Using MainStage as a solo keyboardist and singer

I have started using MainStage as a solo piano-rocker so I can simply ask a venue to provide ANY midi keyboard and still get the exact sounds I'm used to.
I'm interested in discussion and tips about optimizing/streamlining my setup and I'm open to suggestions for improvement or experimentation. Here's the rundown:
-MIDI out from the keyboard to my MOTU UltraLite. This is for the actual piano-playing and sustain pedal only.
-If I can bring it, USB MIDI out from an M-Audio Oxygen 8 controller, giving me the same 8 knobs and other controls at every show, as well as another pedal input.
MAINSTAGE SETUP:
-Main Vox input, software piano, and software bass are all at the concert level since I use them in every song.
-Each is sent post-fader to a bus for a monitor send. (i.e. Bus 20, which allows me to set my own monitor mix using the channels' bus send levels, then route bus 20 to Output 8-9 for the in-ears or wedges.)
-Each output is also sent to a bus that lets me pan hard left or hard right (to monomize and send two channels out on 1 stereo pair) and those buses are sent to output pairs for the house system.
-Main vox is also sent to a delay bus and reverb bus, though I wish I could set different kinds of reverb with different patches.
All this allows me to use a stereo pair for my own monitoring and all 8 remaining outputs to send piano, bass, vox, and misc. to the house engineer.
Pax,
Matthew

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Hi, I'm planning on using Mainstage 3 for performing live and I wanted to know how to add my Logic Pro backing tracks into it and have automated vocal effects that trigger while I'm singing. How do I do this?

I have a mic hooked up through an interface and I'd like to open up my backing tracks then figure out what vocal effect sound good on what places during the song, then I want to have those automatically trigger while I'm singing and performing. Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Here’s a couple of links to get you started on your research...
OS X Lion Overview
iLife 11
http://www.apple.com/ilife/video-showcase/
http://www.apple.com/ilife/
Running Windows on a Mac
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2344661,00.asp
And just in case you didn't know... This is a User to User Forum

Using avid m-audio fast track and avid m-audio fast track solo together

I Wanted to use avid m-audio fast track and avid m-audio fast track solo together so that I can get 4 inputs
i I tried to select it, but could enable any one only. How can I use them together??

You can use only one device at a time I Logic. However, in the Audio MIDI Setup utility (Applications>Utilities) you can create an aggregate device, which effectively combines multiple devices into one "virtual" device, which you can then choose in Logics' coreaudio device setup.
How to combine multiple audio interfaces by creating an aggregate device

Which Mac laptop would be good to use Mainstage 3 live? Ideally one that can have Ivory and Omnisphere working nicely

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My macMini has only a 1.5 GHz Intel Solo Core and is now unable to do things like Turbo Tax. I use it mainly for email, web browsing, bill paying, banking. Should my next purchase be a notebook, laptop, mini or iPad?

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Desktop: Mac Mini dual-core i5 (or quad i7 if you can afford it, it might seem overpowered but it will last you longer. Upgrade to 16GB RAM if you want to future proof that side of the machine. Don't buy from Apple, install it yourself).
Laptop: MacBook Pro 13' if you don't need portability, or MacBook Air 11' if you do (as RRFS has said).
A notebook and a laptop are the same thing.

Can I use MainStage without owning Logic?

I use Pro Tools and Reaper in the studio, so I won't to jump ship to Logic; simply b/c however nifty it is, it's not worth the steep time-consuming learning curve. However, for live performance as a keyboardist, I'm looking for a Mac-based VST host to be controlled by a USB/MIDI keyboard controller, and am wondering if MainStage might be the way to go. The price is so cheap, how could I go wrong? But no matter where I search, I don't get a clear answer to these questions:
Can I use MainStage without owning Logic?
For a $29 download, does MainStage also come with all the content (sounds, etc.) for its built-in instruments, or is it assuming you already have those b/c you presumably own Logic?
This question may need its own separate thread, but: Ideally, my keyboard setups for a "concert" may need as many as five VSTs per song (e.g., custom samples in Kontakt, Wurly, B-3, piano, glockenspiel, whatever) spread out in various discrete layers across a keyboard. Has anyone tested this more-complex and memory-taxing sort of a setup out in a live situation?
Thanks for any insight,
Peter

SASPro wrote:
Can I use MainStage without owning Logic?
If you buy it from the AppStore, YES
SASPro wrote:
For a $29 download, does MainStage also come with all the content (sounds, etc.) for its built-in instruments, or is it assuming you already have those b/c you presumably own Logic?
All the instrument and FX plugs are included, and a (massive) additional free download within the Mainstage application will get you all the extra content.
SASPro wrote:
This question may need its own separate thread, but: Ideally, my keyboard setups for a "concert" may need as many as five VSTs per song
Caution: Logic/Mainstage will only work with Audio Unit (AU) plugins, NOT VST. Most 3rd party plugs are available as AU plugs, but you need to make sure you have installed them.
SASPro wrote:
Has anyone tested this more-complex and memory-taxing sort of a setup out in a live situation?
Yes, and memory/CPU issues not withstanding, Mainstage generally works extremely well for this.
CCT

