MIDI Manager

This Anvil Studio accessory manages connections to your MIDI devices. It allows you to:
  • Access multiple MIDI Out ports and Patch Bays, giving access to far more than 16 MIDI output channels,
  • View a graphical image of your MIDI setup,
  • Forget about channel assignments and instrument patch numbers,
  • Create new Patch Libraries by importing Cakewalk .INS (Instrument Definition) files, widely available on the Web,
  • Load and save Patch Libraries for a variety of supported synthesizers,
  • Load and save Patch Controllers for a variety of supported synthesizers,
  • Load Sound Font (.SF2) files into your SoundFont-compatible SoundCard and access the loaded instrument patches by name.

    A Patch is the information a particular synthesizer needs to sound like a particular musical instrument. Using an orchestra as an analogy, a patch is the same as an instrument.

    A Bank is a set of patches that can be held in a synthesizer's memory at one time. Different synthesizers can hold different numbers of patches at one time. Some synthesizers have only one bank with a fixed set of patches that can never be changed. Others allow new banks and patches to be created. Using an orchestra as an analogy, a bank is the same as the set of all instruments used by the orchestra.

    A Patch Library is a disk file that contains a set of factory preset Banks and Patches for one of your synthesizers, including:
  • Bank and Patch names,
  • Controller names
  • Comments you would like to remember about particular patches,
  • Which Patches or Channels your synthesizer uses for Drum sounds,
  • Names of Drum Notes, used when creating Rhythm Tracks
  • A Patch Library does not add sounds to your soundcard. It only tells Anvil Studio what sounds are already built into your soundcard or external MIDI synthesizer.
    If you have a SoundBlaster Live soundcard, SoundFont files can be used to add sounds to your soundcard.

    The following is a sample of an Anvil Studio screen included with this accessory.





    Patch Libraries

    An Anvil Studio Patch Library allows you to assign tracks to factory preset patches that your synthesizer is able to play. The standard version of Anvil Studio ships with a General MIDI Patch Library that describes patch names and Drum Notes for synthesizers that conform to the General MIDI standard. Patch libraries are also available for the following synthesizers:
  • Alesis
  • Midiverb 3
  • MidiVerb 4
  • Quadraverb
  • Korg
  • Korg 01
  • Korg 05
  • Korg N1
  • Korg N5
  • N264
  • N364
  • Peavey
  • DPM-V2
  • Roland
  • D110
  • D20
  • D50
  • D70
  • MT-32
  • Yamaha
  • DJX
  • PSR-300
  • PSR-500
  • PSR-520
  • PSR-530 (XG)
  • PSR-630 (XG)
  • PSR-740 (XG)
  • QY-10
  • W5/7
  • XG
  • When you order the MIDI Setup accessory, you can receive a free copy of one of a Patch Library by indicating the name of the Patch Library you would like in the Comments field of the order form or by sending us email at support@AnvilStudio.com.

    If your synthesizer is not listed above, please
    email us to request support for it.
    We will notify you by email when an Anvil Studio Patch Library for it becomes available. In your email, please include:
  • Your email address very important
  • The Manufacturer and model name/number of your synthesizer or sound module.
  • This accessory also allows you to create your own Patch Libraries as shown below:




    Patch Controllers

    An Anvil Studio Patch Controller does everything a Patch Library does, and in addition, it allows you to use Anvil Studio to:
  • Copy patches between your synthesizer and computer over MIDI cables. This lets you save them in a Patch Library on your computer.
  • Automatically cause your synthesizer to listen to only those MIDI channels that you have assigned to it on Anvil Studio's track list.
  • Automatically assign patches to channels that you have assigned to it on Anvil Studio's track list.
  • Set the synthesizer's volume for each channel as you have indicated on Anvil Studio's Mixer page.
  • Split your synthesizer keyboard into different ranges of keys, or split points, each with:
  • the MIDI channel those keys are to be sent to
  • the number of semi-tones to transpose keys in that range
  • Create and manage banks of patches with the page shown below.




  • A Patch Controller accesses special features of your synthesizer that can only be accessed through MIDI System Exclusive messages that are unique to that model of synthesizer. Patch controllers are available for the following synthesizers:

  • Kurzweil PC88
  • Alesis MidiVerb 4
  • Peavey DPM-V2
  • Roland D10/D20

  • When you order the MIDI Setup accessory, you can receive a free copy of one of the above Patch Controllers by indicating the name of the Patch Controller you would like in the Comments field of the order form or by sending us email at support@AnvilStudio.com.


    The MIDI-Manager accessory can be purchased by itself, or as part of Anvil Studio's
    Accessory Combo Pack, or as part of Anvil Studio Works.

    Product Ordering



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