Control the metronome

Control the metronome

MainStage features a metronome that you can use to play in time with the concert tempo. The metronome always plays at the current tempo of the concert.

You can start the metronome in one of several ways, and change the audio output for the metronome sound, the sound of the metronome, and the volume of the metronome relative to the overall audio output.

Start the metronome

Do one of the following:

  • Click the Metronome button in the toolbar.

  • Click a button mapped to the Metronome action.

  • If you are using a Playback plug-in, click the Metronome button in the Playback window (or click a button mapped to the Metronome button).

    Click any of the listed buttons again to stop the metronome.

Note: Starting the metronome also starts the MainStage clock if it is not already running.

At the concert level, you can also map a button or other screen control to the Metronome action (located in the Actions folder), and use it to start and stop the metronome.

By default, the metronome sound is routed to the main outputs (Output 1-2). You can route the metronome to another output pair, which can be useful in performance when you want to hear the metronome sound through a separate audio output (for example, a headphone mix) and not through the main outputs. You can also choose a different sound for the metronome.

Change the audio output for the metronome sound

  1. Choose MainStage > Preferences > General.

  2. In the Metronome section of the General tab, choose a different audio output from the Output pop-up menu.

Change the relative output of the metronome sound

  1. Choose MainStage > Preferences > General.

  2. In the Metronome section of the General tab, drag the volume slider left or right to adjust the relative volume of the metronome sound.

Change the sound of the metronome

  1. Choose Show Metronome Channel Strip from the Channel Strips Action pop-up menu.

  2. Open the Klopfgeist plug-in from the Instrument menu on the Metronome channel strip.

  3. Choose a different metronome sound.

Change note and velocity settings for the metronome

  1. In the Concert Settings, click Metronome.

  2. Do any of the following:

    • To turn off metronome for the bar or beat, select the Bar or Beat checkbox.

    • To change the bar or beat note value, click and drag the value vertically.

    • To change the bar or beat velocity value, click and drag the value vertically.

Open the Metronome plug-in window

  • In the Concert Settings, click the Open Metronome button.