Alchemy inspector group controls in MainStage
Source components are shown only in advanced view. Click the Advanced button to switch to advanced view, then click the A/B/C/D button to view detailed parameters for the selected source.
The source edit window is opened by clicking the Edit button on any source subpage. Click the close window icon (X) at the top right to close the window.
The source inspector is divided into three main parameter groupings: global and source parameters, group parameters, and zone parameters. See Alchemy inspector global controls in MainStage and Alchemy inspector zone controls in MainStage.
Inspector group parameters
Group (+) pop-up menu: Open a pop-up menu with two group creation commands.
Empty: Create a new empty group. The new group name is added below existing group names in the Group list shown under the Group pop-up menu. A sequentially assigned number is appended to the new group name.
Import: Open an import window where you can choose one or multiple samples to import as a group. See Alchemy Import browser in MainStage.
Group list: Double-click a group name to open a text name field and change the Trigger, Fade, and Poly values. Control-click a group name to choose the Delete command.
Trigger pop-up menu and field: Set a trigger mode for all zones in the group. Attack triggers group zones when note-on messages are received. Release triggers group zones for note-off messages. This mode is useful for instruments with a distinctive end-of-note sound such as a key click or hammer thump. Such sounds can be included as a separate group with release triggering enabled. You can also use this feature creatively to add abstract reverb tails or to create a pad sound that changes dramatically during the release stage.
Fade pop-up menu and field: Apply a fade out time value ranging from 0 to 100 for note-off events when the attack trigger mode is active. Apply a fade in time value ranging from 0 to 100 for note-off events when the release trigger mode is active. This parameter is primarily intended for use in conjunction with release triggering, to create a crossfade between the main body of the note and the release sample.
Poly pop-up menu and field: Set a maximum polyphony value for the group. A common use of this feature is to create a group containing an open and a closed hi-hat sample. If you set group polyphony to one, either the closed or open hi-hat sample can play, but not both at the same time.
Starts pop-up menu and field: Define when each group will trigger. You can create and combine multiple rules using boolean logic. The normal state for any newly created group is a single rule set to Always, unless that group was defined as a Round Robin group in the Import browser Dropzone. Click the field to choose a rule. This adds a new rule pop-up menu below the first and displays a Logic pop-up menu to the right. Choose Delete from the pop-up menu to remove a rule.
Always: Zones in the group always trigger when a note-on event arrives within the specified zone key and velocity ranges.
Round Robin: Choose to automatically switch between layers for each note-on, so that striking a given note multiple times triggers variations of the sample rather than the same sample being played repeatedly.
Order pop-up menus and fields: Set the playback order of round robin groups. At least two round robin groups must exist for this parameter to have an effect. Each group is assigned a different value. If two groups are assigned to the same value, both zones are triggered simultaneously. Each note-on sequentially triggers a round robin group from lowest to highest. Once the highest group number is triggered, the sequence starts again from the lowest group number. Drag vertically in the field or use the arrows to set a value.
Random Round Robin: Choose to automatically switch between layers for each note-on, so that striking a given note multiple times triggers random variations of the sample rather than the same sample being played repeatedly. No Order pop-up menu is shown.
Keyswitch: Choose to switch a group on or off in accordance with either the Transform pad position or the KeySw parameter conditions. You can also assign keyswitching to a MIDI note or range of notes which prevents the group from triggering until one of these notes is played. Two pop-up menus are displayed, where you can choose keyswitch conditions.
Snap1-Snap8 pop-up menu and field: These values represent Transform pad positions. For example, set the first field to Snap2 and the second field to Snap4, which results in the group being triggered only when the Transform pad is at position 2, 3, or 4. Assign multiple groups to different ranges to switch between up to eight different groups. See Alchemy Transform pad in MainStage.
Keysw1-Keysw10 pop-up menu and field: These values represent the position of the Keyswitch knob shown in the global controls for the source. This knob is visible only when the Keysw1-10 options are chosen in these menus. For example, set the first field to Keysw1 and the second to Keysw5, which results in the group being triggered when the Keyswitch knob is set to a value that falls within this range. Up to 10 Keyswitch knob positions are available, enabling you to switch between groups with the knob. Because the Keyswitch knob is available as a modulation target, this lets you create complex automated group switches.
C2-G8 pop-up menu and field: Set a specific note or range of notes as keyswitches. Play a note in this range to switch to a group, which remains active until another group is chosen.
Controller: Switch groups on or off in accordance with specified performance controls in the Perform section, or in accordance with assigned MIDI controller values. Three pop-up menus are displayed where you can choose the controller type and set controller values.
Type pop-up menu and field: Choose Control 1 to Control 8 to control switching from any of the eight performance control knobs. Choose the XYPad options to control switching from the X or Y axes of either of the performance control X/Y pads. Choose the EnvAttack, EnvDecay, EnvSustain, or EnvRelease option to assign switching to the performance control envelope knobs. See Alchemy performance controls in MainStage. You can also choose from any of the 128 MIDI controllers CC#0 to CC#127.
Value pop-up menus and fields: Define the range of values that trigger the group. For example, set the type to Control 1, with field values of 30 and 50, which results in the group being triggered only when performance control 1 is set within the 30% to 50% range. You can set other groups with the same type but with a different control range to switch between groups with a single controller. Because the Control 1 knob used in the example is available as a modulation target, this lets you create complex automated group switches. Drag vertically in the fields or use the arrows to set a value.
Delete: Remove the selected group rule.
Logic pop-up menus and fields: Define a condition for multiple group rules, using And, Or, and Not boolean statements. For example, set the first group rule to Controller and Control 1 with a range of 50% to 100%. Set a second group rule to Controller and Control 2 with a range of 50% to 100%. The different logic conditions result in different outcomes.
And: Both Control 1 and Control 2 must be set above 50% for the group to trigger. With either control set below 50% the group does not trigger.
Or: Either Control 1 or Control 2 must be set above 50% for the group to trigger. The group does not trigger only when both controls are below 50%.
Not: The group triggers when Control 1 is set above 50%, and Control 2 is set below 50%. If both controls are set above or below 50%, the group does not trigger.