Here are answers to frequently asked questions about downloading instruments in Musio:
Note: This article does not cover troubleshooting download failures or error messages. For troubleshooting steps, please check out these articles. For help with uninstalling instruments, visit this article.
Is there a way to download all of the instruments in a library collection at once?
Yes! Click the Download All button in the top right corner of the library collection. This button looks like a large red downward arrow, as shown in this screenshot:
How can I download all of Musio at once?
Currently, there are over 2,300 instruments in Musio, so there isn’t a one-click option to download the entire catalog. Instruments must be downloaded individually or by using the Download All button for specific library collections.
There are also sample library collections from Cinesamples and/or third-party developers that will be unauthorized for use until purchased in the Musio Marketplace preventing download of the entire catalog at once.
Where can I see all of my downloaded Instruments?
To view your downloaded instruments:
- Open Musio Connect (Musio’s companion app).
- Click on the Instruments tab.
Here, you’ll see a full list of downloaded instruments along with details like Version, Collection, Size, and Status. Selecting an individual instrument will show additional details on the right-hand side, such as the Release Date.
Can I change the number of simultaneous instrument downloads?
No, Musio limits simultaneous instrument downloads to 3 at a time. When you click the Download All button, all instruments will be added to a queue, but only three will download at once. There is no current option to reduce or increase this number.
Is there a way in a library collection to only see which instrument patches I've downloaded?
Yes! While browsing a library collection in Musio, click the Show Downloaded Only button (the gray check mark symbol) in the top right corner. This will filter the collection to display only the instruments you’ve already downloaded.
Note: If you use this filter but still see red download arrows (indicating instruments that appear not downloaded), it means you previously downloaded an older version of that instrument. Since then, a new version has been released. To remove the red download arrow, click the version number on the instrument patch and load the latest version.
What happens to my instruments if I update or reinstall Musio?
Your instruments will remain on your system even if you update or reinstall Musio, as long as you don't manually delete them.
When You Update Musio
- Your installed instruments stay intact
- You may see instrument updates available (a red dot next to the version number on the instrument patch), which you can download directly in the app, but sample content will only download when samples are updated
When You Reinstall Musio
- Your instruments will still be there after reinstalling, unless you delete them beforehand
- Important for Windows users: Do not select "Clean Install" unless you want to reset everything.
- A Clean Install will erase all your settings and restore them back to the default, including your Samples Location
- During a Clean Install, the instrument files will be deleted which means if you have previously downloaded instruments in Musio, they will not show as downloaded and you'll need to download them again. We recommend not choosing the Clean Install option except in extreme cases like a major technical issue or if you want to uninstall Musio completely from your system.
Since you have to download updated samples and new instrument versions, does Musio use unnecessary disk space by duplicating samples?
Nope! Musio is designed to reuse samples across instrument versions, so it does not duplicate files or take up unnecessary space when you update. Musio allows you to keep multiple versions of the same instrument (like v1.0 and v1.2) so your older sessions are quick to recall. But here’s the key thing:
- New versions reuse the same sample files already on your drive as we rarely update samples once we put out a release. That’s why downloads for updated versions often happen almost instantly. They're only grabbing the new instrument logic, not downloading the entire sample library again.
Another good example is, let’s say you download a keyswitch instrument first. Later, if you decide to grab the individual articulation versions, those will download almost immediately because they all share the same underlying samples.
If I download a new version of an instrument, will my old DAW session still use the original version?
Yes! Musio always honors the version that your DAW session originally saved. Here’s how it works:
- When you save a DAW session, the session's host data stores the version number of the instrument you were using (for example, v1.2).
- Later, even if you download a newer version or delete the old one outside of the session, Musio will automatically re-download and load the original version (v1.2) saved with your session.
- Musio won't auto-upgrade instrument versions in old sessions when loading from the host/DAW save data. This ensures that your projects always sound exactly the same, even if instrument updates have been released since you last opened the session.
I'm trying to hear the preview sounds while choosing which instruments I want to download, but they don't appear to be working.
If there are no preview sounds for an instrument, first check to see what type of instrument patch is is. Keyswitch patches will not have preview sounds since they are a mix of different articulations.
If you are looking at an individual articulation, and not a keyswitch patch, and still aren't seeing preview sounds for it, try updating Musio by opening Musio Connect (Musio's companion app) and clicking the red update link in the bottom left hand corner (if there is one). Check if there are preview sounds for that instrument after updating. If there still isn't, try exiting Musio and rebooting it. Check once more.
If there still isn't a preview sound for an individual articulation patch after updating and rebooting Musio, load up the instrument patch, and click the little gear icon next to the version number on the instrument patch. Click Submit Instrument Feedback and let our team know that the preview sound(s) are missing there.
Need More Help?
If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out to our Support team at support@musio.com, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!