Apple Mainstage really cheap

Started by sixeight, December 11, 2011, 10:33:20 AM

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sixeight


http://www.barrycleveland.com/about-the-lodge/


Apple has decided to put Mainstage in the app store for $29.99/€23.99. You can download all the instruments and loops from Logic Pro as well. Amazing value for money.

DF400

I have used every iteration of Mainstage since it came out a few years ago - brilliant concept, but had bugs in prior versions. This appears to be the same version that is included in Logic Pro 9, Mainstage 2. Has anyone had success in using this for live performances?

aliensporebomb

The full version of Logic had its price dropped considerably too:  $199.  Unreal.
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

DF400

Wow, great deal for Logic 9. I see Logic Studio remains priced at 499.00 - still a good deal for the bundle though..

aliensporebomb

#4
See the full details here:
http://www.macrumors.com/2011/12/08/logic-pro-9-199-99-and-mainstage-2-29-99-debut-in-mac-app-store/

They discontinued the boxed software - it is only available on the online store once the boxed copies sell out.

Here was the earlier story about it:

http://www.macrumors.com/2011/12/08/logic-pro-and-mainstage-headed-to-mac-app-store-boxed-software-discontinued/

Quote:

Update: Logic Pro is priced at $199.99, down from $499; MainStage is $29.99. The Logic Pro pricing is a significant reduction from the current $499 Logic Studio price, echoing steep price drops on Apple's Final Cut Pro software when it moved to the Mac App Store and the discontinuation of Logic Express ($199).

So Logic Express is discontinued and the big cahuna reduces in price.  I believe the boxed edition advertised at apple.com was overlooked.

The only downside: downloading 18 gigs of content that is part of that big package.  Some people don't have high speed internet worth a darn as yet.
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

erikbojerik

Thanks for the heads-up!   :o

I just downloaded Mainstage 2 and will be playing around with it during the coming week.  I am fairly new to the VG-99 and have not yet worked with the Guitar-To-Midi so give me some time to sort it out, and I'll provide a report back.  (I have a GK-2a mounted on a Variax 500 right now)

I have been using Logic since Emagic's v.4 and have always enjoyed their software instruments, this could be a great soft synth package for me.  The price is just astounding for what you get.

erikbojerik

OK - now I am getting completely geeked by the idea of running Mainstage using a big ol' touch screen monitor as the control surface (instead of mouse and laptop).  Rack-mount Mac running the software, connect to the monitor, and off you go.

KEYTEC touch screens

PQ Labs touch screens

If only money were no object.  Maybe I should actually try out Mainstage first.  I'll shut up now.

Eamonn

I'm already using MS2 to control my rack. It's midi out option is very convenient. I use a behringer fcb 1010 with the power supply mod (midi and power into the same cabe) to drive MS2 and the software take care of the rest. I use one button on my fcb to change between patches and the others to control the looper inside MS and every patch send PC to the different units in my rack so that i don't have to botter with tap dancing while i'm playing.
I hope my sentences make sense becaus english is not my first language and my brain is completely burned out as i'm in the middle of an exam session  :(
If you have any question, don't hesitate to ask and i'll be glad to help  ;)
Regards,

Eamonn

Elantric

When reporting success  or failure with Apple Mainstage - please post the make and model of your audio interface.

erikbojerik

Quote from: Eamonn on January 17, 2012, 11:26:36 AM
I'm already using MS2 to control my rack. It's midi out option is very convenient. I use a behringer fcb 1010 with the power supply mod (midi and power into the same cabe) to drive MS2 and the software take care of the rest. I use one button on my fcb to change between patches and the others to control the looper inside MS and every patch send PC to the different units in my rack so that i don't have to botter with tap dancing while i'm playing.

This is exactly what I'm thinking - provided The Tone is still there....I am a tube amp guy at my core, but also like the idea of a pared-down stage and low stage volumes for situations that benefit from it.  Not to mention it would be nice to show up at the gig with my entire rig carried in one hand! 

arkieboy

Been using Mainstage 1 with my Axon for some time.  Works brilliantly even on a 3 year old macbook pro.  Looking at its spec, I would expect it to pretty much overcome most of the major limitations on the VG99/GR50 midi out spec and I've been able to run 6 instances of most synths happily on said laptop with a MOTU 828 Mk I with no difficulty.

