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songboy
Published on 05/01/09 at 09:10
Yes, mainstage installed without any problems. Being that is Mac only software, it installed on my Mac perfectly. Yes, the general configuration and setup is simple. It gets a little more convoluted when you start assigning the knobs and switches on your "layout" to your hardware controllers, but its totally doable with a little thought power and the tutorials found on Apple's website. So far, Mac's audio program manuals are really a halfway attempt to solving your problems. I really get the "dirt" when I find good tutorials on the web.
SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE
My computer set up is a Macbook (2.2ghz, 4gb ram, 320gb HD), and I use a Presonus Firepod and Presonus Firebox for my Audio interface. Mainstage works great with this setup. Well, I guess it would be a 10 of 10. I have never used a program so intuitive and user friendly to accomplish this task. So far, Mainstage has only had two problems. One is with Rob Papen synths (blue and albino) and the other is with Synthogy Ivory. The RP synths cause Mainstage to crash every time so they are out. Synthogy basically gets stuck in the forefront of the screen and I cannot close it out. There fore blocking the view of Mainstage. Other that that, it has no problems.
OVERALL OPINION
I have been using Mainstage for about 1 year. What I like most of all is the insane amount of control you get. You can assign almost any knob/switch to be controlled by almost any hardware device. Also, its really just the best tool for a live, computer toting musician I have ever come across. What I don't like is the few problems I spoke of earlier, but those may just be the plugins themselves. This came in the Logic pro 8 package. For $500 you get a complete studio DAW with all sorts of goodies and this gem of a program. I say its the best value on the market. I would absolutely buy this program and the rest of Logic 8 in a heartbeat.
SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE
My computer set up is a Macbook (2.2ghz, 4gb ram, 320gb HD), and I use a Presonus Firepod and Presonus Firebox for my Audio interface. Mainstage works great with this setup. Well, I guess it would be a 10 of 10. I have never used a program so intuitive and user friendly to accomplish this task. So far, Mainstage has only had two problems. One is with Rob Papen synths (blue and albino) and the other is with Synthogy Ivory. The RP synths cause Mainstage to crash every time so they are out. Synthogy basically gets stuck in the forefront of the screen and I cannot close it out. There fore blocking the view of Mainstage. Other that that, it has no problems.
OVERALL OPINION
I have been using Mainstage for about 1 year. What I like most of all is the insane amount of control you get. You can assign almost any knob/switch to be controlled by almost any hardware device. Also, its really just the best tool for a live, computer toting musician I have ever come across. What I don't like is the few problems I spoke of earlier, but those may just be the plugins themselves. This came in the Logic pro 8 package. For $500 you get a complete studio DAW with all sorts of goodies and this gem of a program. I say its the best value on the market. I would absolutely buy this program and the rest of Logic 8 in a heartbeat.