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
Alchemy source master controls in MainStage
Source components are shown only in advanced view. Click the Advanced button to switch to advanced view.
At the left of the source section are six buttons: Global, A, B, C, D, and Morph. Indicators to the left of each button denote the following: blue = active source, green = morphing enabled for the source.
Source mode buttons: Click Global to view all sources. Click A, B, C, or D to view a single source. Click Morph to use morph mode. Option-click A, B, C, or D to view and solo the source.
When the Global button is on, the source master controls are displayed. The main filter and master voice controls are also displayed when Global is active. See Alchemy main filter controls in MainStage and Alchemy master voice section in MainStage.
When the A, B, C, or D button is on, the subpage controls for the selected source are displayed. See Alchemy source subpage controls in MainStage.
When the Morph button is on, source morphing parameters are displayed. See Alchemy morph controls in MainStage.
The source select field in each source does double duty as a VU meter that shows the current output level from the source into the main filter section. When the output level exceeds 0 dB, it clips the input of the main filter section, and the VU meter turns red. This is useful for quickly determining the cause of unwanted distortion.
Note: Sources can also be routed directly to the Effects section, bypassing the main filters. The VU meter is shown regardless of the source output destination.
Source master controls
A/B/C/D buttons: Turn the source on or off. Option-click to solo a source.
Source select pop-up menu and field: Displays the name of the current source audio data. Click to open a pop-up menu with source content handling commands. Click the Previous and Next buttons (the arrows) to step through available waveform data. This field also acts as a VU meter during playback.
Import Audio: Import audio data into the element. You can also use the Alchemy Import browser in MainStage, or hold Command to drag and drop audio files from Finder.
Load VA: Load waveform data into the VA element. This automatically enables the VA element and disables all other synthesis engines for this source. See Alchemy VA element controls in MainStage.
Load Source: Load source data from disk. Data is in SRC file format. Loaded data includes all source control settings and a reference to any loaded or imported audio data. Source control modulations are not loaded as part of the SRC file.
Save Source: Write source data to disk in SRC file format. Saved data includes all source control settings and a reference to any loaded or imported audio data. Source control modulations are not saved as part of the SRC file.
Copy Source: Copy source data to the Clipboard. This is useful for duplicating the content and settings of one source in another. Copied data includes settings of all source controls and a reference to loaded or imported audio data. Source control modulations are also copied.
Paste Source: Paste source data from the Clipboard.
Clear Source: Reset the source to the default state.
Randomize Source: Apply random variations to source controls, depending on active elements in the source.
Swap With Source: Choose a source to swap with the current source. This enables you to quickly experiment with the parameter settings of the two swapped sources.
Vol knob: Set the source output level (-inf dB to 0 dB).
Tune knob: Tune the source in semitone increments. A further Fine Tune control is available on each source subpage. See Alchemy source subpage controls in MainStage.
Pan knob: Set the source output position in the stereo field. This parameter works as a pan control if the source Stereo button is off or as a left/right balance control if the source Stereo button is on.
Send knob: Set the source output balance (post source filters, if used) sent to the destinations specified with the Send pop-up menu.
Send pop-up menu and field: Determine where the source output is sent (post source filters, if used). This is the send from each source panel to the main filters and/or the effects rack.
F1/F2: Source output is routed to main filters 1 and 2. The balance between these targets is set with the Send knob.
F1/FX A/B/C/D: Source output is routed to main filter 1 and effects rack A, B, C, or D. The balance between these targets is set with the Send knob.
F2/FX A/B/C/D: Source output is routed to main filter 2 and effects rack A, B, C, or D. The balance between these targets is set with the Send knob.
Note: Signals sent to effects rack A, B, C, or D destinations bypass the main filters when the Send knob is set to the full-right position. See Alchemy effects overview in MainStage.