Can mainstage2 send automated MIDI program changes ?

[Eyekon]

Hi everyone,

 

I have a macbook pro running MS2 and I'm wondering if I am missing something. I have the Logic Pro 9 suite and I'm new to mainstage but have some MIDI background.

 

Currently in a live situation we have a sequencer keyboard (Korg Triton) playing the backing tracks/samples, and from an aux out its click track goes to the drummer, the L+R out to the house desk. The MIDI out from this device then changes the FX units. We want to move away from this setup as its restrictive in terms of the sounds and the size/weight of the keyboard.

 

Basically, we want to replace this heavy keyboard for the live setting, and I was hoping my MS would take over like this:

 

1) The drummer will use a MIDI controller to start and stop songs, and move through the set list of songs (I have this working).

2) Each song has 1 channel with the playback plug-in and 1 with a MIDI out channel.

3) I want MS to send the click track out to the drummer, based on the time information from the file (haven't got this working yet in MS ... and suggestions?).

But here is where its going pear shaped:

4) MS to send MIDI program changes to external FX units at pre-programmed intervals in the songs (ie: go from verse to chorus etc).

 

So my question is... how do I get mainstage to send those pre-programmed MIDI out patch changes? It seems that MS can receive MIDI no problem (see step 1), but I cant seem to send the program changes at all. I'm using the Playback plug-in but I'm also unsure if the file types contain the MIDI information (I've tried all 3 types that playback supports with no luck), or even worse.... MS is not sending them or capable of doing so. These backing track files are originating from Logic, where I keep 1 track of stereo audio and 1 track of midi program changes.

 

Where am I going wrong, or is mainstage incapable of doing this? Is it the wrong tool for the job and if so, what do people suggest please? I can't believe the MS cannot do this... or am I doing something wrong and missing the obvious?

 

Thank you all in advance!

[Eyekon]

Bumped! anyone any ideas on this please?

[CCTMusic]

Hi

 

Re Item 4... transmitting MIDI Program changes

 

Mainstage 2.2 does have the facility to transmit MIDI files on a patch change, which should do exactly what you want (but note that the implementation is not great IMHO)

 

 

See this discussion for more info

 

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=79022

 

 

CCT

[Eyekon]

Hi CCT,

 

Thank you for the response, I gave this a go last night and to my horror, I see what you mean with the song continuing to "stream" from the buffer even after a patch change! I found too that the only way to clear the buffer was to close MS.

 

I am really confused as to how Apple thought this implementation would be useful. Surely the better way to handle midi files would have been through the playback plug-in. Surely that would be an easier upgrade too, and then just use the sync system in groups to control each patch having its own set of audio playback and midi file playback!

 

Anyway back to the current implementation....I'm also a little confused about the time the transmitting of the file occurs - does it start when I change to the patch? I was kind of hoping it would be only triggered by some action being taken (like a play button being pressed). Any ideas?

[CCTMusic]

Hi

 

Once you've set up everything, the file is transmitted as soon as you call up the patch.

 

I guess you could use an additional patch change to initiate transmission, but....

 

 

CCT