FAQ

Which consoles does PatchSmith target?

Two families today, picked in the bar at the top: Behringer X32 / Midas M32 and Allen & Heath SQ-5 / 6 / 7. The console you pick sets the limits everything else obeys — the number of mix buses, matrices and output sockets, and how many characters of the strip name reach the desk (12 on an X32, 6 on an SQ — the SQ export shortens longer names and tells you which). The colour set and the odd→even stereo rule are the same on both.

What has been tested: the X32/M32 scene in M32-Edit, the SQ show in SQ-MixPad 1.6.1. Neither file has been loaded on an X32 or an SQ desk yet — see Print the sheet for the details and dates.

What can I export?

Export, in the top bar next to the console, hands you an A4 PDF sheet, a CSV of every channel, the browser's Print dialog, and — depending on the console you picked — an X32 / M32 scene file or an Allen & Heath SQ show for the USB stick. See Print the sheet.

Will the scene export overwrite my console setup?

Not if you give it your own scene to start from, which is the recommended path. PatchSmith rewrites only the lines it owns — names, colours, stereo links, DCAs, bus/matrix/DCA labels, and the low cuts you set yourself — and copies every other line through byte for byte. Your routing, head-amp gains, EQ, dynamics and faders are never written.

The blank console option is the exception: it is a factory-reset scene, so it does set its own routing. Use it at the top of the day, not mid-show.

The SQ show works the same way: with your own show, only the channel names and colours change.

Do my scene or show files get uploaded?

No. Your scene or show files never leave your device — PatchSmith rewrites them in the browser and hands you the result as a download.

Why must stereo pairs be odd→even?

Because that is the only place an X32/M32 or an SQ can link two channels. PatchSmith enforces it while you type and offers to move a misplaced row to the next free odd pair, so you find out now rather than at soundcheck. See Stereo pairs.

Does the 48 V column do anything on the console?

No, and it never will. Phantom power is a printed-sheet column only. The decision is deliberate: routing-dependent or destructive settings are kept out of any generated file.

How many channels can I enter?

Up to 64 rows, channels 1 to 64. An X32/M32 scene takes channels 1–32 and an SQ show 1–48; rows above that stay on the sheet, and the export names the ones it left out.

What does the strip name do?

It is the short name that fits a console scribble strip — up to 12 characters on an X32/M32; an SQ shows 6. It is derived from the source name until you edit it; clear it to go back to automatic. The printed sheet shows it in its own Strip column.

Can I import my existing patch?

Yes. Tap Import or paste… under the grid and paste from Excel, Sheets or Numbers, open a CSV, or pull the input list from your stage plot with From Stage Plot…. See Get your patch in.

Can I keep several patches?

Yes. The patch selector at the top holds as many as you need — one per show, act or venue — with + New patch, Rename and Delete. Delete offers Undo for a few seconds; after that the patch is still under Versions → Deleted patches, as it was before the delete.

Where is my patch stored?

In the browser first, then in your account when you are signed in, so the same patch opens on your other devices — together with your routing presets and named versions. See Account sync.

What does the recogniser understand?

Instrument words in seven languages — English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch and Portuguese — and the abbreviations techs write (BD, SN, OH, HH, Gtr, Vox, BGV, toms as T1–T12). It knows kick, snare, hi-hat, toms, overheads, percussion, bass, acoustic and electric guitar, keys, vocals, speech (lecterns, headsets, presenters), horns, strings, and playback or line sources (click, tracks, laptop). Polish, Japanese, Korean and Chinese words are not recognised yet. Recognition only sets defaults; every field stays editable.

Is it free?

No. PatchSmith will be a paid tool — €24 once, no subscription. It is still coming soon: there is nothing to buy yet. At launch there will also be a free plan with one patch, print and PDF — see Getting started. Licence holders and beta testers can use the current build.