Alchemy Import browser in MainStage

You can import WAV, AIFF, and Sampler sound files as additive, spectral, a combination of additive and spectral, granular, or sampler elements. See Alchemy source elements overview in MainStage.

You can quickly replace the sound for Alchemy on a software instrument track by dragging an audio file, audio or software instrument region, or Apple Loop to the track header. When you drag content to one of the Alchemy zones to replace the existing sound, you can choose whether the new sound uses additive, granular, or spectral synthesis.

The additive element allows for the most detailed manipulation of sound and is especially good for sound files that represent single notes, rather than chords or more complex sounds and textures.

Importing to the spectral element allows effective manipulation of polyphonic sounds, such as chords, drum loops, and other complex sounds and textures.

An additive+spectral import may deliver the best results when an additive import fails to capture the noisy components of a sound, such as the hammer strike of a piano or the breath noise of a flute.

The granular element is good for drum loops, percussive sounds, and any sound that you want to use granular effects with.

Use the sampler element when you want to play a sound file in its original form, transposed across the keyboard.

Import browser parameters

Places column: Shows all top-level folder locations. The Alchemy Samples and EXS Factory Samples folders are shown at the top of the list. Click to view each folder.
Samples column: Shows the samples within the selected folder, preset, or sampler instrument. Only sample data is displayed. See the tasks in this section for information on sample selection.
Dropzone: Shows the names of samples added to this area. Samples can be from multiple locations or instruments. See the tasks in this section for information about use.
Control-click files in the Dropzone list to open a shortcut menu.
- Delete: Remove the file from the Dropzone.
- Move to New RR Group: Create a new round-robin group and add the selected file or files to the group. See Alchemy inspector group controls in MainStage.
Analysis Mode buttons: Set the type of analysis that is performed when sample data is imported.
- Additive button: Use to import samples that you want to resynthesize using additive synthesis. Good results depend on accurate identification of the root note. If the filename has a pitch value appended to it, this is used to set the root note. In other cases, analysis of the waveform pitch determines the root note. The Mapping mode may also be important.
- Spectral button: Use to import samples that you want to resynthesize using spectral synthesis. The root note determines the MIDI note that plays the resynthesized sound at its original pitch. If the filename has a pitch value appended to it, this is used to set the root note. In other cases, analysis of the waveform pitch is used to determine the root note.
- Add+Spec button: Use to import samples that you want to resynthesize using a combination of additive and spectral synthesis. By default, the spectral component is imported and played with the spectral element set to Noise-Resynth mode. Playing the spectral data in Resynth mode produces a markedly different effect, which you may sometimes prefer. The spectral element internal highpass control is automatically set to a high value, thus excluding frequencies that would compete with those produced by the additive element. If the spectral element is too subtle, you can make it more prominent by setting the highpass control to a lower value.
- Formant button: Use in conjunction with the Additive, Spectral, or Add+Spec buttons to perform additional analysis of formants in the sample material. The values of this formant analysis are mapped to the Analyzed formant filter parameters in the source subpage. See Alchemy formant filter controls in MainStage.
- Granular button: Use when you intend to perform granular-specific manipulations such as time stretching. The root note determines the MIDI note that plays the sound file at its original transposition. If the filename has a pitch value appended to it, Alchemy automatically sets the root note to match.
- Sampler button: Use to create straight sample-playback presets. The root note determines the MIDI note that plays the sound file at its original transposition. If the filename has a pitch value appended to it, Alchemy automatically sets the root note to match.
Mapping pop-up menu: Choose a mapping mode suitable for pitched or unpitched imported samples.
- Pitch: Suitable for sounds that you want to play across the keyboard chromatically. Use this mode to automatically place imported samples in keyboard zones for optimum playback when re-pitched.
- Drum: Maps each sample to a single key. Use this mode to map sounds such as a set of drum hits or chords that won’t transpose correctly if re-pitched. Imported samples are mapped to individual keys (starting at C1).
Preview button: Turn on to automatically audition samples when you click filenames in the Samples column.
Cancel button: Use to cancel the import operation. No files are imported, and the Import browser window is closed.
Import button: Use to start the import operation. Depending on the chosen mode, when you click Import, an import progress dialog is briefly displayed and the Import browser window closes. Click Cancel next to the progress bar to cancel a long import.