The plugins that come with it are more than you really need - you can of course buy some nice vintage synth emulations but for practical purposes a bit of programming in ES2 or EXS will get you everywhere that is musically significant and they're pretty efficient too...

A must buy for any Mac owner

Steve
Main rig: Barden Hexacaster and Brian Moore i2.13 controllers
Boss SY1000/Boss GKC-AD/Boss GM-800/Laney LFR112

Other relevant gear: Line 6 Helix LT, Roland GR-33, Axon AX100 MkII
Oberheim Matrix 6R, Supernova IIR, EMu E5000, Apple Mainstage, Apple Logic, MOTU M4

erikbojerik

A word of warning - Mainstage 2.2 has a bug which prevents you from using stereo inputs.  Not a big deal if you're plugging in a guitar, but could be a huge deal if you're using backing tracks or loops.  Apparently all was fine up through version 2.1.3, but the "upgrade" to 2.2 has killed the ability to input stereo signals.

Hopefully a fix is coming soon.  Here's a thread on it:  http://www.logicprohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=79402&sid=df01e816b7565ee746a94f1f67d45689

erikbojerik

A new Mainstage upgrade has resolved the stereo input issue.

erikbojerik

#13
OK so I have found the VG-99 works really well with Apple Mainstage - provided you put some time into tracking where all the MIDI messages go.  When you boot up Mainstage, it will look for an audio interface, and if you have your VG connected via USB then the VG-99 becomes the audio interface for Mainstage.  No need for a dedicated Mainstage AI unless you want >44k sample rate.  Have Guitar-to-MIDI enabled on the VG and you can do anything in Mainstage.  The catch is that all - and I mean ALL - MIDI messages that are generated by the GK/VG will go to Mainstage, including GK volume knob info, string pitch bends, all of it.

Enable MIDI PC messaging on both, and one PC will change presets on the VG and Mainstage together.  Only catch is that the VG starts counting PC messages from 1 while Mainstage starts counting from 0, so there is a 1-channel offset between the two.

When using the GK pickup to drive Mainstage keyboard sounds, best to filter the inevitable MIDI pitch change messages that occur when playing actual guitar strings; in your keyboard patch channel strip on the far right, select your I/O keyboard (ESX-24, EP1, ES2, whatever) and go to the MIDI Input tab, and filter MIDI pitch change messages.  It is essentially guitar auto-tune for the purposes of playing straight keyboard.

The Main or Sub outs on the VG will send your magnetic pickup, virtual guitars, and Mainstage audio all together - so if you are using Mainstage's guitar rigs, you potentially have access to 4 distinct guitar sounds.  Even your expression pedal going into the VG will send its MIDI messages to Mainstage.  So right now I have VG volume control under the GK's volume knob, and Mainstage volume on my Roland EV-5.  I'm using a Behringer UP/DOWN footswitch from my old V-Amp into the VG's switch 3/4 jack to send incremental MIDI PC messages.  I just program my patches in sequence, in both the VG and Mainstage, then just stomp through them during the gig.  Works great, but I might also get a Logidy UMI3 3-button USB-to-MIDI footswitch to use with Mainstage's looper.

So far I've used this setup in a half dozen gigs without any problems - mainly I am playing VG guitar and using Mainstage for keyboard synth pads, direct to FOH via Sub Outs.  GK volume is controlled with Patch Level (assigned to GK volume knob), Mainstage volume controlled with Master Volume (assigned to EV-5 foot pedal), monitor level controlled with VG's Output Level knob.

Mainstage 2.2.1
Macbook Pro OSX 10.6.8

erikbojerik

I should also mention that I have Logic 9 installed on the Macbook Pro, so Mainstage sees all the virtual instruments that come with Logic (and Garage Band).


guitarno


   I saw this thread & after looking into Logic a little, I decided to take the plunge & bought Logic Pro & Mainstage. Seemed like too good of a price to pass up. I was using Pro Tools 8 LE which shipped with my Eleven Rack when I originally bought it. I was agonizing over upgrading to Pro Tools Ver.10, which would have cost $500. I don't really record extensively, and don't make a living at music, but I do want to do more recording. I never was able to get fluent or comfortable with Pro Tools. Hopefully, Logic will work out better for me. I've only had it for 2 days so far, and have only had the time to make a few test recordings, but so far, everything is working out, and hopefully I will find it easier to use & be more productive. It recognized my VG-99 for both audio & MIDI without a lot of set-up hassles, so that was a good start.

