Preset Model for SWAM Plugins

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1

Wondering of folks who are using SWAM VSTs (Audio Modeling) have a suggestion on how to manage presets.

The default Preset Model chosen by C4 is Entire Plugin Snapshots, which is slow (I sometimes use 3-4 SWAM plugins in a song). The SWAM plugins do have presets (Factory and User), but maybe they are not exported as Programs to the outside … I would like to use a faster, more lightweight Preset Model, but have not experimented yet to see if they might work.

I had a substantial issue with my master volumes being reset in SWAM plugins (and wrecking my whole set balance) when I switched machines … which seems to imply that Master Volume is not controlled by C4 in the Entire Plugin Snapshots model … perplexing.

Another issue I have is synchronizing the presets across the 3 audio computers I use. The presets folder for SWAM plugins is fixed (%AppData%\Audio Modeling\SWAMv3 on Windows) and I would need to create (in my system) another Windows Junction in %AppData%\Audio Modeling into my Dropbox directory.

And … there seems to be config data in %AppData%\Audio Modeling\UserData which I am not sure can be relocated.

Any thoughts on a good model for handling SWAM presets would be welcome.

2

I am using a couple SWAM instruments and would appreciate answers to these questions also.

I sometimes have a preset which switches to the wrong one, and I cannot figure out why. It’s rather frustrating when using live. I have to spend some time to look more deeply myself.

3

So far, I’ve not been able to get any recommendations from Audio Modeling on the best preset model for SWAM plugins under Cantabile. I think I’m gonna have to try a bunch of setups and explore the tradeoffs.

Big concert this weekend, so I’m not touching anything right no (although I just got a Windows Update … yikes!). I’ll dig into this next week …

4

I decided not to use SWAM plugins live.
At first I had problems with the GUI (vst3), either no reply to my question or something irrelevant (don’t remember exactly). So I didn’t come to the point where preset switching model is of concern.
I think they are busy with their IOS apps.

5

I have had good luck with the support system at Audio Modeling. Emanuele Parravicini has responded quickly and, although the conversation may need a few email round-trips, the issues have been resolved.

This preset issue is the only one that has been beyond their sphere of experience …

6

Still trying to get some suggestions for SWAM preset management.

I posted here:

https://community.audiomodeling.com/index.php?u=/topic/304/separate-midi-mapping-presets-for-each-swam-instrument

… and on this forum:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/swamusers

and sent a direct query (copied below) 4 days ago, and still not responses on any front. It may be that most of the users are on the much less expen$ive iOS versions, which significantly fewer preset options. Or maybe folks just use one instrument. Still in limbo as to how to best manager these rather feature-laden presets …

Emanuele -

I am not clear if I can store a single .swamec file for this, or whether I need 33 files for each of the SWAM instruments. Here’s my setup:

When I load a new instance of SWAM into Cantabile (Win10x64), I configure Controller Mapping => MIDI Mapping & & Quick Reset => [PRESETS] => to the Factory Preset: Sylphyo Default

… Then I make a few “adjustments”:

  • Expression to CC2 (rather than CC11),

  • Growl from CC76 to CC4 (this is what works on the VL70-m with Matt Traum’s Turbo Chip),

  • Remove the MIDI mapping for [Volume] (typically defaulted to CC7). This avoids the problem of accidentally setting the SWAM volume from the Sylphyo - a problem you helped diagnose!

I would like to save a preset for this. It looks like MIDI presets are particular to each instrument, so …

Question 1: I would need to save 33 presets, one for each instrument? Is there no way to have a preset that simply overrides the 3 “adjustments” I make above?

Also: I run on three different host computers - the home system, the performance laptop, and the performance backup laptop. Rather than doing this, I would like to export (depending on the answer to Question1) either one or 33 .swamec files.

Question 2: Do I need to import each of the 33 .swamec files into each instrument on each of my two other computers? Or … If I simply copy the directory tree at /Users/Clint/AppData/Roaming/Audio Modeling/SWAMv3 between hosts (or share them via Dropbox), will those presets simply show up in the SWAM instruments when I open them on that computer?

Question 3: And … what happens if I need to modify a MIDI setting? If I change the 33 presets on Computer 1 and those files get copied to the other two computers, I would need to open all instances of all instruments I have in all my song files and re-select those modified MIDI presets? I am guessing that the SWAM instrument does not re-read it’s preset (or does it?) from the User Preset file …

Sorry for all the questions - but I would like to understand this before I set up a workflow to make this smooth …

7

Got a reply from Audio Modeling … this does help:

A given external controller mapping preset (.swamec) is valid for any instrument of the same “family”: Solo Strings, Solo Woodwinds, Solo Brass.

It means that the same .swamec preset can be imported on any instrument belonging to the same family.

Unfortunately, there is not a way to share “globally” a .swamec preset. You should copy it into each instrument’s user folder, for each instrument belonging to the same family.