AU preset handling

  • Live Versions: All
  • Operating System: Mac

There are different ways of AU preset handling and storing, which relate to different approaches how to see and use them in Live.

1. The standard way is that every AU preset is represented by a unique *.aupreset file and stored under [Home]/Library/Audio/Presets/[manufacturer]/[plug-in]/.

2. Additionally, most AU plug-ins contain a number of factory presets, which are hard-coded in the plug-in itself.

  • As they don't exist as own preset files on the hard disk, they can neither be displayed in nor loaded from Live's Browser.
  • Presets can only be shown and selected in the plug-in's custom window.
  • If the developer of the plugin doesn't integrate a browser in the plug-in custom window there is no possibility to access these presets.

3. A lot of plug-in manufacturers, especially those who provide both AU and VST versions of their products, use various proprietary formats to store their presets.

  • This allows both AU and VST versions of a plug-in to use the same preset files, so the presets don't have to be installed and stored twice.
  • Presets can neither be displayed in nor loaded from Live's Browser.
  • Presets can only be handled (shown, selected, loaded, saved) in the plug-in's custom window.

4. Plug-in settings you save via the Save Preset button in Live's native plug-in GUI are stored as a unique *.aupreset file in Live's User Library.

  • You can load these user presets directly from the User Library.
  • You can also access the user presets by showing and unfolding the plug-in in the "Plug-ins" Category in Live's Browser.

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