Alchemy keymap editor in MainStage

Source components are shown only in advanced view. Click the Advanced button to switch to advanced view, then click the A/B/C/D button to view detailed parameters for the selected source.

The source edit window is opened by clicking the Edit button on any source subpage. Click the close window icon (X) at the top right to close the window.

The keymap editor displays all sample zones in the currently selected group, with each zone represented as a rectangle. The size and location of the rectangle indicates the key and velocity range for the associated zone. The selected zone in the inspector is indicated by a white outline in the keymap editor. See Alchemy inspector zone controls in MainStage.

Figure. Keymap editor in Main source edit window.

The left and right boundaries of the rectangle indicate the Lo Key and Hi Key parameters relative to the keyboard display below. Drag either boundary to set the Lo Key and Hi Key values.
The bottom and top edges of the rectangle indicate the Lo Vel and Hi Vel parameters. Drag either the top or bottom edge to set the Lo Vel and Hi Vel values.
Drag the middle of the scroll bar to view zones that are not visible in the display area. Horizontally drag the zoom controls at either end of the scroll bar to resize the contents of the visible display area.

Keymap editor menu commands

Control-click any zone to open a shortcut menu.

Cut: Remove the selected zone or zones from the current group, and copy to the Clipboard.
Copy: Copy the selected zone or zones to the Clipboard.
Paste to existing group: Paste content from the Clipboard to an existing group chosen from the submenu.
Paste to new group: Create a new group, and paste content from the Clipboard into it.
Exchange sample: Open the Import browser where you can choose a replacement sample for the zone. The import mode used by the previous sample is retained, and the import mode buttons are dimmed. See Alchemy Import browser in MainStage.
Assign to existing group: Move the selected zone or zones from the current group to an existing group chosen from the submenu.
Assign to new group: Create a new group, and move the selected zone or zones from the current group into the new group.

Select and edit the values of one or more zones

In Alchemy in MainStage, select the zone by doing one of the following:
- Click a rectangle in the keymap editor.
- Choose the zone name from the pop-up menu in the zone section of the inspector.
- Command-click a region containing overlapping zones, then drag horizontally to cycle through each zone.
Hold down Shift, then click multiple zones in the keymap editor to select them.
All selected zones are highlighted with a white border, and Multiple is shown in the inspector zone name field.
Drag the left, right, top, or bottom edge of the zone. When multiple zones are selected, drag the edge of one selected zone to apply the same relative change to all other selected zones.

Delete one or more zones

In Alchemy in MainStage, select the zone by doing one of the following:
- Click a rectangle in the keymap editor.
- Choose the zone name from the pop-up menu in the zone section of the inspector.
Hold down Shift, then click multiple zones in the keymap editor to select them.
All selected zones are highlighted with a white border, and Multiple is shown in the inspector zone name field.
Press the Delete key.
The zone or zones are deleted. All associated sample, additive, or spectral data is removed from the source.

Audition a zone

Enable the > icon below the keymap editor to hear a preview whenever a zone is clicked. The sample is previewed, inclusive of loop settings but ignoring zone parameters such as Tune, Volume, and Panning.

In Alchemy in MainStage, select the zone by doing one of the following:
- Click a rectangle in the keymap editor.
- Choose the zone name from the pop-up menu in the zone section of the inspector.
Click a key on the keyboard display below the zones.
- Click near the top of a key to audition low velocities.
- Click near the bottom of a key to audition high velocities.
  Audio is sent directly to the Alchemy outputs, bypassing any filters or effects that are enabled in other sections.

Create a multisample with key splits and crossfades for adjacent zones

In Alchemy in MainStage, click the File button in the Name bar and choose Initialize Preset from the pop-up menu to reset all Alchemy parameters to default settings.
Click the Advanced button, then click the source A button.
Click the Edit button to open the Main source editor.
Click the source select field, and choose Import Audio from the pop-up menu.
In the Import browser, select two or more samples representing the same instrument played at different pitches, then click the Import button. Any import mode may be used.
Alchemy analyzes each sample to determine the root pitch (if not defined in the filename) and sets the root key and key range for each sample zone accordingly.
Select a zone in the keymap editor, and drag its left or right edge so that it overlaps the adjacent zone. The amount of overlap determines the range of the crossfade.
Select the leftmost of the two overlapping zones, and adjust the Right parameter in the inspector zone section. If the overlap between the zones extends over four keys, set this parameter to 4.
Select the rightmost of the two overlapping zones, and set the Left parameter in the inspector zone section to the same value used in the previous step.
These two zones will now crossfade from one to the other when you play notes in the overlapping region.
Import further samples, and repeat the previous three steps for each pair of zones you want to crossfade.

Add and adjust loop markers for a zone

In Alchemy in MainStage, select the zone you want to loop by doing one of the following:
- Click a rectangle in the keymap editor.
- Choose the zone name from the pop-up menu in the zone section of the inspector.
Click the Loop Mode field in the zone section of the inspector, then choose Continuous, Sustain, or Forward/Back.
Loop start and end markers appear on the waveform display, with the loop region highlighted between them.
Click and hold the loop start marker handle until the waveform zooms in horizontally, then drag left or right to find a suitable loop start point.
Click and hold the loop end marker handle until the waveform zooms in horizontally, then drag left or right to find a suitable loop end point.
If required, enable loop crossfading with the Loop XFade button, then drag the crossfade marker left to create a smooth loop.

Download the guides:

MainStage User Guide: PDF

MainStage Instruments: PDF

MainStage Effects: PDF

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