Updating Your Existing MainStage Concert with New Patches or Songs

Sometimes KeyboardTEK may send you an update that includes a new patch, song, sampler instrument, or sample folder. These steps show you how to add that update to your existing MainStage concert without replacing the entire concert or losing changes you have already made.

If you have not customized your current MainStage concert, it may be easier to download the fully updated concert instead of applying individual update files.

Before You Begin

Before updating your concert, make a copy of your current MainStage concert file and save it somewhere safe. This gives you a backup in case anything is moved to the wrong location.

Make sure MainStage is closed before adding sample or instrument files to the concert package.

Download and Unzip the Update

  1. Download the update ZIP file from the Dropbox or email link provided by KeyboardTEK.
  2. Unzip the file to a location you can easily find, such as your Downloads folder or Desktop.
  3. Open the unzipped folder and review what files are included.

What May Be Included in the Update

After unzipping the update file, you may see one or more of the following items:

  • A .patch   file — the new MainStage patch, cue, or song you will import.
  • A sample folder — audio samples needed by the new patch.
  • An .exs   file — a sampler instrument file used by MainStage.

Not every update includes samples or an .exs   file.

If your update only contains a .patch   file, skip to Import the Patch into MainStage.

If your update includes a sample folder or an .exs   file, complete the next section before importing the patch.

If the Update Includes Samples or an .exs   File

If the update includes a sample folder or an .exs   file, those items need to be added to your existing MainStage concert package before you import the patch.

  1. Find your existing MainStage concert file in Finder.
  2. Do not open the concert.
  3. Right-click or Control-click the concert file.
  4. Choose Show Package Contents.
  5. Inside the package, look for these folders:
  • Sampler Instruments
  • Samples

Do not rename, delete, or move any other files inside the package.

Copy the update files into the matching folders:

  • Copy the .exs   file into the Sampler Instruments folder.
  • Copy the entire sample folder into the Samples folder.

The sample folder may have a name that looks random and may not clearly describe the sound or instrument. Copy the entire folder exactly as it appears.

Once the .exs   file and sample folder have been copied into the correct locations, you are ready to open MainStage and import the .patch   file.

Import the Patch into MainStage

  1. Open your existing MainStage concert.
  2. Go to Edit mode.
  3. Locate the .patch   file from the update folder.
  4. Drag the .patch   file into the Patch List where it belongs in the show order.

For example, if the patch is called (1) Overture, drag it near the beginning of the concert, directly under the show title and above the first folder or patch.

If the update is for a specific cue, measure, or section within a song, drag the patch into the correct song or set.

Alternate Method: Load Patch / Set

You can also import the patch from inside MainStage.

  1. Open your existing MainStage concert.
  2. Go to Edit mode.
  3. Click the gear icon at the top of the Patch List.
  4. Choose Load Patch / Set.
  5. Select the .patch   file from the update folder.
  6. After the patch imports, drag it to the correct location in the show order.

Save and Test

After importing the patch:

  1. Save the MainStage concert.
  2. Open the new or updated patch.
  3. Confirm that the patch loads without missing-sample warnings.
  4. Play through the updated section to confirm that the sounds, mappings, and patch order work as expected.

If you see a missing-sample warning, confirm that any included sample folder was copied into the Samples folder and any included .exs   file was copied into the Sampler Instruments folder.

Using a Fully Updated Concert Instead

KeyboardTEK may also provide a fully updated copy of the MainStage concert.

If you have not made any changes to your current concert, downloading the fully updated version may be simpler than applying the individual update files.

If you have made changes to your current concert, use the steps above so you can add the update without replacing your customized file.

Still Having Trouble?

Contact KeyboardTEK Support if:

  • You are not sure where the patch should go in the show order.
  • MainStage shows a missing-sample warning after the update.
  • The new patch imports but does not sound correct.
  • You are unsure whether to use the individual update files or the fully updated concert.

When contacting support, please include:

  • The name of the show
  • The name of the update ZIP file
  • A screenshot of the files included in the unzipped update folder
  • A screenshot of any MainStage error message
  • Whether you have made custom changes to your current MainStage concert