General preferences

These preferences let you set the tuning of software instruments, choose what happens when you open MainStage, reset alerts, and set whether screen controls highlight when their parameter values change.

Tuning

  • Tuning slider and field: Sets the tuning for all software instruments in MainStage. Tuning is centered around A440 Hz, in the range of 100 cents.

Startup

  • Startup Action pop-up menu: Choose the startup action when you open MainStage. The choices are:

    • Do Nothing: Does nothing. You can open the Choose Template dialog by choosing File > New.

    • Create New Concert from Template: Opens the Choose Template dialog.

    • Open Most Recent Concert: Opens the last open concert in the same mode it was in when you closed it.

    • Open Most Recent Concert in Perform Mode: Opens the last open concert in Perform mode.

Alerts

  • Reset Warnings button: Click to reset the behavior of alerts for which you have selected the “Do not show again” checkbox, so that they appear in the future when appropriate conditions occur.

Parameter Values

  • On Patch Change pop-up menu: Choose whether parameter values change or remain the same when you change patches. By default, the On Patch Change parameter for individual screen controls is set to Preference, in which case they follow the preference behavior. If this parameter is set to another value for a screen control, the control follows the value of its individual setting. The choices are:

    • To preserve changes to parameter values when you change patches, choose “Keep current value.”

    • To return values to the last saved value, choose “Reset to saved value.”

  • Respond to Hardware Move pop-up menu: Choose how screen controls respond when you move the hardware controls assigned to them. By default, the Respond to Hardware Move parameter for individual screen controls is set to Preference, in which case they follow the preference behavior. If this parameter is set to another value for a screen control, the control follows the value of its individual setting. The choices are:

    • To have screen controls instantly change to match the hardware value, choose Jump.

    • To have screen controls change when the hardware control matches its current value, choose Pickup.

    • To have screen controls move relative to the hardware control, choose Relative.

Autosaving

  • Autosave modified concerts pop-up menu: Choose the time interval for autosaving modified concerts, or choose Never to turn off autosaving.

    Note: For performance reasons, autosaving does not occur in Perform mode. However, the concert is autosaved when you switch to Perform mode.