Apple’s newest product for musicians: MainStage
The last time Apple released a music product was the jam pack released concurrently with iLife 08. Recently the company released Logic Studio 8, the latest update to their pro musician’s package, and within it, a new product called MainStage. MainStage allows musicians to take their Logic effects and MIDI queues to the stage. All the programming you do at home when recording a track in Logic can be duplicated any time live, and the gap between studio and live versions are bridged that much more.
The product features a 3D interface designed for the stage, so the information that you need at a glance is the most prominent. It works with MIDI keyboards, drum pads, control surfaces, and pedal boards - anything that has a MIDI output or USB port, really. The program offers the most powerful feature in conjunction with the keyboard using a feature Apple has called “keyboard racks” - layer up studio instruments and effects and then split them to various sections of the keyboard.
You can throw out your guitar effects pedal; gone are the days of various stomp boxes lined up in meticulously wired set-ups. That is, if the quality of the effects in this program is as good as Apple claims. Presumably, the software can switch the guitar rig depending on which part of the song you’re up to.
I haven’t had the chance to play with this yet but I’m very intrigued and excited about this package. If you’ve had the chance to play with it, tell us how it is in the comments. You can find out more, or purchase Logic Studio 8, here.
October 10th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
That sounds like an excellent product.
I need to make my videos and songs available on that format.
If you need midi backing tracks of classic
rock songs a good play is:
http://www.midi-tab.com
Rock on!