Contents
1. Overview
Planistage is designed for performers who need a single workspace for backing tracks, setlists, PDF charts, and timed MIDI cues. A project contains one or more playlists. Each playlist contains tracks, and each track can have an MP3 file, an optional PDF file, notes, and timeline events.
The project data can be synchronized online with your Planistage account. Local preferences, such as the base media directory and layout splitter positions, stay on each device so the same setlist can be reused on different machines.
2. Login and Offline Mode
Online login
- Start Planistage.
- Enter your e-mail address and password.
- Choose whether to remember credentials.
- Select Login.
When login succeeds, Planistage loads your online project and stores a local cache for offline use.
Offline mode
Select Continue Offline to use the locally cached project without online sync. Offline mode is useful for rehearsals or when there is no network connection.
3. Main Window Layout
The main window is split into two main areas:
- Left side: transport, waveform timeline, playlists, tracks, events, and notes.
- Right side: the PDF display area.
The vertical splitter between the left side and the PDF area can be dragged. The playlist, tracks, and events blocks are also separated by splitters. Planistage saves these layout positions as local preferences.
If no layout preferences exist, the main window starts with the left and right sides at 50/50. The playlist, tracks, and events areas each use one third of the available vertical list space.
4. Base Directory
The base directory is the local root folder where Planistage looks for MP3 and PDF files. This is a local preference, not a shared project setting.
Why it matters
When a file is inside the base directory, Planistage stores it as a relative path in the project. This lets multiple computers use the same online setlist while each device points to its own local media folder.
Example
| Device | Base directory | Stored track path |
|---|---|---|
| Laptop A | D:\Music\Planistage | Show01\Song.mp3 |
| Laptop B | C:\Users\Me\Backing Tracks | Show01\Song.mp3 |
Both devices can use the same setlist as long as the relative folder structure under the base directory is the same.
5. Playlists and Tracks
Playlists
| Button | Action |
|---|---|
| New | Create a new playlist. |
| Rename | Rename the selected playlist. |
| Delete | Delete the selected playlist. If all playlists are removed, Planistage creates an empty one. |
Tracks
| Button | Action |
|---|---|
| Add MP3 | Add one or more MP3 files to the selected playlist. |
| Remove | Remove the selected track from the playlist. |
| Up | Move the selected track earlier in the playlist. |
| Down | Move the selected track later in the playlist. |
| Attach PDF | Attach a PDF score/chart to the selected track. |
| Clear PDF | Remove the PDF attachment from the selected track. |
Track title, artist, and duration are read from the MP3 metadata when available.
6. PDF Scores
A track can have one PDF attached. The PDF is shown on the right side of the main window and is rendered to fit the available area while preserving the page aspect ratio.
Page navigation
Use the small overlay buttons in the lower-left corner of the PDF area:
- < previous page
- > next page
Keyboard page navigation can also be configured in Settings.
Timed PDF page changes
Add a PDF Page event on the timeline to make Planistage switch pages automatically at a specific playback time.
7. Timeline Events
Events are track-specific markers placed at a time position in milliseconds. They appear in the event grid and as colored marks on the waveform timeline.
| Event type | Default color | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Marker | Red | Visual cue only. |
| PdfPage | Green | Switch the displayed PDF to a chosen page. |
| Midi | Blue | Send a MIDI message during playback. |
Creating an event
- Move the playback cursor to the desired point.
- Select Add @ Cursor.
- Choose the event type.
- Fill only the fields shown for that event type.
- Select Save.
The event editor hides fields that are not relevant to the selected type. Marker events hide PDF page and MIDI fields. PDF events show the page field. MIDI events show the MIDI message and MIDI recording command.
Editing and deleting events
Select an event in the event grid, then use Edit or Delete.
8. MIDI
Planistage can record short MIDI messages from a selected input device and send MIDI messages to a selected output device during playback.
Configure MIDI devices
- Open Settings.
- Select a MIDI input device for recording messages.
- Select a MIDI output device for playback.
- Save settings.
Record a MIDI message
- Create or edit an event.
- Set the event type to Midi.
- Select Record MIDI.
- Send a MIDI message from your controller or external device within 15 seconds.
The captured message is written in hexadecimal format, for example 90 3C 7F.
Playback behavior
When the track is playing, enabled MIDI events are sent when the playback position reaches their timestamp. Seeking or stopping resets the MIDI playback cursor to prevent unintended repeated sends.
9. Playback and Navigation
| Control | Action |
|---|---|
| Play | Start playback of the selected track. |
| Pause | Pause playback. Fade pause can be enabled in Settings. |
| Stop | Stop playback and rewind to the beginning. |
| Waveform timeline | Click to seek to a point in the track. |
| Track double-click | Start playback of the selected track. |
The time display shows current position and total track length.
10. Settings
Open settings from the main command area.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| End of track | Controls what happens when the current track ends. |
| End of playlist | Controls behavior after the final track in a playlist. |
| MIDI input | Device used to record MIDI messages. |
| MIDI output | Device used to send MIDI events during playback. |
| Base directory | Local root folder for MP3 and PDF files. |
| Fade pause | Gradually lowers volume before pausing. |
| Key bindings | Keyboard shortcuts for player actions. |
| Reset appearance | Resets local splitter layout preferences. |
Default key bindings
| Action | Default key |
|---|---|
| Play | MediaPlayPause |
| Pause | Pause |
| Stop | MediaStop |
| Next track | PageDown |
| Previous track | PageUp |
| Next PDF page | Right |
| Previous PDF page | Left |
11. Saving and Sync
Select Save to upload the project to your Planistage account and update the local cache. If you are offline, Planistage asks you to log in before saving online.
Shared project data
- Playlists
- Tracks and their stored media paths
- PDF attachments
- Track notes
- Timeline events
- Global project settings such as MIDI device names and key bindings
Local-only preferences
- Base directory
- Main MP3/PDF splitter position
- Playlist, tracks, and events splitter positions
12. Troubleshooting
MP3 or PDF files do not load on another device
- Set the base directory on that device.
- Make sure the files exist under the same relative folder structure.
- If a file was added outside the base directory, it may have been stored as an absolute path and may not work on another machine.
No MIDI message is recorded
- Check that a MIDI input device is selected in Settings.
- Confirm that the external controller is connected before opening Settings.
- Try recording again and send a message within the listening window.
MIDI events are not sent
- Check that a MIDI output device is selected.
- Verify the MIDI message is in short hexadecimal format, such as
90 3C 7F. - Confirm the event is enabled.
PDF page does not change automatically
- Make sure the track has a PDF attached.
- Check that the event type is PdfPage.
- Confirm the PDF page number exists in the attached document.
Layout looks wrong
Open Settings and select Reset appearance. The main split returns to 50/50 and the playlist, tracks, and events areas return to equal vertical spacing.