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Helpful answers
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Mar 14, 2011 3:41 PM in response to jhart26by jhart26,Would it work
using ultra beat to set up my sequences
and an interface such as duet to get my vocals and guitar in and out of mainstage?
and maybe purchasing a midi foot controller? -
Mar 14, 2011 3:42 PM in response to jhart26by jhart26,Would it work
using ultra beat to set up my sequences
and an interface such as duet to get my vocals and guitar in and out of mainstage?
and maybe purchasing a midi foot controller? -
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Apr 7, 2011 12:42 AM in response to jhart26by CCTM,Hi
The short answer is yes....
see http://www.apple.com/logicstudio/mainstage/ and the manual for details.
Mainstage has a Loopback plugin which will do the "live looping", all the effects you'd want and all capable of being controlled from a MIDI controller.
Some might find that the loop pedal you already have is easier to use, even if you integrated it into a Mainstage rig.
CCT -
Apr 7, 2011 2:50 PM in response to jhart26by sam squarewave,Totally possible. The FCB1010 is a good foot controller to use, around $100 too, so not a bad deal. You have the right Idea, syncing ultrabeat up - the only thing is that you have to program your sequences into ultrabeat and send a midi note to switch between them.
Then you route your inputs to the LoopBack plugin. You can also use PlayBack to run your backing tracks if running the drum machine is too much for you. I recommend mapping the tempo to an on screen number as well as the measure count.
If you have any questions about this setup, don't hesitate to ask - I have done exactly what you are wanting to do -
Apr 8, 2011 8:05 AM in response to sam squarewaveby Pianafiddle,So, I'm wanting to do the same thing. Wondering though if the Mainstage loopback will do what my boomerang III will do. Really, what I liked about it, were the two different ways I was able use it. Serial, and Serial sync, in which I lay down a short master rhythm loop, then create a second (slave) loop that is in sync and a multiple of the master loop. I can then also create a third loop (and even a fourth loop) that I can toggle between. (Master is always running, and can be stacked upon if I so desire, fyi.) So, how do I do THAT in Mainstage?
Thanks!
Adam -
Apr 8, 2011 8:57 AM in response to Pianafiddleby CCTM,Pianafiddle wrote:
then create a second (slave) loop that is in sync and a multiple of the master loop. I can then also create a third loop (and even a fourth loop) that I can toggle between. (Master is always running, and can be stacked upon if I so desire, fyi.) So, how do I do THAT in Mainstage?
Hi
Set up the required number of LoopBack plugins in parallel (probably at Set level) on different Aux Channels.
You will probably need some MIDI control switches to "drive" it all.
CCT -
Apr 8, 2011 9:18 AM in response to CCTMby Pianafiddle,CCTM,
thanks. How will I get them to sync together? Won't they kind of just roam free? I want my "second" loop back to stick like glue to my first.
And I have a midi foot controller that is very customizable. (softstep)
Thank you in advance for any suggestions. (Hey, you don't know of a place where one can download or share mainstage templates with other mainstage users, do you? I'd love to study what other people have done.) -
Apr 8, 2011 9:30 AM in response to Pianafiddleby CCTM,Hi
If need be they can be grouped, or set to run to Mainstage's internal clock.
CCT -
Apr 8, 2011 9:42 AM in response to CCTMby Pianafiddle,I guess I'm just not yet adept enough in mainstage to even really understand that. I will continue my research, but the grouping suggestion didn't really make sense to me. Do you mean group in on one channel strip? Or group the controls together? Seems like somebody could (and should!) make a looper template and sell the sucker. I'd buy it As for the internal clock... I'd do whatever I needed to do to make it work. Yeah, I could just hook up my loop pedal, but you know, that's just a pain and REALLY limits my soundman's ability to control the loop level.
Ehhhh, I'll get this, and I really appreciate your help!
Thanks,
Adam -
Apr 12, 2011 2:31 PM in response to Pianafiddleby dingdangdawg,I bounced back and forth between using MainStage/computer setup, and my hardware/mixer setup for two years. I perform solo with vocals, guitar, sax, and often use a Rang III looper, plus various floor effects.
I REALLY wanted to use MainStage full time to reduce setup time and cables and hardware, and spent many hours working and refining a custom setup. But in the end I have gone back to and settled on a pure hardware>mixer>PA setup (rather than MainStage>audio interface>PA.
There are two main reasons why I went full circle.
1) latency. Even after upgrading my MacBook and memory and interface, I could never get latency down low enough to not bother me during vocals or fast fingerpicking.
2) the main reason....if any one piece of my MainStage or the laptop or the audio interface weren't working for some reason, the entire gig shut down. Fast. With no sound man, troubleshooting any problems became frustrating and difficult during the heat of a gig in front of a waiting audience. With my hardware setup, even if one piece of my setup fails, I can quickly determine the problem quickly, bypass it, or find a quick workaround and continue playing. Things are "real" and not "virtual".
I'm love Apple products and software, and I'm sure many musicians are having great success using MainStage for live performance, but for singer/songwriter solo gigs, I find that it can be like doing a tightrope act with no net. -
Mar 21, 2012 1:36 PM in response to dingdangdawgby dingdangdawg,An update. After upgrading to MS 2.2.1 and getting a faster Mac, things are running stable enough to give MainStage a second chance.
However, I am still not able to use Loopback as described by Pianafiddle in this thread (master - slave looping, as done by a Boomerang or Boss hardware pedal). If I try to set the first instance of Loopback to dictate the clock, it is not time reliably. And, If I try to Group instances of Loopback, I am stuck with all of them being the same length, so I cannot do a traditional "Master/Slave" style of live looping.
If someone has this figured out (Loopback live looping on-the-fly, not looping to a metronome or drum track), please let us know. Otherwise, Mobius is working very well.
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Mar 21, 2012 1:40 PM in response to CCTMby dingdangdawg,Have you actually tried doing this and succeeded? I am also unable to get a setup syncing multiple loops in a slave-master relationship (and not tied to a metronome or drumtradk) with any sort of usable timing. Spent a couple of hours with it today, read everything online, watched every youtube video, read the MS documentation, threw I Ching, chanted, prayed....
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Mar 21, 2012 11:59 PM in response to dingdangdawgby CCTM,dingdangdawg wrote:
Have you actually tried doing this and succeeded? I am also unable to get a setup syncing multiple loops in a slave-master relationship (and not tied to a metronome or drumtradk) with any sort of usable timing.
Hi
Generally, yes.
What is it that you need, and what have you tried?
CCT