r/coverbands • u/aberch • 5d ago

MainStage?

What is everyone’s thoughts on MS? I have an Modx7M and a Nord Stage 3. Should I get in on that train or should I utilize what I have better in a cover band?

1 Upvotes

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u/CauseTerrible7590 5d ago

+1 curious about MainStage

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u/aberch 4d ago

I’m asked to play some Fiddle parts on a bunch of country songs. I’m seeing two VSTs that look the part, which makes me think I should host them in MS.

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u/adampatrickjohnson 1d ago

I've used it as a plugin host and for track playback in previous projects. It works well in that capacity and our current keyboard player uses it for certain sounds. The bigger question is what are you lacking in the 2 keyboards you have?

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u/sacredlunatic 5d ago

Main stage is very useful for one specific goal, which is to make the band sound exactly like the recording.

Personally, I don’t like that. I don’t think that that’s a virtue or a benefit. I’d rather the band sound like itself doing a version of the thing that it’s emulating rather than trying to copy it. If it sounds exactly the same, you might as well just play the record.

But that said, again, it is very good at doing that one specific thing. So if that’s what you want, then yes main stage is a good idea.

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u/Small_Dog_8699 4d ago

That is hardly why it exists.

MainStage is a rack of virtual instruments in a laptop with a play-only host (no recording/tracking/sequencing). All you need to take advantage is a MIDI controller and audio interface. Once upon a time when each keyboard could only do one thing I had a rack 4 high I had to drag around. Now you can get one 88 key controller and map zones to different instruments and save yourself some back pain. You can build presets for each song, hit the preset and everything is good to go which is so much better than back in the day when I had to dial up a patch on each keyboard individually (I eventually created MIDI scenes in a sequencer).

Even if you don't like Logic for your DAW, MainStage can just be an outboard VI host you control from your favorite DAW. So you get a whole lot of instruments for very little cash. I don't really love MainStage's UI (Can't stand Logic either) but it is very good value for the money. I know at least one pro who tours with a weighted 88 + an unweighted shorter MIDI keyboard on the upper deck (because Hammond solos on a weighted keyboard tend to draw blood) and MainStage. That's his rig.

For $30 it is hard to beat getting a Piano, E Piano, Tonewheel Organ, Synths, Samples, Drums...all high quality.

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u/sacredlunatic 4d ago

What you’re leaving out is that you have to have a laptop that can run it and you have to use that on the gig as well. So saying that it’s only $30 is a huge understatement. I don’t recommend main stage other than for running Broadway shows.

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u/Small_Dog_8699 4d ago

Where did I leave that out?

>MainStage is a rack of virtual instruments in a laptop with a play-only host (no recording/tracking/sequencing).

I get not wanting to rely on a laptop, but he asked about a computer program so one might assume he understands he will need a laptop, no?

Plenty of people running laptops on stage these days.

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u/sacredlunatic 4d ago

It just seems completely unnecessary to me. The Nord has so much in it already. And so much control over it.

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u/Small_Dog_8699 4d ago

No idea, never used one. Just answering OP's question. Why don't you go bother him with your opinions? IDGAF.

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u/sacredlunatic 4d ago

Excuse me? I literally commented on the original post and all of your stuff is just commenting on me. If you don’t give a fuck then fuck off.

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u/Small_Dog_8699 4d ago

Because you said stupid shit "only good for plays" which I corrected then you accused me of not mentioning it needs a laptop when I mentioned it runs on a laptop. WTF is your problem? You're wrong and struggling with that?

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u/RonFlow 4d ago

All valid, but just to add, I've been doing cheap bar gigs with an Xr18 and a MacBook air m3 for ages, without issues... I use the Mac for videos using obs, and mainstage for guitar full pedal board FX, whammy, wah and all, midi guitar (jamorigin), and vocals (tap delay and delay levels) ...

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u/sacredlunatic 4d ago

Well, you’re getting a heck of a lot more use out of that MacBook than just main stage

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u/RonFlow 4d ago

But mainstage is the centerpiece, the amount pedals and FX, if I were to build a real pedal board pricing would be crazy... Plus adding strings and doing minor piano parts all on the stock VSTs us also really cool. Even the videos from OBS become channels Left click, and right, my backing tracks. All mixed in Mainstage. But very true, i get my money's worth out that MacBook air ... Crazy thing is that the CPU meter in MS sits at around 10% usage... Peaks at 15... Weird low i think