Re: Live 8 Beta Looper and Mainstage together - first impressions

[Per Boysen <perboysen@gmail.com>]

>> Per wrote:
>> MainStage doesn't forward any midi input to plug-ins on a bus.
>
On Mon, Mar 9, 2009 at 3:43 PM, Sjaak <tcplugin@scarlet.be> wrote:
> So you can't control Superlooper or Augustus using a mfc when it's 
>running
> as AU plugin on a Mainstage bus?

Of course you can, just not by direct external MIDI input into the
plug-in. The ways to do it are two:

1) The usual MainStage (and Logic) way:
Use the host applications interface for external control. In MainStage
it works like this: You create Screen Control Objects that represent
you outboard MIDI control surfaces (mixer, FCB1010, expression pedals
etc etc). You assign these Screen Control Objects to the appropriate
MIDI event sent in by the external gear. Finally you bind the Screen
Control Objects to parameters in plug-ins. Here there is no
restriction in where a plug-in is placed. But for a Looper, that you
may want to use for catching audio from many different sound patches,
it is better to place it on a bus, which means "at the Concert level"
in MainStage's terminology (as in "global" rather than "patch
dependent").

The good side of MainStage's solution is that you always keep your own
laptop rig on screen, as displayed and routed by those Screen Control
Objects. This makes it easy to switch your external (physical) gear
because you only need to either send the same old MIDI events or "MIDI
learn" new external control events. All the rest, the actual looping
and processing engine is still kept intact within MainStage.

2) Address a physical MIDI In port directly from inside the plug-in on
the bus. Mobius can do this (as I referred to in my last post) but
Augustus Loop can not. The Bidule AU plug-in can do it as well (but
I've had crashes when trying that out and I have no extra time right
now to put into beta testing for Plogue)



> Does that differ, so insert FX vs a bus? I'm going to check
> this again, it's essential that I understand how it really works :)

Many things differ between these two ways to use a plug-in. One
difference is the direct external MIDI input into the plug-in, that
works with plug-ins opened on Instrument Channel Strips (usually
virtual instruments; synth or sampler).

Another important difference between a plug-in on an Audio- or
Instrument Channel Strip and one on a bus or a main output is that a
plug-in on a bus or output is globally available at the Concert level
and can be used with any patch withing the concert.

Per