MainStage User Guide
- Welcome
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- Overview of Edit mode
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- Select patches and sets in the Patch List
- Copy, paste, and delete patches
- Reorder and move patches in the Patch List
- Add and rename patches
- Create a patch from several patches
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- Overview of the Patch Settings Inspector
- Select patch settings in the Patch Library
- Set the time signature for patches
- Change the tempo when you select a patch
- Set program change and bank numbers
- Defer patch changes
- Instantly silence the previous patch
- Change patch icons
- Transpose the pitch of incoming notes for a patch
- Change the tuning for a patch
- Add text notes to a patch
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- Overview of channel strips
- Add a channel strip
- Change a channel strip setting
- Configure channel strip components
- Show signal flow channel strips
- Hide the metronome channel strip
- Create an alias of a channel strip
- Add a patch bus
- Set channel strip pan or balance positions
- Set channel strip volume levels
- Mute and solo channel strips
- Use multiple instrument outputs
- Use external MIDI instruments
- Reorganize channel strips
- Delete channel strips
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- Overview of the Channel Strip Inspector
- Choose channel strip settings
- Rename channel strips
- Change channel strip colors
- Change channel strip icons
- Use feedback protection with channel strips
- Set keyboard input for a software instrument channel strip
- Transpose individual software instruments
- Filter MIDI messages
- Scale channel strip velocity
- Set channel strips to ignore Hermode tuning
- Override concert- and set-level key ranges
- Add text notes to a channel strip in the Channel Strip Inspector
- Route audio via send effects
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- Screen Control Inspector overview
- Replace parameter labels
- Choose custom colors for screen controls
- Change background or grouped screen control appearance
- Set screen controls to show the hardware value
- Set parameter change behavior for screen controls
- Set hardware matching behavior for screen controls
- Reset and compare changes to a patch
- Override concert- and set-level mappings
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- Overview of mapping screen controls
- Map to channel strip and plug-in parameters
- Map screen controls to actions
- Map a screen control to multiple parameters
- Use screen controls to display PDF document pages
- Edit the saved value for a mapped parameter
- Set drum pads or buttons to use note velocity
- Map screen controls to all channel strips in a patch
- Undo screen control parameter mappings
- Remove screen control mappings
- Work with graphs
- Create controller transforms
- Share patches and sets between concerts
- Record the audio output of a concert
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- Overview of concerts
- Create a concert
- Open and close concerts
- Save concerts
- How saving affects parameter values
- Clean up concerts
- Consolidate assets in a concert
- Rename the current concert
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- Overview of the Concert Settings Inspector
- Set MIDI Routing to channel strips
- Transpose incoming note pitch for a concert
- Define the program change message source
- Send unused program changes to channel strips
- Set the time signature for a concert
- Change the tuning for a concert
- Set the pan law for a concert
- Add text notes to a concert
- Control the metronome
- Silence MIDI notes
- Mute audio output
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- Layout mode overview
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- Screen control parameter editing overview
- Lift and stamp screen control parameters
- Reset screen control parameters
- Common screen control parameters
- Keyboard screen control parameters
- MIDI activity screen control parameters
- Drum pad screen control parameters
- Waveform screen control parameters
- Selector screen control parameters
- Text screen control parameters
- Background screen control parameters
- How MainStage passes through MIDI messages
- Export and import layouts
- Change the aspect ratio of a layout
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- Before performing live
- Use Perform mode
- Screen controls in performance
- Tempo changes during performance
- Tips for performing with keyboard controllers
- Tips for performing with guitars and other instruments
- Tune guitars and other instruments with the Tuner
- The Playback plug-in in performance
- Record your performances
- After the performance
- Tips for complex hardware setups
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- Overview of keyboard shortcuts and command sets
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- Concerts and layouts keyboard shortcuts
- Patches and sets (Edit mode) keyboard shortcuts
- Editing keyboard shortcuts
- Actions keyboard shortcuts
- Parameter mapping (Edit mode) keyboard shortcuts
- Channel strips (Edit mode) keyboard shortcuts
- Screen controls (Layout mode) keyboard shortcuts
- Perform in Full Screen keyboard shortcuts
- Window and view keyboard shortcuts
- Help and support keyboard shortcuts
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- Use MIDI plug-ins
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- Arpeggiator overview
- Arpeggiator control parameters
- Note order parameters overview
- Note order variations
- Note order inversions
- Arpeggiator pattern parameters overview
- Use Live mode
- Use Grid mode
- Arpeggiator options parameters
- Arpeggiator keyboard parameters
- Use keyboard parameters
- Assign controllers
- Modifier controls
- Note Repeater controls
- Randomizer controls
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- Use Scripter
- Use the Script Editor
- Scripter API overview
- MIDI processing functions overview
- HandleMIDI function
- ProcessMIDI function
- GetParameter function
- SetParameter function
- ParameterChanged function
- Reset function
- JavaScript objects overview
- Use the JavaScript Event object
- Use the JavaScript TimingInfo object
- Use the Trace object
- Use the MIDI event beatPos property
- Use the JavaScript MIDI object
- Create Scripter controls
- Transposer controls
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- Alchemy overview
- Alchemy interface overview
- Alchemy Name bar
- Alchemy file locations
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- Alchemy source overview
- Source master controls
- Import browser
- Source subpage controls
- Source filter controls
- Source filter use tips
- Source elements overview
- Additive element controls
- Additive element effects
- Spectral element controls
- Spectral element effects
- Pitch correction controls
- Formant filter controls
- Granular element controls
- Sampler element controls
- VA element controls
- Source modulations
- Morph controls
- Alchemy master voice section
- Alchemy Extended parameters
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- Playback plug-in overview
- Add a Playback plug-in
- Playback interface
- Use the Playback waveform display
- Playback transport and function buttons
- Playback information display
- Playback Sync, Snap To, and Play From parameters
- Use the Playback group functions
- Use the Playback Action menu and File field
- Use markers with the Playback plug-in
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- Sample Alchemy overview
- Interface overview
- Add source material
- Edit mode
- Play modes
- Source overview
- Synthesis modes
- Granular controls
- Additive effects
- Additive effect controls
- Spectral effect
- Spectral effect controls
- Filter module
- Low and highpass filter
- Comb PM filter
- Downsampler filter
- FM filter
- Envelope generators
- Mod Matrix
- Modulation routing
- Motion mode
- Trim mode
- More menu
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- Sculpture overview
- Sculpture interface
- Global parameters
- Amplitude envelope parameters
- Use the Waveshaper
- Filter parameters
- Output parameters
- Define MIDI controllers
- Extended parameters
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- Copyright
Studio Horns extended parameters in MainStage
The extended parameters provide advanced control of performance and controller functions.
