PreSonus Notion 6 - Notation Software (Boxed) - Manual (Page 143)

9.10
This guide uses the terms VST instrument, VSTi, and Library synonymously to refer to third-party VST-based software that
generates instrument sounds as a plug-in to audio applications such as Notion . To have these Libraries directly respond
from your written notation, a set of rules (or preset) needs to be created . This preset maps out each notated element in
the score to the corresponding sound in the Library .
Each VST works differently - there are no standards in command sets so the commands used in one will not work for
another . And there are a lot of libraries out there . But we have some solutions . . .
1. Notion Built-in Presets
To save you significant time and trouble, we provide a selection of VST Instrument presets for the industry’s most popular
sound libraries, including Vienna Symphonic Library, Garritan Personal Orchestra and others . With any of our presets, you
can very quickly assign a VST Instrument to a staff and write for it immediately as if it were one of Notion’s own built-in
instruments . No programming involved . Presets take care of converting common articulation and performance
techniques into commands the different VSTis use . And you can copy and paste notation or SequencerStaff information
across instrument families – even across different Libraries .
You must enable the VST’s plug-in in the
Plug-in Manager for the library to appear as an option in Score Setup .
2. Make your own presets
You can use Notion’s Rules Editor to quickly build up a preset for a library you own - see 9 .13 for more info . Or, if you’re
happy writing directly to XML, you can do so, without needing the Rules Editor interface .
3. Share with Community Presets!
We’ve created a space on GitHub here: https://github.com/notionmusic/presets
Here you can log in, and:
• Upload and share presets you have created
• Search and download any presets you need
• Collaborate on fixes and improvements to your presets
• Maintain / adapt Notion’s built-in presets
Further documentation on the Community Presets, and custom Preset Expressions can be found in Github here
What is GitHub?
GitHub is open-source version control system: “open-source” in that it is free to use and develop; “version control”
meaning any changes are documented so anyone can see what was changed and when . If you follow the link above, you
will find our repository (or repo) - a repository is just a collection of folders and files that constitutes a project .
Anyone can log-in and make changes and work as a mini-community (hence “hub”) - but you don’t need to be a
computer whizz! You can just have a search for the library you want a preset for, and simply download if any are available .
More info here
What is a preset, where do I put it and how do I use it?
A preset is a folder with these items:
• A file named Preset .xml
• A folder named Instruments
• [Optional] In the Instruments folder, one level of sub-folder for Instrument families . e .g . Brass / Woodwind / Strings
• Within the Instruments folder (or sub-folders), a Notion file for each instrument with an attached rule .
On macOS, Notion will look for presets here:
/Users//Documents/Notion/Presets (you need to create this folder if it does not already exist)
/Library/Application Support/Notion Music/Notion 6/Presets
On Windows, Notion looks here:
C:\Users\\Documents\Notion\Presets (you need to create this folder if it does not already exist)
C:\Program Files\Notion 6\Presets (or where you have installed Notion)
The location of the second of each locations above will change with the app’s major version, so Notion 7 will have presets in its
own folder.
On launching, Notion will check the two preset locations above, and add any Presets it finds to Score Setup .
Look under VST Presets>Your Preset Name in Score Setup . Add the instrument to your score and off you go!
VST Instruments and Presets