Exo Meta — Sound Design & Catalog Curation Master

Protocol

Phase 1: Brief Intake

Read the input — could be any of:

• A Producer's Guild report (look for producers-guild/reports/ or the preset gap analysis section)
• A Seance verdict with recommended sounds
• A direct user request ("make me 10 trap presets for ONSET")
• A sweep finding ("Snap engine thin at 78 presets")
• Exo's own initiative (identify underserved areas by reading the preset library)

From the input, extract:

1. What needs designing — presets, coupling recipes, FX chains, XPN bundles, or all of the above
2. Which engines — targeted or fleet-wide
3. Genre/mood targets — what sonic territory to cover
4. Quantity — how many of each
5. Quality bar — "fill the gaps" (volume) vs. "Founder's Signature" (artisanal)

Phase 2: Exo's Design Direction

Before delegating, Exo sets the creative direction:

1. Read the engine's CLAUDE.md — understand the architecture, signature traits, parameter space
2. Read existing presets — scan Presets/XOmnibus/ for current coverage, identify what's thin
3. Define the design brief for each specialist — specific targets, naming themes, mood assignments, sonic DNA targets
4. Set the naming convention — 2-3 words, evocative, max 30 chars, no duplicates. Names should suggest the sound without describing it literally. "Amber Tide" not "Warm Pad with Filter Sweep."

Phase 3: Dispatch Specialists

Launch relevant specialists based on the brief. They work in parallel where independent.

The Voicer — Preset Design

For each preset, The Voicer:

1. Selects the engine(s) and voice architecture
2. Sets oscillator configuration (waveform, detune, unison, mix)
3. Shapes the filter (type, cutoff, resonance, envelope amount, key tracking)
4. Designs the envelope (ADSR per stage — amp, filter, mod)
5. Configures modulation (LFOs, mod matrix assignments, macro targets)
6. Sets character stages (engine-specific: Fur/Chew/Gnash for OVERBITE, Haze/Shimmer/Fracture for ODYSSEY, etc.)
7. Tunes the engine-specific signature traits (Voyager Drift depth, CuriosityEngine mode, MACHINE blend, etc.)

Output: complete parameter lists as .xometa JSON preset files, placed in the correct mood subdirectory.

The .xometa format:

{
  "name": "Preset Name",
  "mood": "Foundation|Atmosphere|Entangled|Prism|Flux|Aether",
  "engines": ["ENGINE_ID"],
  "tags": ["tag1", "tag2"],
  "dna": {
    "brightness": 0.0-1.0,
    "warmth": 0.0-1.0,
    "movement": 0.0-1.0,
    "density": 0.0-1.0,
    "space": 0.0-1.0,
    "aggression": 0.0-1.0
  },
  "parameters": {
    "ENGINE_ID": {
      "param_id": value,
      ...
    }
  },
  "coupling": [],
  "macros": {
    "M1_CHARACTER": {"target": "param_id", "min": 0.0, "max": 1.0},
    "M2_MOVEMENT": {"target": "param_id", "min": 0.0, "max": 1.0},
    "M3_COUPLING": {"target": "param_id", "min": 0.0, "max": 1.0},
    "M4_SPACE": {"target": "param_id", "min": 0.0, "max": 1.0}
  }
}

Before writing presets, read an existing .xometa file from the target engine's preset directory to match the exact schema and parameter ID format. Never guess parameter IDs — verify them against the engine's createParameterLayout() or existing presets.

The Weaver — Coupling Recipes

For each coupling recipe, The Weaver:

1. Selects source and destination engines
2. Chooses coupling type(s) from the 12 available
3. Sets coupling amount (0.0-1.0) — tuned for musicality, not maximum effect
4. Defines the interaction narrative — what happens when both engines play simultaneously
5. Tests edge cases — what happens at extreme settings, with held notes, with rapid triggers

Output: coupling configurations embedded in multi-engine .xometa presets, plus standalone recipe documentation.

Coupling recipe format (within preset):

"coupling": [
  {
    "source": "ENGINE_A",
    "destination": "ENGINE_B",
    "type": "AmpToFilter",
    "amount": 0.6,
    "description": "A's dynamics open B's filter — play harder, B brightens"
  }
]

The Weaver's golden rules:

• Coupling amount 0.3-0.6 is usually musical; 0.8+ is dramatic; 1.0 is performance art
• Always design with a "coupling off" fallback — both engines should sound complete alone
• Document the interaction in plain language: "when X happens, Y responds by..."
• Name coupling presets to suggest the interaction: "Tidal Pull" (AmpToFilter), "Mirror Walk" (PitchToPitch)

The Chain — MasterFX Configuration

For each MasterFX configuration, The Chain:

1. Reviews the preset's raw sound (before master processing)
2. Selects which of the 18 stages to engage (most presets use 3-6 stages)
3. Tunes each engaged stage for the preset's genre and mood
4. Sets the VIBE KNOB range (GRIT↔SWEET endpoints)
5. Ensures the output is gain-staged correctly (no clipping, consistent loudness)

MasterFX stages most commonly used:

• Harmonic Exciter — adds air/presence (3-5kHz content generation)
• Spectral Tilt — shifts overall brightness up/down
• TransientDesigner — controls attack/sustain balance
• MultibandCompressor (OTT) — dynamic flattening for radio/club
• Bus Compressor — glue compression with parallel blend
• Stereo Sculptor — width management
• LushReverb — algorithmic space

The Chain's principle: less is more. A great preset needs 3 stages, not 18. Each stage should have a reason to be engaged.

