Controlling MainStage with Logic Remote on an iPad

Here's some feedback I'm going to give Apple on controlling MainStage with Logic Remote. I thought it might be interesting for the wider community too....

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

 

Hi there,

 

I have some feedback on controlling MainStage during live performances via the Mixer page in Logic Remote on an iPad.

 

(1) Please could you consider making the channel strip mute/solo button touch areas larger to stop “finger misses” when striking from a distance and needing to change things quickly while playing.... The touch areas are are too small for me and also it's strange the buttons are above the faders rather than below (like in MainStage) which would make them closer to the musician I think in most setups and easier to reach. (I've edited this point to no longer complain about failing to "grip" the faders as I've now worked out how to grip a fader by striking my finger anywhere on a horizontal line passing through the fader. NB: small extra point: there is a bug when tapping Solo with multiple strips selected - only a single strip is solo'ed. Compare this behaviour with clicking mute or solo in MainStage when a group of strips is selected.)

 

(2) Please could you add a second mute option for external instrument channel strips to allow muting MIDI In as opposed to Audio Out for an eternal instrument (this would be useful in the MainStage UI as well). This is important for multiple keyboard setups where sometimes you want your master synth to send MIDI to a secondary synth and sometimes not. But you don’t necessarily want to mute the audio of the second synth as it has its own keyboard which can be played independently. In my case I never want to mute the second synth’s audio as its keyboard should always work; I just want to mute/unmute the MIDI In coming from my master keyboard according to the needs of the moment.

 

Fixing these issues would enable me to completely avoid using my laptop’s keyboard/trackpad to control MainStage which is a really bad option in a live situation. It will also allow me to migrate to a planned headless setup with a new Mac mini I am about to purchase (the Mac mini can be physically anchored so more secure in a stage environment).

 

Many thanks for considering these requests.

 

BR,

Mark

 

PS: As a final suggestion, if you really want to improve Logic Remote’s MainStage integration could you please consider supporting a touch UI option for AU plugin developers to allow sound editing and selection in Logic Remote on an iPad - now that would be so fantastic and make exploring sounds in plugins so much easier!

Edited November 12, 2019 by MMU

Quick clarification. My request for a MIDI in mute for external instruments means that the MIDI data sent on the "MIDI output" in MainStage's external instrument channel strip would be muted. MainStage's MIDI output is the external instrument's MIDI In and I think we all understand what this is....

Final point: thinking about the mute issue, I realise I don't really need two mute buttons on Logic Remote. All I really need is an option in MainStage to select between audio and MIDI mute for an external instrument channel strip. Please Apple.... : )

I think that Logic Remote needs to be greatly improved for its use with MainStage but have you considered using MIDI Designer Pro? You can then create your own controls however you like. MDP is a fantastic app for controlling MainStage.

Thanks for this! I can check this out but I suspect it can't load stuff that changes between patches such as names of strips etc.... That's why I'm trying to get Logic Remote improved - because it truly integrates bi-directionally with MainStage. (NB: I adjusted my original post just now following more experimentation this evening : ) )

Also just to emphasise for anyone reading that I think the idea of a "MIDI mute" or "input mute" for External Instruments is actually required in MainStage itself for better control of multi-synth setups. This request is independent of the iPad control tool.

MMU, do I understand correctly that your issue is that Mainstage can sometimes get in the way of playing a board directly when that board is also integrated into the Mainstage setup? If so, would that be solved by having all attached keyboards in Local Off mode thereby always addressing them via Mainstage routing, even when a board is only being used to play its own sounds? If so, would you find this problematic for some other reason?