Using mainstage with two instruments at the same time

Hi, I'm using an M-Audio firewire solo as an interface with my macbook. I have a usb keyboard and want to play guitar as well, switching between the two onstage. My question is, how do I get the outputs to the soundboard so they can be mixed separately? The interface has two inputs and balanced outputs (ch1 and ch2). I want channel 1 (gtr) to go to ch1 of the output and channel 2 (keys) to go to ch2 of the output so they can be mixed to the front of house and monitor mixes. Is this even possible using mainstage or logic, or even by just using the headphone out on the macbook?

Since MainStage only deals with outputs in stereo. You'll need to do some panning. Pan your Guitar fully LEFT, and your keys fully RIGHT. That'll give you two separate outputs....
FYI, there are some issues with panning in MainStage 2. So, to get around this.... Create two Sub Aux channels. One called Guitar Out, and the other Keys Out. Do your panning there and not on the individual channels. And send channel one to the Guitar Out Aux, and the Keys to Keys Out Aux.

Can I use a 15" MBP as keyboard and screen to work on bootable drive MBP 17

Hi, all,
I already asked this question in a post with other questions more prominant so I am trying this as a solo question. I have a MBP 17" intel Core Duo that will be going in for repairs. I have an OWC 1 TB drive formated to be bootable. Can I boot from the external HD from a 15" MBP Core Duo and use it essentially as a keyboard and screen and work on the 17" files with all the software or can I only transfer files to the 15"? The 17" has Leopard and Adobe CS3 (which I cannot do without) the 15" runs Tiger and I run CS2 on it.
Thanks!

Can I boot from the external HD from a 15" MBP Core Duo and use it essentially as a keyboard and screen and work on the 17" files with all the software
Yes.
(45230)

Please help... GiO not working properly with Mainstage. GiO lights errors, and Gio Disconnected errors.

I have a gig ion 11/22, and I am DESPERATE TO FIX THIS....
Mainstage 3
Brand new Macbook air
Brand new Apogee Gio
I've tried multiple reloads of the software
2 macbook air 13"
and 6 GiOs.
These things aren't talking to each other.
I bought the laptop SOLELY to run mainstage. No other garbage is cluttering the box.
I have 1 concert file, with 50 songs (Patches)
Each patch has a few pedals configured on the layout screen, which are linked to the Pedalboard in Mainstage for various effects
AT MOST, I have 1-2 channel strips PER PATCH... Nothing seriously tasking on the CPU.
THe CPU meter shows <20% capacity, always. Usually <10%
A few of the patches have a channel strip with a 3 second .wav file (audio channel strip) NOTHING HUGE AT ALL.
Problems scenarios:
1. MAINSTAGE FREEZES ON LOAD = 3% of the time....
Mainstage freezes at starup.. Jams on the "loading MIDI" message. happens 3% of the time.
2. MAINSTAGE reports "GiO has been disconnected" = 100% of the time...
I can sometimes play for 1 hour, no issues.... then all of the sudden, I hit a Gio Button, and i get the "Gio has been disconnected" message. I cannot play a gig, without this failing...    I have to REBOOT mainstage to get the stuff talking again, sometimes I have to RESET the Gio too (by holding a button and pulling/attaching the USB) Sometimes Mainstage reconnects itself to Gio, most times I have to reboot everything.
3. GiO LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONING. = 80% of the time.
Sometimes while I'm playing, the lights on the Gio fail to cycle when I press the buttons... The lights on the MAINSTAGE screen layout behaive correctly, and the audio output is modified correctly when the buttons are pushed.... but the Gio foot switch lights fail to cycle. For a particular song/patch, sometimes they work, other times they wont.
I've had Apogee tech support working on this to no avail.
They told me to unplug other usb devices.
Try new cables.
Increase the buffer size to 256 from 128 (which i did, but the latency/delay is unacceptable, and the problem still persisted anyway.)

