PatchWizard.exe: An Editor/Librarian for AX2,POD, BASS POD etc.

Overview
The following paragraphs give information about the application's capabilities.

NOTE: This application is currently available on the PC/Windows platform. A port to Macintosh systems will be looked at soon.
Target devices are primarily the Line6 products that include MIDI In/Out ports and allow Midi System Exclusive control over the device's features - AX2, POD. POD Pro, Flextone II, and the Bass POD.

NOTE: For folks who have no MIDI capabilities or those who own any non-midi devices from line6: PatchWizard can still be of great utility because it can generate usable Patch/Program info in the form of hardcopy parameter lists generated from the Patch Librarian and/or Patch converter described  below.

Features
1. Patch Editor - This will allow  detailed real-time editing of every editable parameter of the target device  using a choice of graphic interfaces. By choices, I mean "Panel" mode which simply presents a functional image of the physical appearance of the target  device. "Enhanced" mode means that more graphical gizmos are presented, (Graph  displays for envelope type parameters such as Volume, Wah, Reverb decay etc.  "Plain" mode is simply sliders and text entry boxes.

2. Patch Librarian - Complete control over the Disk saving and loading/rearrangement of Banks, Patches, and Libraries obtained via Sysex dumps  from the AX2/POD etc. Importing/Exporting Patches from/to currently available  sources (Line6 Patch exchange, SoundDiver) will be supported. The AX2 does not  store Patch names, but the application will allow descriptive naming of Patches, regardless of the destination device's storage capabilities.

3. Patch Converter - The application can take, for example, a Patch for the AX2, POD, POD Pro etc. and perform an analysis of the parameters which define the sound - from there the user can automatically create a Patch which will, as far as is possible, be the audible equivalent on a different device, such as the AX2, POD,  POD Pro etc.

Coming soon...
1. Patch "Auto creation" - A cool feature for those who "tune out" when faced with detailed parameter editing gizmos, Auto creation can instantly  create completely new patches from scratch - either in a completely random  fashion, or it can use "style" templates in order to conform to certain styles  which can be preset or user-definable (Heavy Metal, Jazz, Blues, Country etc. or  "Artist" styles featuring signature sounds of known artists). In addition to  Auto creation from scratch, an existing patch, or selective combinations of existing patches can be selected and Auto creation will "massage" parameters to  give subtle variations of that patch.

2. Patch Layering management - For those who have access to multiple target devices, POD + AX2 for example, simultaneous control over the devices allow the layering of effects - the sonic  potential of simultaneous devices opens the doorway to a staggering number of  "Soundscapes", limited only by the musician's imagination and the number of layered devices.

Price
Registration is $34.95 (USD)

Schedule
PatchWizard is available for free download right now, so why not give it a try?

Brian Howarth - This page last updated November 20 2000  5:30 am PST