Patch Naming Conventions?

[cj31387]

I'm getting into making custom patches but don't know what to name them most of the time. How do you guys go about doing it? So far i want to prefix it with the type off patch it is IE, Key_randomname, Pad_randomname , Bass_randomname. But trying to think of the name is kind of hard especially when you are making a lot of patches. Is there any software that can generate random names based off a keyword or something. Or how do you guys go about naming your patches. Do you try to think of a word that the patch sounds like or what? Thanks.

[JJBiener]

I have the same problem. I have found myself using a prefix or suffix with type of patch (pad, key...), then using some variation of the waveform names as the rest of the name. For example: PAD Square Tri, Key Double Saw, etc.

I am looking for other ideas.

[dnekm]

What it makes you feel, but that is different for everyone....

But it is the best approach I have come up with...

[SODDI]

I sometimes stick a date in there... "wobbly sine 061813"

[jdoo]

I can tell you as a user of patches...what I prefer. That is -- a prefix, which describes the intended use/type of sound.
ARP-
BASS-
BRASS-
DRUM-
EFFECT-
PLUCKED-
KEYS-
LEADS-
PADS-
STRINGS-
WINDS-

Anything less-- puts the work on your intended audience to re-categorize your sounds. I have purchased sound sets that had fuzzy names or cute things, made up by the sound designer. To be honest, like I said.. it puts more work on me - to re-categorize.. so I am less happy.

[HiEnergy]

I usually put a two/three letter type tag, a word out of a category as a patch name, then my name tag.
Possible names of my patches are:

BS Amsterdam HR
LD Galileo HR
ARP Waterfall HR
PD Chrysanthemum HR
FX Tunnel HR

[Ingonator]

I usually put a two/three letter type tag, a word out of a category as a patch name, then my name tag.
Possible names of my patches are:

BS Amsterdam HR
LD Galileo HR
ARP Waterfall HR
PD Chrysanthemum HR
FX Tunnel HR

This looks like a typical way to handle it and will work in most cases.

The length of the names is usually limited so using two or three letters for the category is a good (and usual) way.


Anyway this also depends on the synth. For example in the Tone2 synthss like e.g. Saurus or Rayblaster you could sort patches into a folder (e.g. with the category) so in that case no prefix is really needed.

In my soundbank for the Waldorf Blofeld i did not use prefixes too but i added a description of all patches (including category) in the manual for it.


Ingo

[Ghostwave]

I usually put a two/three letter type tag, a word out of a category as a patch name, then my name tag.
Possible names of my patches are:

BS Amsterdam HR
LD Galileo HR
ARP Waterfall HR
PD Chrysanthemum HR
FX Tunnel HR

I do the same (only two letters, though) except that I don't add my name tag as it's IMO unnecessary clutter, unless it's for a bank in which many sound designers are involved, like factory presets.

[Kondarivan]

Unless you can use folders (like Ingonator mentioned), you could also group them by making blank patches clearly stating what follows, and name your patches however you see fit. This is quite a common approach:

01 --- BASICS ---
02 Sine
03 Triangle
04 Square
05 Pulse
06 Sawtooth
07 Ramp
08 White noise
09 Pink noise
10 Brown noise
11 --- ARPS ---
12 Flying
13 Pizza run
14 UFO
15 Falling rooftops
16 Glass party
17 Kindergarten
18 Action cue
19 Jaws
20 Dreamscape

...and so on

Personally I like the u-he patch browser style, because folders and subfolders keep everything clean. Also, I admire synths with a patch browser which supports patch descriptions, instructions and other stuff like that.

[Lotuzia]

Naming convention are very important if you intend to make your patches usefull for other people. Prefixing ensures that for synths who display their presets by alphabetical order, people who browse the patches will have successive patches belonging to the same category.

So I've made a few thousand presets with prefixed presets, and was eventually even convincing enough to engage some companies to adopt this system for factory libraries. After thousands of soundbanks served with our soundbanks, I did not have a single email with a negative quote about our system.

There it goes :

BA : Bass
ARP : Arpeggiated
BR : Brass
CH : Automatic Chords
KY : Keys ( Not only EP, Organs and pianos, but chordal, played with standard keyboard techniques, stabs etc )
LD : Leads ( Dance stuff as well as soloing/chorusing stuff, usually mono )
PA : Pads
ATM : Atmospheres, soundscapes
WI : Winds, woodwinds
ORK : Orchestral ( Like Strings + Brass )
ST : Strings
SQ : Sequences ( Monophonic or Polyphonic ) and automatic lines
Fx : Effects
PRC or PC : Percussions, including drums
SY : Synths ( not obvious leads, bass or keys, pacds, etc )
PL : Plucked, including guitarslike, keytars, harps, dulcimers etc
Etc etc

Example : KY Roads A LtZ, BA C Bass II NU, PA Jupiter IW

Note : Suffix is used for the SD name

You'll note that the system is far from beeing perfect, like in all poor 1 criteria/dimension database systems, as some instruments could easily belong to at least 2 categories (like harps that could be plucked or strings, Basses can often become nice leads, and the opposite might be true as well )

All this is related to a more generic problem aka "content management". That's why I appreciate synths having advanced multicriteria browsers, like NI, Xils-lab, or now Alchemy. But even with these synths, I carry on prefixing all my presets, because it gives an immediate idea to users of what the patch was initially intended to do, when programmed by the SDs.

There are other criterias that could help to determine if a preset belongs to this or that category, like "bass" or "Lead", especially the kind of real time modulations programmed tied to this preset, but well this is still another story ....

Hope it helps,

LtZ

[EvilDragon]

I hate prefixes. I love subfolders, personally.

[Lotuzia]

I hate prefixes. I love subfolders, personally.

Then you're making a total confusion between two different hierachical objects, naming conventions in "the name of a preset" , and a technique to "organize presets in categories using your comp browser". These ones can easily be cumulated btw. ( Like in "You could easily put all your suffixed *BA Something* presets in a subfolder named Bass for example ) This is what I did for some synths that use this way to organize presets btw )

The system I prefer is by far Multicriteria searching browsers. Ymmv.

[Loki Fuego]

But trying to think of the name is kind of hard especially when you are making a lot of patches. Is there any software that can generate random names based off a keyword or something. Or how do you guys go about naming your patches. Do you try to think of a word that the patch sounds like or what?

I usually use the first words which came to mind when listening to the sound: Weird Hoover, Sticky Pluck, Glass Bass, Wicked Thing.

[EvilDragon]

I hate prefixes. I love subfolders, personally.

(...)

The system I prefer is by far Multicriteria searching browsers. Ymmv.

I like Alchemy's browser, too. Lacking multicriteria browsing, I use soundbank->subfolder->patch hierarchy (i.e. Zebra 2). Without abbreviations in patch names. Just works for me.

[risome]

I like to stick to how a patch makes me feel but generally include a descriptive tag such as Pad , bass strings etc .I feel it give the patch a life as designing sounds is an art-form in itself ,hell some tracks are named after patches or inspired by there names and sounds