the mixer just in case you have problems. (or your stereo out from the instrument to the Mainstage and the mic out to the mixer...)

[Iconoclast]

I've created a mainstage patch I call zero. It has no instruments.

 

But I'm intrigued by #2 above, I haven't tried running my other instruments through Mainstage's effects. hmmm, I'll have to think about that.

 

I actually have two keyboards tied through mainstage, an S90 and an XK3c. It can get a little complicated at times. When things get hectic I know I can always:

 

Silence the S90 with patch saved as silence that's a favorite, or put the S90 vol pedal to zero.

Silence the XK3c with a vol pedal in the organs pedalboard (yes, I have a pedalboard for my organ).

Silence the Mainstage instruments by selecting the zero program (which I just realized I have ironically saved under the #1).

 

You could conceivably have a volume pedal assigned specifically to your mainstage instruments and one to your keyboard internal instruments. That way, when your hands are full you can just stomp one to zero if you're getting something you didn't expect. I just don't have enough room under my rig for another volume pedal.

 

I play guitar too, and I can't tell you how many times I've turned around from playing guitar and a mainstage instrument was on that I didn't expect, so it's really nice to be able to disable them quickly.

[Markay]

MainStage is designed to be a Master controller of both internal sounds and effects - AU's, and external sounds such as those in the Electro.

 

When you set up a patch, in the Channel Strip you have the option of selecting an external sound source. In this case it should be a simple matter of selecting the Electro as the external sound source, then the sound you want, AP or whatever, and when you change to that patch that will be all you hear, unless you have additional channel strips set up in that patch.

[RoadHousePiano]

I'm somewhat embarrassed by my lack of tech savvy. But, i think I can manage a crack at running the Electro through Mainstage and going that route. Seems like the best option.

[Iconoclast]

Don't be embarrassed. There's a huge black hole of knowledge when it comes to midi. The answers should be simple, but it's tough to wade through all the noise and figger out how to make it work for your specific purposes and equipment.

 

I have some caveman work-arounds in my rig, but I need to be able to recover from switch errors quickly without using a hand (if possible) so I have a volume pedal for each instrument just in case something unexpected happens. I expect the unexpected.

 

I'm certain there's more elegant ways to do it.

[Synthaholic]

2) You pass you electro through Mainstage and you mute either the VST's channels or the Nord audio channel. This way you can use Mainstages's effects as a plus

 

 

As long as basic questions are being asked: do you guys actually fiddle with a laptop in between songs? I mean, are you having to work a mouse or the touchpad before each song in order to mute/unmute these channels?

 

Unless I had a set show, with segues, etc. I can't conceive of making up a setlist that I was married to each night. Audiences are all different. I just decide while I'm playing a song what the next song is going to be. I have never checked out Mainstage but it seems rigid.

 

Please excuse my ignorance if my reply seems ignorant. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v707/HandsomeTramp/smilies/04.gif

[EscapeRocks]

2) You pass you electro through Mainstage and you mute either the VST's channels or the Nord audio channel. This way you can use Mainstages's effects as a plus

 

 

As long as basic questions are being asked: do you guys actually fiddle with a laptop in between songs? I mean, are you having to work a mouse or the touchpad before each song in order to mute/unmute these channels?

 

 

Not ignorant. There are any ways to set things up for one's specific needs.

 

When I am using Mainstage, it is treated as another sound module, so to speak, in my rig.

 

I still have my MOXF and FA08. My MOXF6 is in master mode.

It calls the patches on Mainstage and itself.

 

Mainstage then calls the proper Studio set on the FA08 if using an internal FA08 tone.

 

Doing it this way, I NEVER touch the MacBook after setting it up and loading Mainstage.

 

Another benefit is my MOXF is also my audio interface. It has its own volume slider for DAW, so if something glitches in Mainstage, I have instant control.

[Reezekeys]

As long as basic questions are being asked: do you guys actually fiddle with a laptop in between songs? I mean, are you having to work a mouse or the touchpad before each song in order to mute/unmute these channels?

Not me - and I can't imagine having to do it.

 

Song presets are tied to program changes I send from my keyboard. My laptop can be in the next room, as long as the USB cable from my keyboard can reach it.

[Markay]

As long as basic questions are being asked: do you guys actually fiddle with a laptop in between songs? I mean, are you having to work a mouse or the touchpad before each song in order to mute/unmute these channels?

 

Unless I had a set show, with segues, etc. I can't conceive of making up a setlist that I was married to each night. Audiences are all different. I just decide while I'm playing a song what the next song is going to be. I have never checked out Mainstage but it seems rigid.