Click the disclosure arrow at the lower left to view the extended parameters.
Note: The parameters are different for solo and section instruments.
Studio Horns common extended parameters
The following parameters apply to solo or section instruments.
Vibrato Controller pop-up menu: Choose a MIDI controller to adjust vibrato.
Manual Vibrato Mode pop-up menu: Choose a vibrato response curve for incoming MIDI controller data. Choices are Off, Normal, Slow, Fast, Gentle, and Expressive.
Note: This affects manually controlled vibrato only.
Dynamic Controller pop-up menu: Choose the MIDI controller used to adjust an instrument’s dynamics (soft-loud) while a note is playing. This function requires the Dynamics via CC button in the main interface to be turned on.
Dynamic Controller Mode pop-up menu: Choose a mode to determine assigned MIDI controller behavior and instrument response to incoming velocity data.
Controller (Absolute): Dynamics are controlled only by the absolute value of the assigned MIDI controller.
Velocity & Controller (Catch): Dynamics are controlled both by incoming velocity data and by the value of the assigned MIDI controller when it matches any existing controller value. For example, a MIDI control knob with a value of 15 has no impact on dynamic behavior until it reaches a velocity value of 47 in an existing region. Once this controller value is reached, the assigned MIDI control knob will have an impact on instrument dynamics.
Velocity & Controller (Relative): Dynamics are controlled by both incoming velocity data and by the value of the assigned MIDI controller, relative to any existing controller value. For example, a MIDI control knob with a value of 15 will immediately impact dynamic behavior, relative to the existing velocity value. Adjusting a knob with a value of 15 to a value of 18 will adjust an existing velocity value of 47 to a value of 50.
Legato Transitions checkbox: Turn on to enable legato transition samples for both monophonic and polyphonic modes, enhancing the realism of instruments played in a legato style.
Release Samples slider and field: Set the volume of release samples. Release samples, as the name suggests, are triggered when you release a key. These allow for a natural-sounding decay in sustained articulations, for example. If a low release sample value is set, the sound may cut off abruptly, which can sound unnatural.
Pitch Bend Range slider and field: Determine the range for pitch bend modulation. This is bipolar, with a range of ±12 semitones.
Extended Key Range checkbox: Turn on to allow the instrument (or instruments in a section) to play beyond its normal key range.
When off, the instrument (or instruments in a section) plays in the original key range. This is the default, and should be used if you are aiming for authentic-sounding performances.
When on, the instrument uses the full keyboard range, allowing you to create parts that extend beyond the realistic range of the instrument (or instruments in a section).
Studio Horns Auto Voice Split extended parameters
The following parameters apply only to section instruments when the Auto Voice Split button is active in the main window.
Allow Unison checkbox: Turn on to enable unison mode for split voices.
When enabled, multiple instruments within a section can play the same note simultaneously when a single or multiple keys are pressed.
When disabled, one instrument within the section is played per key. To have all instruments of a seven piece section play, you need to press seven keys.
Split Voicing pop-up menu: Determine the octaves used by the respective voices/instrument(s) in the section. Results vary based on your Split Mode pop-up menu choice.
8va: Double the top part an octave up. This is a common technique used to make melody lines more prominent.
Drop 2: Transpose the second note from the top of the chord down an octave. This technique is used to make an arrangement sound thicker and richer.
Drop 2+4: Transpose the second and fourth note from the top of the chord down an octave. This technique is used to thicken an arrangement. It is more suitable for sections with five or more instrument “voices,” but can be useful with smaller sections.
Split Mode pop-up menu: Choose the mode used to split individual or grouped ensemble instruments.
Start with Lead Voice: The first incoming note is assigned to the Lead Voice, which is usually a higher-range instrument such as a trumpet. All subsequent notes are assigned, in descending order, to the Middle and Bass Voices.
Start with Bass Voice: The first incoming note is assigned to the Bass Voice. All subsequent notes are assigned, in ascending order, to the Middle and Lead Voices.
Start by Key Split: Incoming notes below the defined split key (set with the Split Key pop-up menu) are assigned to the Bass Voice and the lower Middle Voices. Notes above the split key are assigned to the Lead Voice and the higher Middle Voices.
Split Key pop-up menu: Set the MIDI note number used as the split point for individual ensemble instruments.
Note: This parameter applies only when Start By Key Split is chosen in the Split Mode pop-up menu.
Inst via MIDI Channel checkbox: Turn off to play the full section on any incoming MIDI channel. Active Unison / Auto Voice Split / MIDI Split settings apply. When on (default), the following applies:
MIDI Channel 1: Full section is played with the active Unison / Auto Voice Split / MIDI Split settings.
MIDI Channels 2-16: Access individual instruments within the section. See Studio instruments section MIDI channels.