simple headphone jack to dual quarter-inch
adaptor cable plugged into your computer’s
built-in headphone jack (just make sure
to turn on ‘Do Not Disturb’ and disable all
system sounds). Once you’ve confirmed that
you want to use MainStage on an ongoing
basis, it’s definitely worth it to invest in a
dedicated USB Audio Interface to handle the
audio output from your computer.
If you take the time to ensure that you
understand the implementation of these three
hardware components then you’ll be well on
your way to making sure your live setup will be
reliable on stage.
3. TIME
In point two above I said that ‘flexibility’ was
one of my favorite things about MainStage.
While that’s true, that same flexibility can also
cause a lot of potential problems.
Don't be discouraged by this, but do plan on Just communicate with your audio engineer to
One of the things that makes hardware investing some extra time upfront to see a great leave the channel(s) muted unless you signal
workstation keyboards great is the fact that return in the long run. otherwise. Then if worst-comes-to-worst, and
you need to give MainStage a break for a song
every single patch, preset, and sound bank in
or service, you can pull up a piano and pad on
the keyboard has been professionally dialed in 4. FLEXIBILITY (AND A BACKUP PLAN) to ‘just work’. This means that no matter what Whether you’re the one that will be using you do (within reason), the keyboard will still the MainStage rig, or you’ll be handing it off sound the way you’d expect it to, with no huge to volunteers, the last ingredient you need Over time you may find that backup becomes
volume jumps between different sounds, no is a healthy dose of flexibility. There’s a good unnecessary. I personally use MainStage
massive EQ problems, etc. chance that this may be your first foray into without a backup all the time and have never
a new style of playing keys to go with these had a failure during a service, but trust your gut
When you begin to work within MainStage new sounds. If you or your team are used to a and plan for worst-case scenarios when you’re
you’ll soon realize that there are a lot fewer more traditional style of playing your piano and just getting started.
limitations on what you can tweak. This is a keys parts then plan on introducing these new blessing and a curse. It’s much easier to run sounds and new playing techniques slowly and SLOW AND STEADY
into issues with volume jumps and EQ when with lots of margin for adjustments. It can seem really overwhelming to begin to set
your hardware without major disruption.
up a MainStage keys rig, but if you can get a
working in software like MainStage.
Make sure that you budget multiple rehearsals handle on the four ingredients I’ve discussed
This is why I include ‘time’ as an essential to test out the new setup before deploying it in today, then you’ll have everything you need to
ingredient to ensure that you’re successful a service and be sure to have ‘the old way’ on succeed. Remember, the goal is to make things
when Simply hand in case you need to revert back to it to sound better and to make your or your keys
put, it can take some trial and error to dial in keep those rehearsals productive for the entire player’s performances simpler. A ‘one step at
your MainStage setup so it sounds balanced, worship team. a time’ approach will get you there in no time.
you
implement
MainStage.
Happy playing!
so there aren’t volume jumps between your
sounds, and so your audio engineer knows You may also consider leaving your hardware
how to handle the MainStage input at front keyboard connected to the soundboard for the
of house. first few live performances or even indefinitely.
February 2019
David Pfaltzgraff
Founder and Lead Sound Designer
SundaySounds.com
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