Drag an audio file into a source

In Alchemy in MainStage, open advanced view then drag an audio file onto any source select field from one of the following:
- Loop Browser
- File Browser
- Finder: Hold Command while performing the operation.
Drop the file onto one of the analysis mode labels shown on the grid of the target source.
The chosen analysis mode is highlighted.
If Additive, Spectral, or Granular mode is chosen, analysis may take a moment or two. No analysis occurs when Sampler mode is used.
Note: If you want to perform an Add+Spec analysis, or want to perform a further formant analysis of the audio material, use the Import browser methods discussed in following tasks.

Replace the sound for Alchemy on a software instrument track using drag and drop

In Logic Pro, drag an audio file, region, or Apple Loop to a software instrument track with an Alchemy instrument plug-in as the instrument.
When the “Replace existing sound with” dialog appears, drag the item to one of the available options to choose the synthesis type Alchemy uses to process the content: Additive, Granular, or Spectral.

Import a single audio file into a source with the Import browser

In Alchemy in MainStage, open advanced view then click a source select field and choose Import Audio from the pop-up menu to open the Import browser window.
Click one of the Analysis Mode buttons to choose an import analysis mode.
If the Additive, Spectral, or Add+Spec button is active, you can also turn on the Formant button. This performs a further analysis of the audio material and sends the results to the Analyzed section of the formant filter. See Alchemy formant filter controls in MainStage.
If the audio data is imported to the additive, spectral, add+spectral, or granular elements, analysis may take a moment or two. No analysis occurs when the Sampler analysis mode button is active.
Click the Preview button to enable or disable automatic preview of selected files.
Sound files can be mono or stereo, 8-, 16-, 24-, or 32-bit, at any sample rate. Note that rates above 44.1 kHz don’t provide significant improvements in quality.
Click a filename, then click the Import button to import the sound.
An import progress dialog is shown. The Import browser closes when the import is complete, and the previous window is displayed.

Import multiple audio files into a source with the Import browser

Multiple WAV and AIF files may be imported to a single source. Other file types are not supported for multifile import.

If the note name is included in the filename, samples are mapped to corresponding keyboard zones for all analysis types. When importing using additive or spectral analysis, samples without a note name are analyzed to determine pitch information that is then used for keyboard mapping. Samples are mapped to the highest key of the zone and pitched down for the remaining notes in the zone.

When no pitch information or note names are available, samples are mapped evenly across keyboard zones based on file selection order. The root key pitch is set to the middle of each zone.

In Alchemy in MainStage, open advanced view then click a source select field and choose Import Audio from the pop-up menu to open the Import browser window.
Click one of the Analysis Mode buttons to choose an import analysis mode.
If the Additive, Spectral, or Add+Spec button is active, you can also turn on the Formant button. This performs a further analysis of the audio material and sends the results to the Analyzed section of the formant filter. See Alchemy formant filter controls in MainStage.
If the audio data is imported to the additive, spectral, add+spectral, or granular elements, analysis may take a moment or two. No analysis occurs when the Sampler analysis mode button is active.
Click the Preview button to enable or disable automatic preview of selected files.
Sound files can be mono or stereo, 8-, 16-, 24-, or 32-bit, at any sample rate. Note that rates above 44.1 kHz don’t provide significant improvements in quality.
Use standard modifier keys to select multiple files: Command-click to select or deselect files, Shift-click to select a range of files.
If you are creating a sound that uses samples from multiple instruments or folders, drag the selected file or files to the Dropzone shown at the right side of the Import browser. Once at least one file is added to the Dropzone, you can double-click a filename to add it to the list of Dropzone files. Drag filenames in the Dropzone list to change their order.
Tip: You can also drag files directly into the Dropzone from Finder (hold Command), the Audio File browser, or the Loop browser. You can use standard modifier keys to select or deselect files.
Choose a mode from the Mapping pop-up menu.
- Pitch: Suitable for sounds that you want to play across the keyboard, chromatically.
- Drum: Map each sample to a single key.
Click the Import button to import all selected files.
Note: Clicking Import when at least one file is in the Dropzone imports files from the Dropzone, rather than files selected in the file list.

Download the guides:

MainStage User Guide: Apple Books | PDF

MainStage Instruments: Apple Books | PDF

MainStage Effects: Apple Books | PDF

Helpful?