MainStage 3 Express
Learn how to use MainStage 3 at Church.
Welcome to MainStage 3 Express!
MainStage 3 is an incredible software that is commonly used by Worship musicians around the world for playing in Church, and it’s a program that every Worship Keyboard player (ie. you) would greatly benefit to know. If you’re new to MainStage or even somewhat familiar, this course is meant to be an intensive walk-through that gradually increases in difficulty and builds on previously learned concepts—giving you the keys to mastering MainStage 3 in much less time.
Complete with interactive videos, and combined with a ground level sound design approach, you’ll come away from this course being able to comprehend advanced sound design concepts, create your own patches and much more. Click Lesson 1 above to get started!
Before You Start
Before you begin the course, double check that you have the following:
MainStage 3 with full sound library installation
Keyboard with MIDI capability
Korg Nanokontrol 2 (optional, but recommended)
USB MIDI cables
We’re so glad that you’ve enrolled in our online course for MainStage 3.
Click Lesson 1 above to get started!
Lesson 1
Introduction to MainStage 3
In this lesson:
Introduction to MainStage 3
Audio Preferences set-up walk-through
General and MIDI settings walk-through
Lesson 2
MAINSTAGE LAYOUT
In this lesson we’ll learn how to:
Navigate the “Layout Tab” in MainStage 3
Build concerts and add interactive elements
Assign MIDI controllers to onscreen parameters
Change button/knob/fader behaviour
Lesson 3
EDIT MODE
In this lesson you’ll learn how to:
Navigate the “Edit Tab” with efficiency
Use concert level, set level and patch level
Create channel strips and instruments
Map buttons and faders to control parameters
Create and save your own patches
Set proper gain staging for your concert
Lesson 4
LAYERING & SPLITTING SOUNDS
In this lesson you’ll learn about:
Layering channel strips together
Splitting instruments to different ranges
Adjusting instrument MIDI settings
Transposing instruments
Lesson 5
Sound Design & Synth Fundamentals
In this lesson you’ll learn about:
Oscillators, LFOs, and filters
Saw, Triangle, Square, and pulse wave forms
Amp and Filter Envelopes
Creating a Worship Pad from scratch
VST basics
Lesson 6
Audio FX & VST Walkthrough
In this lesson you’ll learn about:
All MainStage 3 audio FX plugins
Order of FX in your signal chain
ES2, EXS24, Retro Synth and other VSTs
How to get a great synth sound with effects
How to map VST parameters to a controller
Lesson 7
MIDI FX and Using Audio Buses
In this lesson you’ll learn about:
All MainStage 3 MIDI FX
How to incorporate MIDI FX into your template
Fixed vs. Variable Audio Bus
Utilizing Aux sends/effect sends
Lesson 8
Saving your CPU
In this lesson you’ll learn about:
Audio feedback, dropouts and other issues
Tips and tricks to avoid issues on stage
Cleaning up your template
Aliases
Mapping parameters to bypass
Which plug-ins to avoid