Thanks so much. Doing this for the first time. Using an expression pedal as volume for patches that don't use the keys to control volume intensity like other patches. Mainstage is really great. Last show, I did, RENT, I used it to trigger all of the sound cues, even in the middle of playing. Not used to using my feet so much, but I can't wait to get more versed in these concepts.
So helpful! Question, what if I want the sustain pedal to remain a sustain but use a switch pedal as an advancement? Does the expression input on the back of my midi keyboard work for a switch pedal?
Hey James, thanks so much for this awesome tutorialI wanted to ask if it is possible to work with quarter tones on the main stage. Thanks for everything
It is possible to change the overall tuning scheme. In the concert level of the concert there are different tuning schemes that could be what you’re looking for. There’s also a pitch shifter that can change the pitch by cents.
I would love to know how to do this, maybe make a guide about it. It will be very useful. I want to control certain notes to be fourths in the master control thanks for that
Very helpful… I’d love help with expression pedal, I need a B3 patch to use it only while the piano and pad remain unaffected, I feel at the concert level it’s fine, but when I shift to a patch those concert level settings don’t hold through oddly- and expression pedal runs on all the sounds
I'd love to be able to help! Could you send me a pictures/screen recordings of how you have your concert setup? You can send it to this email James@catherallaudio.com
Hey James, thanks so much for this awesome tutorial. I'm having a strange issue: I have a Moog expression pedal connected to an AKAI MPK261 keyboard and then running into MainStage. When I stroke the pedal MainStage interprets the pedal as a volume control, and signals are sent on channel 1 and 2. I can't figure out how to turn off the volume control. I actually want to use the pedal as a filter pedal but since it modulates the volume I can't tell if my settings are working. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you again
Really appreciate your videos. I use MS for theater and am having an issue where when I switch patches, my expression pedal doesn't reset itself so my patch change is louder then what I want it to be. Is this normal? I find myself having to switch the patch and then press my pedal down to "reset" it and then play the patch. This is difficult for fast changes. Any ideas? I'm using a Roland rd88 and a yahama fc7 with inverted polarity using a physical adapter. Pedal is set to expression mode
Hey James, thanks for the Heilpflanzen video. I have a problem with my volume pedal. When I go from one patch to the next, the volume jumps to 127. As soon as I move the pedal, it jumps to the former number. What can I do, that the volume stays at the level from one to the next patch? Hans
How do you assign an expression pedal to fade in and out a sound on a certain channel? I'm building a setup that has piano, strings and brass. I want to fade brass in and out. I've made the settings you've made and I can see the expression dial at the top moving, but the brass never fades out. It's always on. What can I do. Thanks
Hey James! When we have two keyboards in the layout, one sustain pedal sustain both keyboards, is there a way to fix it so we can have separate sustain pedals for each keyboard?
If you have two separate pedals, one plugged into each synth/midi controller. Go to layout mode and bring in two separate pedals from the control panel. You can then assign the pedals just like you would assign a keyboard using the assign button in layout mode and that should allow them to function separately.
Thanks for video, but why if use my EV5 control pedal for espresso of the MainStage Patch, I can't deactivate expression (or soft or others option) in my Roland piano Rd 300 SX- How I can't bypass effect on piano RD? I want EV5 only for MS and no for piano. Thanks
Hi James! I just got a foot pedal to act as a switch for a patch advance, but even when I press it lightly it advances more patches than it should. I got this pedal specifically because it wasn't supposed to do that (Boss FS-5U Foot Switch). Could it have anything to do with the keyboard input?
Hey Jim, I would check the pedal in Layout Mode. On the left hand side where it says "type", you should set it to "Single Value". Sometimes if you have it set to something different it can read the pedal presses as multiple inputs.
Two question: 1. If my sustain pedal is built in with my keyboard I still follow the same process? 2. Is there a way to make a pedal that can start and stop the metronome?
1. It should still work, just double check if the pedal sending MIDI CC 64 that’s the message for sustaining 2. Yes, it is listed under the actions when mapping the pedal.
I know this is a bit pedantic but it’s a thing for me Not your fault but it is better described as a damper pedal because it enriches the sound as well as sustaining the sound.
when i have 2 instruments split on keyboard like strings or pads on left and may be clean guitar on the right, i want the sustain to only work on the left chords and not on the right guitar solo.. i do set the left side to sustain 64 and let the right side be.. sometimes it works, other times the right side also takes the sustain signal which i don't want.. how to fix that?
Thanks so much. Doing this for the first time. Using an expression pedal as volume for patches that don't use the keys to control volume intensity like other patches. Mainstage is really great. Last show, I did, RENT, I used it to trigger all of the sound cues, even in the middle of playing. Not used to using my feet so much, but I can't wait to get more versed in these concepts.