  I am looking for Logic training & resources (hopefully without spending a lot of cash), so if anyone knows of any resources on using Logic that you think are worthwhile, either free, or low to moderate cost, I'm all ears.
:) :) :)

Suhr Classic Pro SSS, PRS Hollowbody II Piezo, Breedlove Oregon Concerto E, Fractal FM3, Mesa Boogie LoneStar Special

Elantric

Quote
  I am looking for Logic training & resources (hopefully without spending a lot of cash), so if anyone knows of any resources on using Logic that you think are worthwhile, either free, or low to moderate cost, I'm all ears.

I like these:
http://www.macprovideo.com/tutorials/logic-application

and of course just search youtube too.



guitarno

   Thanks Elantric! I did purchase the first few sets of videos from macprovideo for Logic. They cover a lot of material & should get me off to a good start with Logic. They have videos on a lot of different applications as well.
:) :) :)
Suhr Classic Pro SSS, PRS Hollowbody II Piezo, Breedlove Oregon Concerto E, Fractal FM3, Mesa Boogie LoneStar Special

Elantric

How to Set Up MainStage Live Looping Tutorial


arkieboy

Hi all


Not sure if this is going to work - or how much work you need to do to make it happen on your hardware - but here is a basic mainstage concert designed to use with a guitar synth controller such as a VG99 or a GR55.


It works for me - your milage may vary.  If there are ways I can improve on it then please post to this topic and I'll see if I can accomodate.  At the moment I have an Axon/AMT8/MotU828 rig so I can't do the final set up for you, hopefully someone out there will do the final bit and offer a link here.


I've created a number of mono and poly mode templates all set up - midi channels 1-6 with various standard logic soft synths so this will work out of the box if you have mainstage.  Once you have the concert listening to your hardware all you need to do is copy and rename the template patch using the synth you want to use, and then change the sounds selected.  On the mono-mode patches, start with your synth set to poly mode and get the sound how you want it.  Then copy the channel strip settings to all of the other channel strips and you can set your guitar to mono mode.


Here's the concert

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/3305696/guitar-synth%20starter.zip


Hope you find it useful


Steve





Main rig: Barden Hexacaster and Brian Moore i2.13 controllers
Boss SY1000/Boss GKC-AD/Boss GM-800/Laney LFR112

Other relevant gear: Line 6 Helix LT, Roland GR-33, Axon AX100 MkII
Oberheim Matrix 6R, Supernova IIR, EMu E5000, Apple Mainstage, Apple Logic, MOTU M4

Elantric

THANK YOU!

I'm just now getting my feet wet with Mainstage and this should prove useful!


sixeight

Thanks. Had a short test with my VG99 today. It seemed to work fine. I didn't get the volume sliders working yet. I am still undecided about Mainstage yet. Mainly because I have some trouble running external plugins on my old 1.83 GHz Mac. Latency is getting too high. With Pedalboard ( see https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=4887.msg33154#msg33154) I have had better results latency wise.

Maybe in time I will fix Mainstage to a satisfactory setup, or upgrade my Macbook...

aliensporebomb

I run Mainstage with my VG-99 on my 2.83 ghz corei7 iMac and it seems to run very well on my end of things.  Awaiting with baited breath a mountain lion driver.
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

arkieboy

... so I just picked up a VG99  8) 


I'll be revisiting this as soon as I get back from tour

Main rig: Barden Hexacaster and Brian Moore i2.13 controllers
Boss SY1000/Boss GKC-AD/Boss GM-800/Laney LFR112

Other relevant gear: Line 6 Helix LT, Roland GR-33, Axon AX100 MkII
Oberheim Matrix 6R, Supernova IIR, EMu E5000, Apple Mainstage, Apple Logic, MOTU M4

Elantric