YES - you can send MIDI out from MainStage to your hardware

I saw a request for this in another thread, but thought it deserved a special topic.

What you need is an Software Instrument Audio Unit that can route MIDI out. Such a plug-in exists here:

http://mysite.verizon.net/retroware/midiO-1.2.zip

I noticed that on my Mac Book Pro, it failed AU validation, but I believe that may be due to the fact that this is a strange example of an Audio Unit. It has no actual DSP in it, and only routes MIDI. I simply enabled it anyways in the AU Validation screen and it works great.

Another little power tip that may work well for some folks: you can also return the output of the external midi device into your audio interface and process it with MainStage's plug-ins. You will need to create a Patch that has both a Software Instrument channel strip (for the midiO plug-in) and an audio channel strip with its input set to the same input your device is connected to.

If you don't have a high performance system like a Symphony Mobile (or similar) and run at low buffer sizes (like 64 samples), you probably won't enjoy playing with so much added latency.

Enjoy!

So I could download this program and use the Logic instruments in Ableton Live then?

You already can do that using Rewire.

So I could download this program and use the Logic instruments in Ableton Live then?

 

You already can do that using Rewire.

lots of confusion here..

1st - no, this is only to allow you to play hardware MIDI devices from inside MS.

2nd - Ableton Live does work via ReWire as a 'slave'. In this way, Logic can play the instruments in Live. MS and Logic are -not- ReWire 'slaves' so you can't use their instruments via ReWire from within Ableton Live.

MS does not support ReWire.

i cant get the MidiO controller working with logic

it just wont validate in the audio units manager

i have the 1.2 version

am i missing something?

thnx

this is what i am getting when i try to get the midiO running:

validating Audio Unit MIDI Out by RetroWare:

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

AU Validation Tool

Version: 1.2.1b3

Copyright 2003-2007, Apple, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Specify -h (-help) for command options

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

--------------------------------------------------

VALIDATING AUDIO UNIT: 'aumu' - 'Adsn' - 'ReWa'

--------------------------------------------------

Manufacturer String: RetroWare

AudioUnit name: MIDI Out

Component Info: RetroWares GB Midi Out

Component Version: 1.0.0 (0x10000)

Component's Bundle Version: 1.2.0

* * PASS

--------------------------------------------------

TESTING OPEN TIMES:

COLD:

Time to open AudioUnit: 12.318 ms

WARM:

Time to open AudioUnit: 0.018 ms

ERROR: Component Version mismatch: Res Vers = 0x10000, Comp Vers = 0x1

FIRST TIME:

Time for initialization: 0.004 ms

* * FAIL

--------------------------------------------------

AU VALIDATION FAILED: CORRECT THE ERRORS ABOVE.

--------------------------------------------------

validation result: failed validation

It does work.

After you open MS, open Audio Units Manager, click (tick) the box on the left in the Use column. It will fail validation but the Use box will still be ticked - which means the Audio Unit is working.

Open a Software instrument channel in a MS patch, open Midi Out instrument.

It's under AU instruments- (incompatible) - RetroWare - Midi Out - Stereo/Mono. It works, but each time you open Logic or MS you'll get the dialogue box which says you are using incompatible Audio Units. Click "Ignore".

J M

thanks i am new here but have been 'logical' for i guess about a year after moving from analog

soooo very helpful, that did it, i never would have gotten this going without your site... i wouldnt a) have found the plug in

b) figured out how to get it operational

so thanx again

Hi,

I've been trying this and I think I have things setup OK. However, MS does not send out a program change to the midio channel when I switch patches. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Hi,

 

I've been trying this and I think I have things setup OK. However, MS does not send out a program change to the midio channel when I switch patches. Any suggestions?

 

Thanks!

I know this threads a bit old, but I'd like to chime in here as this is an issue I too have been dealing with.

MidiO will basically receive any information mainstage would pass on to a softsynth (notes, control data, sustain etc...) and passes that on through the midi out. Unfortunately, mainstage assumes that all program change messages are intended to change patches within mainstage, thus this data is not passed through to the softsynth / plugin (in our case, midiO). If a way exists, I have yet to find it.

I've been looking for a program that could send out midi program change messages and is also action script compatible. In this case, mainstage could run the script, script tell the program to send out the control / program change messages, and use midiO for the actual note messages. I'll be sure to post here if I find a program that could work in this way.

A new version of midiO is now available at:

http://mysite.verizon.net/~retroware

It validates correctly under 10.6 (and hopefully earlier os versions). It can also now send program/bank change messages at the start of the track.

This hopefully should help users of mainstage 1.0 who want to drive hardware synthesizers.