Pls keep them coming. This is very nice.
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the video!
So helpful! Question, what if I want the sustain pedal to remain a sustain but use a switch pedal as an advancement? Does the expression input on the back of my midi keyboard work for a switch pedal?
Great video bro...thks!
Thank you!
Great info bro
Great video! Please also do a best practices do's and don'ts video for the stablest performance rig!
That is great suggestion! That video has been on our to do list for a while!
Great Vid man! thanks. 😀
Hey James, thanks so much for this awesome tutorialI wanted to ask if it is possible to work with quarter tones on the main stage. Thanks for everything
It is possible to change the overall tuning scheme. In the concert level of the concert there are different tuning schemes that could be what you’re looking for.
There’s also a pitch shifter that can change the pitch by cents.
I would love to know how to do this, maybe make a guide about it. It will be very useful. I want to control certain notes to be fourths in the master control thanks for that
Very helpful… I’d love help with expression pedal, I need a B3 patch to use it only while the piano and pad remain unaffected, I feel at the concert level it’s fine, but when I shift to a patch those concert level settings don’t hold through oddly- and expression pedal runs on all the sounds
I'd love to be able to help! Could you send me a pictures/screen recordings of how you have your concert setup? You can send it to this email James@catherallaudio.com
Hey James, thanks so much for this awesome tutorial. I'm having a strange issue: I have a Moog expression pedal connected to an AKAI MPK261 keyboard and then running into MainStage. When I stroke the pedal MainStage interprets the pedal as a volume control, and signals are sent on channel 1 and 2. I can't figure out how to turn off the volume control. I actually want to use the pedal as a filter pedal but since it modulates the volume I can't tell if my settings are working. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you again
Really appreciate your videos. I use MS for theater and am having an issue where when I switch patches, my expression pedal doesn't reset itself so my patch change is louder then what I want it to be. Is this normal? I find myself having to switch the patch and then press my pedal down to "reset" it and then play the patch. This is difficult for fast changes. Any ideas? I'm using a Roland rd88 and a yahama fc7 with inverted polarity using a physical adapter. Pedal is set to expression mode
Hey James, thanks for the Heilpflanzen video. I have a problem with my volume pedal. When I go from one patch to the next, the volume jumps to 127. As soon as I move the pedal, it jumps to the former number. What can I do, that the volume stays at the level from one to the next patch? Hans
How do you assign an expression pedal to fade in and out a sound on a certain channel? I'm building a setup that has piano, strings and brass. I want to fade brass in and out. I've made the settings you've made and I can see the expression dial at the top moving, but the brass never fades out. It's always on. What can I do. Thanks
It would be helpful to understand how to set up 2 sets of pedals (1 for each controller keyboard).
Hey James! When we have two keyboards in the layout, one sustain pedal sustain both keyboards, is there a way to fix it so we can have separate sustain pedals for each keyboard?
If you have two separate pedals, one plugged into each synth/midi controller. Go to layout mode and bring in two separate pedals from the control panel. You can then assign the pedals just like you would assign a keyboard using the assign button in layout mode and that should allow them to function separately.
Thanks for video, but why if use my EV5 control pedal for espresso of the MainStage Patch, I can't deactivate expression (or soft or others option) in my Roland piano Rd 300 SX- How I can't bypass effect on piano RD? I want EV5 only for MS and no for piano. Thanks
Hi James! I just got a foot pedal to act as a switch for a patch advance, but even when I press it lightly it advances more patches than it should. I got this pedal specifically because it wasn't supposed to do that (Boss FS-5U Foot Switch). Could it have anything to do with the keyboard input?
Hey Jim, I would check the pedal in Layout Mode. On the left hand side where it says "type", you should set it to "Single Value". Sometimes if you have it set to something different it can read the pedal presses as multiple inputs.
Two question: 1. If my sustain pedal is built in with my keyboard I still follow the same process? 2. Is there a way to make a pedal that can start and stop the metronome?
1. It should still work, just double check if the pedal sending MIDI CC 64 that’s the message for sustaining
2. Yes, it is listed under the actions when mapping the pedal.
And what about the soft or sostenuto pedals?
I know this is a bit pedantic but it’s a thing for me Not your fault but it is better described as a damper pedal because it enriches the sound as well as sustaining the sound.
When I go to Keyboard 1 destinations, all I can choose from is the different notes (C-2 - G8). What can I do so that I would be able to choose 64?
when i have 2 instruments split on keyboard like strings or pads on left and may be clean guitar on the right, i want the sustain to only work on the left chords and not on the right guitar solo.. i do set the left side to sustain 64 and let the right side be.. sometimes it works, other times the right side also takes the sustain signal which i don't want.. how to fix that?