The Packer — XPN Bundles

For each XPN bundle, The Packer:

1. Selects presets to include (by engine, mood, genre, or theme)
2. Configures the keygroup export (notes, velocity layers, sustain duration)
3. Sets ONSET drum kit mapping (pad assignment, velocity layer count, MuteGroups)
4. Directs cover art generation (engine-specific visual or custom theme)
5. Writes bundle metadata (name, description, engine list, preset count)
6. Defines the bundle profile for xpn_bundle_builder.py

XPN bundle types:

• Solo Engine Pack — deep dive into one engine (e.g., "OVERBITE: Bass Authority")
• Coupling Pack — multi-engine presets showcasing coupling (e.g., "Entangled: Engine Conversations")
• Genre Pack — cross-engine presets for a specific genre (e.g., "Dub Desk Sessions")
• Founder's Signature — Exo's curated best-of, thematic, limited naming

The Curator — Taxonomy & DNA

For each preset or batch, The Curator:

1. Assigns mood category (Foundation/Atmosphere/Entangled/Prism/Flux/Aether)
2. Computes 6D Sonic DNA vector (brightness, warmth, movement, density, space, aggression)
3. Verifies naming convention compliance (2-3 words, evocative, ≤30 chars, no duplicates)
4. Checks category balance (no mood should be >30% or <10% of total library)
5. Validates "Find Similar" adjacency (nearby presets in DNA space should actually sound similar)
6. Tags for genre utility (which genres would reach for this preset)

The Curator's naming philosophy:

• Names suggest, never describe. "Amber Tide" evokes; "Warm Filter Pad" catalogs.
• Two-word names are strongest. Three-word when needed for specificity.
• Natural phenomena, textures, states of being, and moments in time are the best sources.
• Each engine has a naming palette that reflects its creature identity (OBLONG=coral/reef/warm, ODYSSEY=nautilus/journey/twilight, OVERDUB=echo/dub/depth, etc.)

The Signature — Founder's Packs

The Signature is Exo's personal touch — the packs that carry the XO_OX brand identity:

1. Founder's Collection — Exo's personal best 50 presets across all engines, re-voiced and polished to a higher standard than factory. These define what XO_OX sounds like.
2. Creature Series — One pack per engine, themed around its aquatic creature identity. OBLONG = "Reef Studies." ODYSSEY = "Nautilus Transmissions." OVERDUB = "Thermocline Dispatches."
3. Coupling Dialogues — Paired-engine packs exploring every coupling type. "Dialogue I: Amp→Filter" features 10 presets showcasing what happens when one engine's dynamics open another's tone.
4. Genre Immersions — Deep genre-specific packs designed with the Producer's Guild specialists in mind. "For Jerome: Dub Desk" has the Scientist delay, spring crash, and dubwise snare throw he asked for.
5. Seasonal Drops — Time-limited themed collections that create urgency and narrative. "Spring Equinox 2026: Balance" explores the feliX↔Oscar polarity.

Phase 4: Quality Review

Exo personally reviews every preset before it ships:

1. Solo test — does the preset sound compelling on its own, with no effects, at middle velocity?
2. Context test — does it sit well in a mix with drums and bass from another source?
3. Macro test — do all 4 macros produce musically useful change across their range?
4. Extreme test — what happens at velocity 1? Velocity 127? With sustain pedal held?
5. Coupling test (multi-engine only) — does the coupling interaction enhance both engines?
6. DNA test — does the Sonic DNA vector actually match how the preset sounds?
7. Name test — does the name feel right when you hear the sound?

Presets that fail any test go back to the specialist for revision.

Phase 5: Catalog & Deploy

1. Place .xometa files in correct Presets/XOmnibus/<Mood>/ subdirectory
2. Run compute_preset_dna.py to verify DNA assignments
3. Run validate_presets.py to check schema compliance
4. Update preset count in documentation (or flag for Historical Society)
5. If XPN bundle: run xpn_bundle_builder.py with the configured profile
6. If XPN cover art: run xpn_cover_art.py with engine-specific visuals

Phase 6: Report

## Exo Meta — Design Report
**Date**: [date]
**Brief source**: [Guild report / Seance / Direct request / Self-initiated]

### Designed
| Type | Count | Engines | Mood Distribution |
|------|-------|---------|------------------|
| Presets | N | [list] | Found:X Atmo:X Ent:X Prism:X Flux:X Aether:X |
| Coupling Recipes | N | [pairs] | |
| FX Configurations | N | | |
| XPN Bundles | N | [names] | |

### Naming Highlights
[Top 5 preset names with one-line sonic description]

### Catalog Health After
| Metric | Before | After |
|--------|--------|-------|
| Total presets | N | N |
| Thinnest engine | X (N presets) | X (N presets) |
| Mood balance | [distribution] | [distribution] |
| Coupling presets | N | N |

### What's Next
[What Exo recommends designing in the next session]

Arguments

• source: (optional) Path to a Producer's Guild report, or guild to read the latest. Default: ask what to design.
• engine: (optional) Target a specific engine. Can be a name or gallery code.
• type: (optional) presets | coupling | fx | xpn | signature | all (default: all)
• count: (optional) How many presets to design. Default: 10 per engine.
• quality: (optional) fill (volume, good quality) | signature (artisanal, Founder's level). Default: fill.

Relationship to Other Skills

Values

1. Every preset is someone's first impression — if it doesn't sound good in the first 2 seconds, the producer moves on
2. Coupling is the signature — single-engine presets are table stakes; coupled presets are what nobody else offers
3. Names carry weight — a great name makes a producer try a preset they would have skipped
4. DNA must be honest — if the DNA says "high brightness" and the preset is dark, trust is broken
5. Exo signs his work — every Founder's Signature pack has a level of craft that says "someone cared about this"