Audio Output Routing

Question

Level 1

13 points

Audio Output Routing

Can Mainstage be setup to route various audio signals to different hardware outputs?

Specifically, assume that I have my guitar connected to the Mac using a firewire audio interface, and the guitar's processed audio output is heard through the stereo outputs on the firewire interface, which are then routed to the PA system.

Now can I route audio from another internal source (say a sequenced track, or an audio accompaniment backing track) to be sent only through the headphone/speaker output on the Mac? (so that it is independent of the guitar signal, and vice versa) These outputs would then in turn also be routed to the PA system, effectively providing a total of 4 independent outputs (2 stereo pairs).

I understand that this would be easy using a Presonus Firebox interface which has multiple audio outputs, but I'm thinking more specifically of a firewire interface like the Presonus Inspire or Tascam Fireone, which both only have a single set of stereo audio outputs.

Thanks in advance!

iMac, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Oct 8, 2007 1:16 PM

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Answer 1

Seth K

Level 1

10 points

Oct 8, 2007 1:29 PM in response to m2m2m

MainStage cannot route to multiple output devices at once, but you can accomplish this by creating an aggregate audio device in Audio MIDI Setup.

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Answer 2

Oct 8, 2007 1:51 PM in response to m2m2m

To answer your question.

MainStage will not provide the support you are looking for directly. Let me explain. In MainStage, you are only allowed to select a single audio device for input and another and or identical device for output. If I understand you correctly, the device you are currently using only has a single stereo pair of outputs. This means that you will only be able to select main outputs 1&2 as routing options for channel output in MainStage.

In the case, where the connected audio device has multple stereo outputs, MainStage will allow you to route channel(s) (both audio and software instrument) to any available output(s) on the device. Effectively allowing you to accomplish your goal, as described above.

There is a workaround of sorts. The Audio Midi Setup application allows you to create an aggregate device. With this application, you can combine outputs and inputs from various audio devices, to create an aggregate device. (effectively what you are asking for.)

IMHO, your best bet for routing flexibility is to purhcase an audio i/o device with multiple inputs and outputs.

Hope this is helpful.

Good luck, and happy gigging!

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Answer 3

m2m2m Author

Level 1

13 points

Oct 8, 2007 3:47 PM in response to m2m2m

Thanks guys, actually I haven't bought the firewire audio I/O device yet, and you're helping me to decide to go with the Presonus Firebox which theoretically can do as many as 6 in 10 out, so that would do the trick.

That said, I'm intrigued with the MIDI aggregate idea you both mentioned, can I find more info about that procedure somewhere? in the Mainstage PDF manual?
I kinda like the Tascam FireOne I/O interface because it has dedicated transport controls, which presumably could be mapped to control playback of my live backing tracks. That would be cool, except it only has a single stereo audio output so it falls short on my other wish... 🙂

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Answer 4

Seth K

Level 1

10 points

Oct 8, 2007 3:54 PM in response to m2m2m

This describes how to use aggregate audio devices to group inputs, but it's equally applicable to outputs:

http://www.apple.com/pro/techniques/aggregateaudio/

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