Ask Patch Foundry: Auto Swell

We received this email from a reader this week: 

Hi Eric,

I'm very new to Mainstage and I have been hunting for a way to auto swell. I can see that you can use a compressor in Logic, but I can't see how to do it in MS.

I have a swell pedal on it's way, but would prefer to automate for one song.

Thanks in anticipation,


Kevin

 

Hi Kevin,

 

Thanks for writing! There’s a number of ways to do this, but the easiest way to tempo-sync a swell on a track is with a tweaked tremolo effect. Here’s how to do it: 

 

1. Open MainStage. Select a template. 

Screenshot 2017-06-24 09.40.48.png

 

 

 

2. Select the Tremolo plugin on the instrument you want to effect.

Screenshot 2017-06-24 09.41.13.png

 

 

 

3. In the RH side of the Tremolo plugin window, set the phase to 0. 

Screenshot 2017-06-24 09.42.29.png

 

 

 

4. Adjust the rate and the smoothing to get the right swell curve, and you’re good to go.

Screenshot 2017-06-24 09.43.07.png

 

 

 

Have a question for Patch Foundry? Write us and we may feature your question in an upcoming post!