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Storing, Recalling and Managing Contraption Presets

A preset is a snapshot of all parameter settings that you've chosen or modified for a single contraption. Presets let you store and recall previously used settings, such as drum patterns or filter settings. You can store any number of presets, so you can switch between different parameter settings that you've stored at different times. In this module we explain how to store, recall and manage presets, and how to navigate the various parts of the Presets Window and its shortcut menu.

How AudioMulch contraption presets work

The basic principles for using contraption presets are as follows:

  • You need to store them
  • You can recall them
  • If you make any changes to the parameter settings on the contraption, you need to save (store) the preset again.
  • If you don't store changes that you make, they will be lost when you recall the same or a different preset.

Accessing the Presets Window

To access a preset by opening the Presets Window:
  1. Click on the presets button at the top of the contraption's Property Editor.
  2. The Presets Window will appear.

Note: The number displayed on the Property Editor's presets button is the number of the preset that you recalled or stored most recently.

How to use the Presets Window

Now you know how to access presets in the Presets Window, you can start using it to store, recall and organize presets (renaming, deleting and moving them). You can perform many of these actions in the presets list/slots and in the Header Bar. You'll find instructions on how to perform all of these actions below.

Header Bar

At the top of the Presets Window is a Header Bar that lets you quickly and easily add a new preset and switch between presets. It displays the name of the currently selected preset and also allows you to store (overwrite), recall and rename the current preset. It has Add New Preset, Recall Previous and Recall Next buttons. The Header Bar also duplicates some of the buttons (Recall, Store and Clear) found in the presets list.

Presets list

Below the Header Bar is the presets list: a list of numbered preset slots. Slots that contain a preset display the preset's name or "(Untitled)". These contain previously stored settings. Empty slots containing no preset are blank. The preset slots have buttons that allow you to store, recall or clear individual presets. You can rename presets, and reorder them by dragging them from one slot to another.

Ways to store presets

To perform this action Follow these instructions
Create a new preset
  • In the Header Bar: click on the Add New Preset button . This creates a new preset in the first empty slot.
  • In an empty preset slot: click on the Store button OR right-click (CTRL+left-click on Macintosh) in the preset slot and select Store from the shortcut menu.
Store new settings into the current preset
  • In the Header Bar: click on the Store button once you've made changes to the settings. The settings will be stored in to the preset named in the Header Bar.

Note: This will overwrite the previous settings you had stored in the preset named in the Header Bar.

Store new settings into an existing preset (overwrite an existing preset)
  • In a preset slot that already stores a preset: click on the Store button OR right-click (CTRL+left-click on Macintosh) in preset slot and select Store from the shortcut menu.

Note: This will overwrite the previous settings you had stored in that preset slot.

Ways to recall presets

To perform this action Follow these instructions
Recall a previously stored preset
  • In a preset slot: double-click the preset OR click on the Recall button OR right-click (CTRL+left-click on Macintosh) on the preset and select Recall from the shortcut menu.
Recall (revert to) the current preset
  1. In the Header Bar: click on the Recall button . This will recall the current preset again (the last preset you Recalled or Stored).

Note: You will lose any changes to contraption settings that you made if you didn't store them.

Cycle through presets (using Recall Next/ Recall Previous)
  • In the Header Bar: click on the Recall Previous and Recall Next buttons. These buttons cycle through and recall the presets in order.

Ways to organize and manage presets

To perform this action Follow these instructions
Name or rename a preset

In the Header Bar: click in the naming area in the middle of the bar to select the name text. Type a new name.

In a preset slot:

  1. Right-click (CTRL+left-click on Macintosh) on the preset and select Rename from the shortcut menu.
  2. Type a new name into the slot.

OR

  1. Click the preset to select it. Pause.
  2. Click again and you will be able to edit the name

OR

  1. Click the preset to select it.
  2. Press F2 (if you're using Windows) and you will be able to edit the name
Reorder a preset in the list
  • In the presets list: Click and drag a preset to move it from one slot to another. OR
  • Right-click (CTRL+left-click on Macintosh) a preset and use the Cut, Copy and Paste commands to move a preset from one slot to another.
Duplicate a preset
  • In the presets list: Right-click (CTRL+left-click on Macintosh) a preset and use the Cut, Copy and Paste commands to duplicate a preset from one slot to another.
Copy a preset from one contraption to another
  • In the presets list: Right-click (CTRL+left-click on Macintosh) a preset and use the Cut, Copy and Paste commands to duplicate preset settings from one contraption to another (provided the source and destination contraptions are of the same type).
Clear a preset
  • In the Header Bar: click on the Clear button to clear the preset that's currently displayed.
  • In a preset slot: click on the Clear button OR right-click (CTRL+left-click on Macintosh) on the preset and select Clear from the shortcut menu.

Other things you should know:

  • The number on a Property Editor's presets button indicates the preset that was most recently used.
  • After recalling a preset, the preset button text becomes bold to indicate that the current settings match those of the preset. After changing a contraption parameter, the text will return to normal (non-bold), indicating that the current settings are different to those of the preset. You need to store the preset again if you want to update the preset to include your changes.
  • You can store presets for VST and Audio Unit plugins. This is the recommended way to handle preset switching in AudioMulch. AudioMulch also supports the native VST program system, including the VST fxb program file format. See the VST Plugins page for more information.

See Also

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