Beginner Question - MainStage

[Mike7300]

Hi - my band is looking to create click tracks for our songs , and just a few backing tracks….we mainly play everything live.  In the past I was using reaper to create the click tracks and backing tracks, and then I would upload them to software called livetracker which would organize songs for a live setting.  My understanding is that MainStage is similar to livetracker and it’s 30 dollars compared to livetracker which is around 300.  I would prefer the drummer use an iPad to control the tracks onstage than a computer, which I think can be done with MainStage?

 

Also is it possible to create click tracks for songs directly in mainstage? If so - is it possible to change the tempo for the metronome and are there options as to what the metronome sounds like?

can backing tracks also be created in MainStage?

if the above items aren’t possible with mainstage, I assume Logic Pro would be an option (which I don’t have experience with) or I could continue using reaper for creating clicks and backing tracks? 

Thank you

 

[Atlas007]

19 hours ago, Mike7300 said:

Also is it possible to create click tracks for songs directly in mainstage? If so - is it possible to change the tempo for the metronome and are there options as to what the metronome sounds like?

For a click Klopfgeist plugin could be what you’re looking for. (not a prerecorded click track per say, but many interesting options available).

19 hours ago, Mike7300 said:

can backing tracks also be created in MainStage?

The Playback plugin could be used to play back, on the fly or pre-recorded audio.

19 hours ago, Mike7300 said:

I would prefer the drummer use an iPad to control the tracks onstage than a computer, which I think can be done with MainStage?

MainStage could be remotely controlled from an iPad via Logic Remote app. However, that implies using a Mac to run the MainStage…

 

19 hours ago, Mike7300 said:

if the above items aren’t possible with mainstage, I assume Logic Pro would be an option (which I don’t have experience with) or I could continue using reaper for creating clicks and backing tracks? 

Logic is an excellent MainStage companion as it shares among other things the same plugins, the same presets, the same patches.

If you’re looking for MIDI playback in MainStage, I think you’d need a 3rd party plugin… Here is something I gleaned on the net re same.

 

 

[Mike7300]

Thanks - yes I would be using Mac.  Ok backing tracks would all be pre-recorded.

[Dewdman42]

Never heard of LiveTracker before.  Looks interesting, but yea..kind of expensive, and complex.

I would recommend you save yourself a lot of aggravation and avoid using any midi playback when live..  including the metronome!  Use only pre-recorded audio tracks.   Record the metronome tracks as audio.  keep it simple.  Some kind of fancy live tracking setup that allows lots of flexibility, also is going to be complicated to both setup and use live.  What you want is something that you press play and it just works without having to think about it.  Just my opinion.

I would also choose MainStage over LogicPro for this kind of thing because of the set list management that is built into MainStage.  You can setup your Concert of sets and songs and quickly load up the song you want. 

For non-mac, check out GigaPerformer also, it can be had fro $99 on sale I think.  It runs on Mac or pac and does a lot of the same stuff as MainStage, though I'm not sure if it can playback either audio or midi tracks.  I would assume so.  On the Pc there is also something called Cantabile.

 

[Mike7300]

Livetracker is pretty straightforward to use, I just find it to be way too expensive for what it is…also if you want to update it after a year they also charge you a fee…and the customer service is pretty bad.  The main reason I selected it initially is because it can hookup to my lighting program (DMXIS) and allows you to add in cues for lighting changes.  I could be wrong but I don’t think MainStage can be used with a lighting program.

So when you say recorded metronomes instead of midi - I should just find a metronome I like online, record it, and then import that audio into MainStage?

for most of my songs all I’ll need is a metronome set at the correct tempo and going the length of the song.  

 

[Dewdman42]

Well for example, if you use LogicPro to create your backing tracks, you can simply bounce the klopfgeist plugin to audio.  If you are using a different DAW to prepare your backing tracks, each one will have a way.  You can also just record a a midi track with quarter notes or any other pattern you want and use any old percussion plugin or whatever..just make a metronome track exactly how you want to hear it and bounce it to audio.

I doubt you could control the lights with MainStage, easily.  If the lighting system responds to midi you could use Mainstage Scripter plugin to send midi to it that way.  But in my opinion any time you start getting into trying to send midi around to different devices and keep them in sync...it generally opens up a can of worms.  So only do it if you really need to.

That liveTracker apps does look pretty interesting I will have to check it out in more detail later.

GigaPerformer also supports OSC in case that helps.

Also you can get many different interesting plugins that run inside MainStage.  For example, KushView Element I believe can send OSC....so can PlogueBidule.  So there are a lot of options to explore to find out what is possible.  LiveTracker seems more like a very dedicated produced to a single purpose, which is not always a bad thing...and as long as it does exactly what you need, might be the easiest way to do it...could be well worth the $300 and upgrade fees.

 

[Mike7300]

I have livetracker currently but it’s on a new PC which has stability issues so I’m going back to Mac and if I want a mac version it’s gonna cost me another 300….so for 30 bucks was going to give MainStage a try.  Also - I really want a program that I can control on an iPad.  Can’t do that with livetracker.

[Dewdman42]

MainStage is definitely a cool product for only $30 and worth a try!  Using plugins for various things you can also send a lot of midi and even you can find ways to send OSC, etc.  

You can partially control MainStage with an iPad, FYI.  Good enough....but anyway its worth $30 to just buy it and see what you can do with it..

 

 

 

 

[Mike7300]

Cool - all I really want to control from the iPad is being able to click on a song and then that click track and or backing tracks will play (basically for stage use).  Everything else prior to using on stage I’ll do on the computer.

[Dewdman42]

I believe it should.  You can configure MainStage so that it will start playing as soon as the song is loaded, or require that you hit play.  Either way.  MainStage is amazing software for the price.  You will not be sorry for spending $30.  I believe you can make it work.  Potentially you could possibly even set something up where you choose the song on the iPad and hit a midi drum pad to start it.  Don't quote me on that though.

 

 

[Atlas007]

I wonder if it's possible to script something to also trigger another app via IAC...

[Dewdman42]

if any app can respond to midi then yes of course you can!  

But there are other ways too, some apps respond to OSC.  MainStage doesn't have a way that I know of to send OSC currently , but there are some plugins like Kushview Element, PlogueBidule and perhaps some others that are capable of sending OSC...so you could use those for that.  Also its possible you might be able to combine midi over IAC...or OSC...with OSCulator or Keyboard Maestro or something like that to do other multiple-app tasks, fire off key commands etc..  All worth exploring, but of course these kinds of complicated scenarios are more likely to break down, for me personally in a live gig situation I'd rather keep thing simple...  That's why I say, whenever you can burn an audio track to play that instead of midi...its a better choice.