 

Please excuse my ignorance if my reply seems ignorant. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v707/HandsomeTramp/smilies/04.gif

 

MainStage is far from rigid. It offers more flexibility in the way it can be setup than any hardware board. In hardware the Kronos probably comes closest.

 

The structure is built around Concerts, Sets, and Patches with each patch containing as many channel strips as the user requires. In each channel strip you specify the VI and the preset for that VI, and effects.

 

While the patches cater for any number of splits or layers per patch that a song requires, the patches could be set up per VI, one for AP, the next for EP and so on. Then you can move between your sounds by changing patches, just like pressing buttons on an Electro for example.

 

MainStage is designed to be entirely controlled from a controller during performance.

 

Everything in MainStage including patch change, can be mapped via midi to your controller's faders, encoders, pads and buttons.

 

Unique to MainStage is that in Performance mode there is an on screen display of all patches in the loaded Concert and all mapped controls and the keybed of your controller, all colour coded to show the splits and layers active for that patch.

 

Setting up MainStage to interact with every available midi send function offered by the selected controller is the first step when starting up MainStage for the first time.

 

MainStage's flexibility and deep level of programming requires spending time learning it, Apple provides manuals with over 1,000 pages of info plus there are many free and paid tutorials ranging from basic setup to advanced.

 

As the OP acknowledges it is their lack of knowledge in how to set up MainStage that has lead them to the point where they are trying to mute and unmute sounds manually. David's post above explains how he has integrated external sounds into MainStage.

 

[Synthaholic]

Thanks for the information, guys! I will definitely check this out.

 

One more question: How many computers per license can you install it on? I would want it on my laptop, by backup laptop, and my desktop, for working at home.

[RoadHousePiano]

Lots of great info here, thanks so much everyone. A few more questions; i realize that a Nord E2 isnt an ideal controller but for now it's what I'll be using. If I map certain controls to the various dials, will it save those mappings after everything is shut down or will I have to re do everything?

[Joe Muscara]

Thanks for the information, guys! I will definitely check this out.

 

One more question: How many computers per license can you install it on? I would want it on my laptop, by backup laptop, and my desktop, for working at home.

You buy it through the Mac App Store. It's tied to your Apple ID. I'm pretty sure if your account is set up on all three Macs, you should be good to go.

[Ken Beaumont]

You buy it through the Mac App Store. It's tied to your Apple ID. I'm pretty sure if your account is set up on all three Macs, you should be good to go.

 

Yes, I have Mainstage on both my laptop and desktop.

[Ulf]

But sometimes i prefer to have a separate out from my hardware synth, so if something happens with the macbook i can still do the gig.

 

Speaking from experience (with Mainstage) I fully understand that.

 

[yannis D]

Thanks for the information, guys! I will definitely check this out.

 

One more question: How many computers per license can you install it on? I would want it on my laptop, by backup laptop, and my desktop, for working at home.

You buy it through the Mac App Store. It's tied to your Apple ID. I'm pretty sure if your account is set up on all three Macs, you should be good to go.

 

you can save your patches. Actually the internal Mainstage organ is better than the old Electro's organ... If not better, at least equal. and if you want to put some money for VST's there are many which are way better than the E2 - Scarbee rhodes, VB3 organ and so on..

Arrange your patches and you're ready to go. But always have a hardware output free just in case

[Iconoclast]

I actually select all my Mainstage patches directly from the laptop, but it's as easy as hitting the inc/dec button or a number button. Occasionally when something goes wrong or we're changing on the fly, I have to use the trackpad but that's rare. It's no more invasive than hitting a patch button on your keyboard.

 

I started using mainstage when I was in a band that did a lot of improve and changing set lists, so I don't have everything programmed as beautifully as some of the dudes above obviously have!

 

My "set list" contains all the Mainstage patches I use for a specific band. I can have 10-12 open at a time and I've never had a problem with latency as long as you're careful with what's in each patch (multiple instances of space designer will kill you).

[Synthaholic]

Thanks for the information, guys! I will definitely check this out.

 

One more question: How many computers per license can you install it on? I would want it on my laptop, by backup laptop, and my desktop, for working at home.

You buy it through the Mac App Store. It's tied to your Apple ID. I'm pretty sure if your account is set up on all three Macs, you should be good to go.

 

Oh, shit. I don't have any Macs. I didn't even know Mainstage was an Apple product. There isn't a Windows or Linux version?

 

If not, are there any competing products for Windows?

 

Sorry if I wasted anyone's time.

[Markay]

Cantabile or Forte. Cantabile has free version so you can get a feel for how it works before buying. Cantabile Perfomer has similar functionality to MainStage.

[Synthaholic]

Cantabile or Forte. Cantabile has free version so you can get a feel for how it works before buying. Cantabile Perfomer has similar functionality to MainStage.

 

Thank you!