Compilation - Bank Builder

Note: not available yet in Instrument Manager™; will be implemented in a future version.

The Bank Builder is a dialog where you can collect Instruments into a Bank and compile a Bank file of any format.

Note: under standard operation, you can only work within the same type, for example, you can only collect Kontakt Instruments to make a Kontakt Bank. If you have SamplerTools™ installed, you can collect any Instrument format and Instrument Manager™ will translate it on the fly.

A Bank is essentially a separate object that loads one or more Instruments at the same time. Each Instrument usually has it's own MIDI Channel and Bank/Program Number assigned to it. A Bank Number and Program Number are ganged terms leftover from the MIDI spec: there are a maximum 16,384 possible programs in a Bank (unless the format defines less), in 128 sets of 128. The sets are Bank Numbers, the numbers within a set are Program Numbers.

Equivalent terms for a Bank are Performance, Multi, Folder, Group, Volume, SoundBank, or Mix.

Banks come ina variety of format. Bank Types include:

• GigaStudio files (.gig)
• SoundFonts (.sf2)
• Kontakt Mutlis (.nkm) or Banks (.nkb)
• MachFive SoundBanks (folders with a .M5B extension on them)
• SampleTank inst files
• Korg Triton .pcg files
• Roland Fantom fans.svd and .fangsnd.svd files
• Roland XV-5080 (.svd)
• Yamaha Motif All Voice files (.w2/3v, .w7/8v, .xov)
• Fusion Banks (named folder inside a Fusion volume folder, called "Volume")
• Emu Banks (E3, ESi, EOS/E4, EmulatorX .exb files)
• Roland S-7x Performances
• Ensoniq EPS/ASR-10 Banks
• Kurzweil (.krz, .k25, .k26)
• Reason Combinator (.cmb)
• DirectWave .dwb

The Bank Builder collects the Instruments you want to include in your Bank. Launch the Bank Builder from the Tools menu, or open an existing one by right clicking on a Bank-type entry on the list on a Main Screen.

To start building a Bank, drag any Instrument entry from a Main Screen into the Bank Builder list. You can edit the MIDI Channel and Bank/Program Number. You will notice that the Compile button will light up as soon as you've made a change to the list or if there are no entries in the list.

Once you are finished, click the Compile button. Instrument Manager™ will ask you where you want to put the new Bank File; select that and your Bank will be created and written to disk, and add to the Database attached to the parent Main Screen.

Note: To compile a Bank onto a Proprietary Disk, use the icon on the Bank Builder which says Drag and Compile to Proprietary Dialog. Simply open the Proprietary Dialog, and drag off of the icon in the Bank Builder onto the Proprietary Dialog.

After compilation is completed, the Compile button will disable until you've made another change.