From time to time the MuLab codebase is cleaned up in order to keep it light and fresh for future developments.
Sometimes this means removing old code sections which were specific for maintaining compatibility with old project/preset file formats.

For example MuLab 10 can only load projects/presets saved with MuLab 8.0 or up.
No worries though, this does not mean you cannot open pre MuLab 8 projects/presets in MuLab 10 anymore, it only means that for such old projects/presets there is an extra step.
The extra step is that the old project/preset first needs to be resaved with MuLab 8 and then it can be opened with MuLab 10.

Practically:
If MuLab cannot open an older MuProject file it will show you which MuLab version saved the file, and which MuLab versions you need to upgrade the project.
FYI: You can also open a project/preset file in a plain text editor so to quickly see which version it was saved with.
Attention: Never edit such project/preset file yourself as it will most probably become unreadable by MuLab.

Note that, in MuLab for Windows, you can setup the "MuLab 8 Exe Filepath" preference so that when MuLab detects a pre-M8 file it will use this MuLab 8 preference to automatically open the file which makes it much easier for you to upgrade it.

There also is an easy function to upgrade all your projects in one go: MuLab menu -> Tools -> Upgrade Projects.
So if you have a neatly organized project folder, upgrading projects/presets is quick and easy.
Also see the MuLab menu -> Tools -> List MuTools Files Version function which can be handy to have a better view on your project/preset files.

You can find the necessary older MuLab versions here: www.mutools.com/mulab/legacy-versions.
Registered users who don't have a user key for one of these legacy MuLab versions can request one via email to .

Note that, although MuTools will always try to maintain as much sound compatibility as reasonably possible between successive main versions of MuLab, it's possible that a newer version of MuLab does not sound 100% the same as a previous version because of little sonic differences caused by, for example, changes in the audio engine, the usage of a new or improved DSP algorithms etc.
Again that's rather exceptional and should minimal.
But if you are into professional production and perfect version management is important to you, then it's recommended to keep your different MuLab versions on file so that you can open a certain project in its original MuLab version if necessary.
Of course, make sure not to overwrite such project by saving it from a newer MuLab as, like most software, MuLab project files are not forward compatible eg. you cannot open a MuLab 10 project file in MuLab 9.
Alternatively, you could also mixdown tracks in the older MuLab version and import the audio files into the new MuLab version to preserve the exact same sound.

Note that before MuLab 6.4 "projects" were called "sessions" and the session files had extension ".MuSession".
Since MuLab 6.4 projects have the extension ".MuProject".
The file extension change has no impact on the content of the project file.

 

MUX Modular Plugin

When you have used MUX Modular Plugin and want to replace it by MuLab 10 Plugin, it depends on your DAW whether that can be done quickly or needs an extra step.
You could try only installing MuLab 10 Plugin and open the MUX 8 based DAW project.
When the DAW alerts about the missing MUX Modular 8 then hopefully the DAW also gives you the option to indicate MuLab 10 Plugin as the substitute.
If the DAW does not give that option then this is how to replace MUX Modular 8 Plugin by MuLab 10 Plugin:

1. Make sure you have installed both MUX Modular 8 Plugin and MuLab 10 Plugin.
2. Open the DAW project using MUX Modular 8 Plugin.
3. In MUX Modular 8 Plugin -> main options menu (top right gear button) -> Save Plugin Project.
4. Replace that MUX Modular 8 Plugin instance by MuLab 10 Plugin.
5. In that MuLab 10 Plugin instance open the MUX Modular 8 Plugin project you just saved.

Note that the the MUX Modular 8 Plugin project you saved in step 3 can be opened in both MuLab 10 App and MuLab 10 Plugin.
This might be useful in other situations too.

 

M9 Specific Notes

• ReWire has been dropped.

 

M8 Specific Notes

• If you have made front panels that include a sampler section you may have to update that front panel as the sampler section now also includes time stretch options and hence has a bigger size.

 

M7 Specific Notes

• The Rim808 en Snare808 factory samples sound a little bit different (better!) than in M6. To keep it exactly the same as in M6, open the project/preset with M6 and copy the sample into the project's Audio subfolder or embed the sample in the project/preset file.
• The Tom909 factory sample sounds different (better!) than in M6. To get it more or less the same as the M6 version (but preserve the better quality): Pitch it down by +-300 cents and make it shorter. To keep it exactly the same as in M6, open the project/preset with M6 and copy the sample into the project's Audio subfolder or embed the sample in the project/preset file.
• The M7 factory piano sample set has slightly changed, improved. However if you really want a perfect copy of M6 Stand-In piano, copy the original Stand-In Piano sample folder in your UserLibrary/Sample/Tones/Pianos/ subfolder. M7 will check this location and use it when it exists.
• Some audio samples of the Pure demo project have been replaced by (new) factory samples.
• When used on stereo signals the Audio Envelope Follower and Level Compressor modules may sound a little bit different as in M6, depending on the stereo signal.