Instruments introduction for MainStage
MainStage provides an extensive suite of software instruments that can be used in your productions.
See the Add and remove plug-ins in MainStage, Use multi-output instruments, Use plug-in settings and Adjust plug-in parameters sections.
Sample-based instruments include Alchemy, Sampler, Sample Alchemy, and Quick Sampler. These enable you to create and play back recordings of acoustic instruments. Alchemy provides extensive sample manipulation and resynthesis options that can result in sounds that bear little resemblance to the source. Also included are the sample-based Studio Bass, Studio Piano, Studio Strings, and Studio Horns plug-ins. The latter two offer a variety of individual and grouped instruments with multiple articulations.
Specialized percussion synthesizers and instruments include Drum Synth, Ultrabeat, and Drum Kit Designer. Ultrabeat combines several percussion-oriented synthesis engines and a step sequencer, making it a powerful tool for the creation of new sounds and beats.
Four vintage instruments emulate the classic B3 organ, Rhodes, Wurlitzer, and Hohner electric pianos, the Hohner Clavinet, and the Mellotron. See Vintage B3, Vintage Electric Piano, Vintage Clav, and Vintage Mellotron.
When it comes to synthesizers, you have a huge range to choose from. These include simple plug-ins such as ES P, ES M, ES E, and EFM1. More advanced options include Retro Synth, ES1, and ES2, up to the extremely sophisticated Alchemy and Sculpture instruments.
Alchemy provides several synthesis and sample manipulation engines that you can use alone or with each other to produce a staggering variety of sounds. It features extensive modulation options, built-in arpeggiation, and sequencing.
Sculpture is a modeling synth that you can use to recreate physical instruments or to create instruments that don’t exist. It has a number of unique modulation facilities and can generate a huge array of sound types.
Rounding out the collection are the External Instrument and Klopfgeist Utility instruments, and the EVOC 20 PolySynth vocoder. This instrument tracks incoming MIDI notes and processes audio signals to create classic robotic voices and choirs that follow played note and chord pitches.