Super,
I have a new Macbook Pro with Retina and an Apogee Gio and use Mainstage 3 under Mavericks (OS X 10.9.1). I am experiencing similar problems to yours so I do not believe it is a problem with your particular machine or set up. I have been using Mainstage and the Gio for a few years under Snow Leopard and Mainstage 2 without these particular issues.
I am having the same hang on 'waiting for midi' at startup when the Gio is plugged into the USB port.   This seems to be occurring more and more. I tried both ports on the Macbook Pro and it occurs on both of them sporadically. I would say maybe 10% of the time.   I have discovered if you unplug the Gio usb cable at this point and plug it back in it will allow sometimes allow Mainstage to finish booting up.
The Gio is disconnected message I only had one time. Only appeared the very first time I was using it on my new system. I believe this was under Mavericks 10.9 (not 10.9.1). I haven't been getting that message since.
The Lights on the Gio hardware unit and Mainstage do not appear to be working properly here as well. They seem to work properly for a while but then they lose sync with the templates. I initially thought this might be caused by my particular custom template.   I tested today using the stock Gio Mainstage template from Apogee and the lights begin to lose sync on the Gio. Buttons mapped to various pedals or amp settings on the Gio will sometimes stay on when they are supposed to go off or visa versa. Using the looping functions the various foot pedal buttons sometimes display incorrectly (on when they are supposed to be off).
I believe the problems are with Apogee's Gio driver or a software issue with Mavericks.
I have filled out a feedback form to report this to Apple. I would recommend you do this as well so they know it is an issue. http://www.apple.com/feedback/
I would also contact Apogee and see if they have an updated driver coming soon or if they have any other recommendations.
If you resolve this issue or hear anything, please post. Thanks.

Using MainStage with multiple MIDI inputs (two keyboards!)

Hi Guys,
I use two keyboards for my live gigs, and am thinking about moving all my sounds over to MainStage. Most of my recording uses Native Instruments and Logic's standard AU instruments, and then I have to find similar sounds on my Korg and Kurzweil for live...
My question is... can you use MainStage with two MIDI controllers? I'd obviously want to set up the presets in MainStage so that there are different instruments being controlled by each synth.
Would love any advice on whether this can be done, and a quick pointer as to how...
Thanks heaps in advance,
Mike

Easily done (I'm using two USB controllers on a gig now). Just set them up in Layout mode, then be sure to select the input of choice for your specific channel strip(s) in each patch. Or of course you can set things up at the set or concert level as well.

Controlling external keyboard using MainStage

Hi guys, i need help... I'm start in the mainstage word. i used cubase for control my vst's and my pc3x kurzweil. a friend show me the mainstage and i loved. It's perfect for vst's control and the interface is very dynamic. but i have a big problem.... I use many of the sounds pc3x and now do not know how to control it from the mainstage. explaining better ...
I use pc3x and a other controller for performance. When i play in pc3x everything works. my vst's and the sounds of pc3x work... but... when i play in my controller, I dont make play sounds of pc3x. only my vst's work.
There is something to do? Any suggestions?
My setup is - macbook - midisport 4x4 - m-audio controller (midi connection)
- pc3x kurzweil (midi connection)
Any help will be very good.
Thank's for all and sorry for my bad english.

I think he means the other way around. He wants to send midi messages from MS and control/play MS and PC3x from his M-Audio controller.
MS doesn't send midi messages, but you can get an Audio Unit called MidiOut from here:
http://www.macmusic.org/software/view.php/lang/en/id/2221/midiO
put it here on your hard drive:
/Users/<user name>/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/
and it will show up as an AU instrument with your other plug-ins on any software instrument channel strip.
I suggest making a channel strip at Concert Level with the MidiO plug-in if you want it to work for every patch.
Hope that helps.
JM
Message was edited by: keysync
Message was edited by: keysync
Message was edited by: keysync

Any guitarists using Mainstage/Guitar Amp Pro in live situations??

I'm getting ready to purchase Logic Studio(as soon as my pc sells), and I was wondering if anyone is using Mainstage as a guitar rig for live situations. Is Guitar Amp Pro "tweakable" enough to get good results out of? I'd love to have GuitarRig3, but, that won't be in the budget for a while. Any thoughts?

I've been using it with an acoustic bass. It's a little different from your situation but I can say that it's pretty fun. having all these sounds on command is a blast.
That said using a computer for some effects is one thing, using it to get a nice tube like distorted and/or warm sound is another. Unless you want to spend a few grand on a serious converter and preamp you probably won't be really matching a real analog sound in the real world flesh-space. The converter/interface and how you preamp it into the converter will make a huge difference in the sound. A lot of cheaper effect pedals are already using digital converters (bad ones) so if this is your baseline you could do much better with Mainstage easily. If you are trying to replace an 'all analog guitar straight into a tube amp' kind of sound you probably won't get it.
I've been using NI GuitarRig some, mostly because I had it before. The Mainstage guitar amps seem a little simple tweeking-wise, but that's just a brief impression on my part.
I use the laptop on an effects loop as an effects processor, and not to achieve my basic sound. The hardware you use around Mainstage can limit the quality of your final sound, so if you are on a budget don't expect to get the ultimate guitar sound by plugging straight into the laptop, or even by using one of the cheaper consumer interfaces.
I've been using an RME expresscard interface - which seems to degrade the sound a little- and I'm trying to replace that and the preamp with a Duet, mostly for size/weight considerations (you just cannot get these types of things for backline, so I gotta bring it with me).
Jump in and start working it out, have as much fun as you can. Maybe use it with your guitar amp as an effects unit. If you run it through the house and monitors at a venue you will get wildly varying results. If it's a critical mission have a way to bypass the computer or have a backup rig/sound handy... It's still a computer and they do weird things. Don't be browsing around the interwebs for pr0n or anything like that on the computer you expect to work for your live rig. Turn off as much network activity as you can. Turn off background apps. Keep the amount of audio and midi programs you install to a minimum. Keep backups. Go nuts.
-RB

