Make advanced group selections in Sampler in MainStage

You can define a specific event to use as a group selection switch. Whenever the defined selection event is triggered, zones in this group can be played, while other groups selected with a different event are not played. The defined event does not play or alter a sound; it acts only as a group selection switch.

Group view provides two options for group selection: Round Robin and Enable by…

Control-click the top of any column to open a shortcut menu where you can hide or show any of the group selection filters.

You can use multiple group selection filters to refine your group selections. For example, you could specify that only a particular range of specified controller message values switches between different articulations. This could be further refined with a second criterion, such as Enable by Channel specified as a group selection filter.

Figure. Mapping pane, showing Enable by Articulation group selection filter at the far right.

Define a base group and switch between groups with MIDI notes

In MainStage Sampler, if you want Sampler to automatically switch between two string sample groups, for example—one for staccato samples and one for legato samples—you could set the group selection filter to Enable by Note, and assign a different MIDI note number to enable each group. You can then use a note that is not assigned to a zone as a remote group switch.

The following method assumes that several groups exist. See Create Sampler groups.

Note: This method can be applied to any of the Enable by… group selection options. You are free to combine multiple Enable by… options.

In Group view, Control-click the top of any column to open a shortcut menu where you can hide or show any of the Enable by… filters and other group parameter settings.
Choose Show all columns in the shortcut menu.
Note: You can choose to hide or show individual group parameter settings, instead of Show all columns.
Click the OFF button in the Enable by Note On subcolumn.
This is the base, or first, group you want to switch.
Drag vertically in the Enable by Note Value field to change the note number of the base group.
This should be a note that has no assigned zone. When you play this note, this group is enabled—all other groups are disabled.
Click the OFF button in the Enable by Note On subcolumn for the second group you want to switch.
Drag vertically in the Enable by Note Value field to change the note number of the second group.
This should be a note that has no assigned zone. When you play this note, the second group is enabled—all other groups are disabled.

Set up a round robin in Sampler

The term round robin is used to describe sample switching when a single key is struck repeatedly. This feature can be particularly useful in live performance or for avoiding abrupt, machine-gun-like effects when switching between real instrument samples.

In MainStage Sampler, you can use a round robin to step through groups, one after the other. For example, you could layer several hi-hat zones on a single key, each in its own group. Group 1 could contain an open hi-hat, and Group 8 a closed hi-hat, with Groups 2 to 7 containing different partially closed hi-hat sounds. When you repeatedly strike the key, Group 1 is played, then Group 2, and so on, in sequence. A further key strike restarts the cycle from Group 1.

Figure. Group view, showing the Round Robin group selection filter.

This example uses one method to quickly add multiple groups and zones. You are free to create these using any method. See Create groups and Create zones.

Tip: You can also use the Group menu Create Round Robin command to create round robins. To use this command, select multiple groups in the Mapping pane and choose the command. All selected groups are chained from top to bottom.

Insert Sampler on an instrument channel strip.
The Mapping and Zone panes are displayed.
Open the Loop Browser. Default key command: O
Select and drag several Apple Loop files to the Navigation bar. Drop them on the Optimized: Zone per Note dropzone.
Tip: Choose a number of distinctly different Apple Loops. Press and hold Command, then click to select each file.
Click the Group view button.
You can see multiple groups, named after the Apple Loops you just added.
Play any key on your keyboard to trigger, and select, all groups.
Control-click the top of any column header in Group view to open a shortcut menu, then choose Round Robin.
The Round Robin column and parameter subcolumns are displayed in Group view. If you don’t see them, scroll horizontally until they are visible.
Click the OFF button of any group in the On subcolumn.
You will see that the Cycle subcolumn is automatically populated with A.1 (Filename 1), A.2 (Filename 2), A.3 (Filename 3), and ensuing entries.
Now repeatedly strike a key on your keyboard.
You will hear, and see, each group being played sequentially.

Download the guides:

MainStage User Guide: PDF

MainStage Instruments: PDF

MainStage Effects: PDF

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