Sample libraries

Downloaded sample packs come in three main shapes. scan-library handles all of them with a --type flag.

patch-press scan-library <library-root> <config-dir> --type multisample|kit|drumkit

--type multisample

One instrument, many notes. Each subfolder is one preset; the WAVs inside cover the note range.

Mini_From_Mars/
├── Bass 01/
│   ├── Mini_Bass01_A0.wav
│   ├── Mini_Bass01_A#0.wav
│   ├── Mini_Bass01_B0.wav
│   └── …
├── Bass 02/
│   ├── Mini_Bass02_A0_0001.wav      ← round-robin 1
│   ├── Mini_Bass02_A0_0002.wav      ← round-robin 2
│   └── …
└── Pad Warmth/

Each subfolder → one config. The subfolder name doesn’t matter to the analysis (the note is parsed out of each WAV’s filename); it becomes the preset’s output.name.

--type kit

One kit, many instruments. Each top-level subfolder is one preset (a kit); each nested subfolder is one drum in that kit; the WAVs inside are round-robin layers.

Roland_909/
├── Kick/
│   ├── kick_01.wav
│   ├── kick_02.wav
│   └── kick_03.wav
├── Snare/
├── HH Closed/
├── HH Open/
└── Clap/

Each per-instrument subfolder becomes one pad in the exported kit. Filenames are used for round-robin ordering only; the drum name comes from the subfolder.

--type drumkit

One kit as a flat pile of WAVs. Every file in the folder is a single drum hit; the instrument is identified from filename keywords. This is the layout that Samples From Mars uses for the “808 From Mars”, “909 From Mars”, etc. kit folders.

808_From_Mars/
├── 01.BD.wav
├── 02.SD.wav
├── 03.CH.wav             ← closed hat
├── 04.OH.wav             ← open hat
├── 05.CP.wav             ← clap
├── 06.TL.wav             ← tom low
├── 07.TM.wav
└── 08.TH.wav

Recognized keywords (case-insensitive, matched anywhere in the filename):

• Kick — BD, KICK, KCK
• Snare — SD, SNARE, SNAR
• Hat closed — HH, HAT, CH (without OPEN/OH modifier)
• Hat open — HH OPEN, OH, HAT_OPEN
• Clap — CLAP, CP
• Rim/Sidestick — RIM, RIMSHOT
• Cymbals — CRASH, RIDE, CYM
• Toms — TOM + optional LOW/LO/HIGH/HI/MID modifier
• Congas / Bongos — CONGA/BONGO + optional LOW/HIGH
• Cowbell — COWBELL, CB
• Claves — CLAVES
• Maracas / Shaker — MARACA, SHAKER

Unrecognized files land in an other bucket and become extra pads — they aren’t dropped.

If every file lands in the same category (a folder of just kicks, say), scan flags the config REVIEW rather than shipping a one-pad “kit”. Chromatic single-instrument folders are more often multisamples in disguise.

Canonical pad order

The Deluge kit XML has no explicit note attribute — pad order is document order in the XML. patch-press sorts pads into the canonical order used by Synthstrom’s own factory kits (TR-808, TR-909, R-100):

kick → snare → hat_closed → hat_open → clap/rim → cymbals → toms (low→mid→high) → congas (low→mid→high) → other

You get the same layout regardless of how the source files were named or ordered.

Filename conventions (multisample & kit)

For multisample and kit, the note (and optional round-robin index) is parsed out of each WAV’s stem — patch-press scans anywhere in the name.

Filename	Parsed as
A3.wav	Note A3, RR 1
C#2.wav	Note C#2, RR 1
Mini_Bass01_A#0.wav	Note A#0, RR 1
C#2_0001.wav	Note C#2, RR 1
Mini_Bass01_A0_0002.wav	Note A0, RR 2

Both accidentals work: A#3 and Bb3 both mean MIDI 70.

When numbered round-robins exist for a note, the unnumbered base is ignored. If you have Kick.wav and Kick_0001.wav in the same folder, only the numbered one is used — Kick.wav is treated as a leftover preview file.

scan-library options

Option	Default	What it does
--type multisample\|kit\|drumkit	(required)	Library layout, see above.
--profile pluck\|synth\|pad\|drums	auto	Override the auto-picked profile.
--note-step INT	3	Only relevant when the library’s note coverage is sparser than every semitone — patch-press keeps the closest sample per note.
--start-note NOTE	C1	Ignore samples below this note.
--end-note NOTE	C6	Ignore samples above this note.

Which type is this?

• Every filename has a note in it → multisample
• Each top-level subfolder is one drum (kick/snare/…) → kit
• Flat pile of WAVs with BD/SD/HH in the names → drumkit
• Flat pile of WAVs, each is its own preset (a bass hit here, a bell hit there…) → not scan-library; use scan-oneshots
• Files organized by instrument category × a shared “flavor” taxonomy → not scan-library; use assemble-kits