Logic Studio 8 – MainStage, a dream station

As I have mentioned I recently brought an M-Audio Axiom 49 USB Midi Controller, well I have been enjoying it so much that I decided to upgrade my Logic Express 8 to the full Studio version. The Logic application it’s self is not really any different but it does come with a ton of extra sample loops (the full 5 Apple Jam Packs), extra synth plug-ins (some great classic analogs and outstanding sampler) and instrument control strips. However the one thing in the whole suite of tools that has really impressed me way more than I thought it ever would is the MainStage application, this great tool has proven not only to be a good live control box and instrument creator for my keyboard but has replaced my Digitech GNX guitar effects board. The Amp and audio effects are easily on par with the hardware based pedals I have replaced and much more. Although no software solution beats my Bad Horsie 2 Wah pedal!

So the way I have set things up is to create a series of audio patches that I tend to use for my ‘standard’ set of guitar sounds. For example distorted rhythm/lead and a clean rhythm/lead. And due to the outstanding way MainStage works I can use the tap pads on my Axiom 49 keyboard to turn on and off the pedals and change patches. The only problem that remains now is stopping my exploring the endless possibilities of sound creation and use some of them to just play with. What I need to do now is figure out the simplest solution to get my MainStage patch into Logic rather than recording the processed sound into Logic. I have found the list of defaults from MainStage in Logic but have yet to figure out how to get my custom ones to appear.

Thanks to Logic Studio Pro I have now replaced my guitar effects board with a software solution that can be tweaked after recording rather than before and edit the audio easily in Logic to get the recording I was after, because sometimes we all miss the beat a little

M-Audio Axiom 49 USB Midi controller/keyboard

As you may of noticed by now I am a big music fan and just for fun Guitar player. Well I needed to replace my Midi keyboard and after some research and basic requirements I settled on M-Audio’s Axiom 49 . My first requirement was it had to be USB powered because I really didn’t need another power pack hanging from the wall, the 2nd was that it had to work correctly under OS-X 10.5.2 and the last being it had to work easily without hours of configuration in Logic Express 8. This keyboard suited those requirements and more.

I have to say after using it I am blown away by it, the keys feel good and are touch sensitive, the 8 pads on the top right are essentially tap pads and are great for tapping out a drum loop or triggering sound effects. There is also midi assignable sliders and pots, truly everything you’ll ever need in a midi controller (for many anyway I suspect). Everything can easily be assigned or ‘learned’ on Logic and you are up and running in no time. One very nice feature is the playback controls for moving around the application timeline and just hitting the record button to start laying down the track. I look forward to learning keyboard playing with this thing and as a final surprise it turned out Guitar Center has a sale on it until the end of the month reducing the price by around $30 I believe.

Check it out here