Log in
Log in

or
Create an account

or
< All Apple Mainstage 3 reviews
Add this product to
  • My former gear
  • My current gear
  • My wishlist
Apple Mainstage 3
Images
1/22
Nico53 Nico53

«  Essential ... but what the fuck. »

Published on 08/29/14 at 17:34
Install again ... even if there is an existing 32/64 bit really difficult transition ... with plugins that do not pass, forcing to find alternative sometimes fairly average face an increased need for reliability for uses "live" .
Let's say it's a blessing in disguise when you have a low memory and you want to use the config.

General Setup ... must read the manual online to understand the intricacies of MIDI routing. The air of nothing, this app at a very affordable side, and at the same time, it is very complete, so we sometimes come across wacky situations with MIDI messages that pass through nowhere ... and then watching Mainstage closer we usually ended up finding out why.
The manual is also non-existent ... (on the internet) ... and that's a shame in my opinion.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

my config:
Mac mini 2.3GHz Core i7, 16GB DDR3 1600MHz RAM, 500GB HDD 5400 rpm / min ...
My DD is rotten ... I would aim a good SSD for faster load time my session mainstage which always takes a beating down ... me finally, lack of means I'm happy for now.
I use a scarlett 18i20 as audio / MIDI interface.

I have my live set that rotates essentially Mainstage Reason 3 and 7, with a lot of virtual instruments (those mainstage Sampletank + / Miroslav Philharmonik, Crystal, Native B4II) ... I just have a prophet 08 for some sounds that I wanted.
Keyboards are a big enough piece of the project. vacuum my RAM shows a use that is around 15% in mainstage ... I'm a big 50% once everything is loaded (a 10aine songs for 30 or 35 patches).
It is fairly stable in terms of what I claim I'm not complaining. I admit that I would have more peace of mind with a spare me ... finally, I can not afford to buy a double kit, so I try to take risk appetite; p

OVERALL OPINION

I used already mainstage since version 1 ... and bha was a long way, this is undeniable.
After the shit mainstage 2 and incomprehensible updates, this version 3 seems to keep its promises, it's nice!

I tested cantabile PC ... nothing to see. Mainstage is well ahead ... and there is no direct competitor that offers such a workflow on Mac for such a tariff. This is really powerful as a tool.

The value for money is unbeatable if you exclude the purchase price of the mac (haha) ... I dream of the day when a PC editor finally consider the potential of these ordis for live use ... it will allow me to change creamery and optimize my budget to buy a spare ... yet, we can always dream that Apple lowers the price of its machines (I think I can stick my finger in the eye).

I hesitated to build my kit around a Kronos (a member of my group asked me) ... but laziness and disinterest ergonomics Korg, I opted for Mainstage.
Finally, as I speak a lot in the phases of compounds in Logic and Reason, I can get a lot of things between the phase and the live compo portage ... it saves a lot of time today, even if I 'I put a lot of time tweaking the settings on my kit so that everything works perfectly. I have no regrets for the time being. Hope it lasts and no serious crash do not change my mind ...