Anybody using MainStage as their only live mixer?

I'm interested in mixing small combo gigs and maybe even some corporate a/v stuff using MainStage on my MacBook Pro in place of a mixing board.
I'd probably get a small MIDI controller like the Korg nanoKontrol for quick access to a few key parameters, but I'm not looking to get all King Tubby about it. Also, I'd like to keep the overall footprint small.
I'm figuring I would go with 8 in's and out's via my MOTU 896, and hook up to a power amp and speakers.
Thoughts? Experiences?

here's what I'm thinking about:
Came up with this idea the other day and going to start working on it in the next couple weeks. 8 channel firewire interface (eventually 16) into mainstage setup as a virtual mixer like a lot of people have done...and then using touchosc on the iphone/ipod touch as my wireless control surface to control the live mix. then using the 2 of the outputs on the interface for the mains, and then having 4 independent monitor mixes for each musician using powered monitors on stage. This method will hopefully allow me to save presets for each song.
http://www.hack2learn.org/wp-content/gallery/touchosc-vdmxinterface/TouchOSC-Int erface%20006-wText.png
touchosc is program on the iphone that is basically an interface that allows you to put whatever- buttons/faders/rotary knobs/pads/eqs/x-y grids/ect -that you want on up to 4 pages...if you google it you'll get some ideas of what all you can program on it...the iphone then connects to your computer over a wireless network and sends OSC signals to the computer...then use a program like osculator that converts those signals to midi signals that can be sent to mainstage...then use the learn function to map all of your parameters..and thats basically it. You would think that there would be latency going over wifi, but i hooked this thing up to ableton to use it like a small MPC beatpad, and there was no latency at all. Of course i created a direct wireless network from my mac to my iphone..that might have helped...
now obviously an iphone or ipod touch is small, but imagine doing all of this on an IPad? yes? I'm really excited about the IPad for this one reason almost...the idea of controlling the live sound "wirelessly" with a 10inch touch screen device from any part of the room...It theoretically sounds doable, but gonna have to go through some major testing before i rely on it.
the one part i havn't figured out yet is to be able to run a headset with built in mic into the IPads headphone jack to use for monitoring and as a talkback mic to the stage. If only the IPad could run multiple programs at a time.

I am having problems transefering contacts to my I pod when syncing the message comes back with contact in use by I pod please close and try again, please could you let me know how to close contacts on the pod or is there a setting that is wrong etc,

I am having problems transfering contacts to my I pod when syncing the message comes back with contacts in use by I pod please close and try again, please could you let me know how to close contacts on the pod or is there a setting that is wrong etc, i have restored the device. if i go to contact via settings the screen comes on for about 2 seconds and then goes off - Help

Single click on the Home button. Then double click on the Home button. In the recently used row, touch and hold the Contact app till they start to wiggle and then tap the minus sing by the contacts app.
Also make sure the Contact program on your computer is closed.

Can I use MainStage 2 with Logic Express 9.1.6

Is it possible to use MainStage 2 with Logic Express 9.1.6.? Are there any limitations to not having Logic Pro 9. I'm very happy with LE9.1.6. as it meets all my needs (perhaps with the exception of not having Space Designer) but if I need to upgrade to get the most out of MainStage 2 then I will.
Thanks.

Actually I have found a way for at least the instrument plug ins to be accessed.
I was able to set up an instance of Sculpture in MS2 and record it in LE using Soundflower.
Route the audio from MainStage to Logic and record onto an audio track in Logic as follows:
If not already installed, get SoundFlower. After installing it.
A) Setup the sound you want in MS2 and audio output to Soundflower (remember to Apply Changes or it does not hold).
B) In Logic Express set the audio input to Soundflower and create a new audio track for recording. Important: set Soundflower's audio output to however you listen to your audio or you won't hear anything.
C) Press RECORD and start playing, LE captures Mainstage's sound.
I have not tried to wire LE's output to MS2 to take advantage of Space Designer. but since this functions, I'm not sure why that couldn't work as well. It is still flipping though a few screens though...might just be easier to get Logic Pro from the App store....

Using MainStage as a solo keyboardist and singer

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