Cortex search semantics

Find presets by sound, amp models and plugin requirements. Combine filters to narrow the results to the rig you want to explore.

Searching for a sound

The search box looks through preset names, uploader tags, amp model and equipment names, and descriptions. Queries are split into letter and number tokens. Matching is case-insensitive, Latin diacritics are normalized, and punctuation separates tokens.

Default search: Every query token is required. Tokens may occur in any order and across different searchable fields. The last word can match the beginning of a longer word. Searching all the small finds All The Small Things, but can also find those words scattered through a description.
Strict phrase: All query tokens must occur contiguously and in order within one searchable field, without final-token prefix matching. all the small matches All The Small Things, but excludes scattered words and All the Smallest.

Strict phrase matches whole tokens rather than literal punctuation or a complete title. Tags and amp information are each searched as a combined text field, so a phrase can cross individual tag or model-name boundaries.

Leave the search box empty to browse using filters alone. Search uses the words you enter; it does not correct spelling or substitute similar words.

Sorting results

With a search entered, both Relevance and Popularity put exact preset names first, followed by phrases in names, phrases elsewhere, and remaining word matches.

Relevance: Within those groups, the text score uses field weights: name 5, uploader tags 3, amp information 2, description 0.5. These are relative scoring weights, not percentages. Downloads descending break equal scores. With no search text, the most downloaded presets appear first.
Popularity: orders each matching group by downloads. A title matching your phrase can appear ahead of a more downloaded preset with scattered words.
Name, Time created, Author and Preferred instrument: order matching presets by that field.

Exact-name priority compares the complete name after trimming, case normalization and Unicode normalization. Other sorts do not apply relevance tiers. Missing authors appear last; missing creation dates appear first ascending and last descending. Preset ID provides a stable final tie-break.

Choose ascending or descending order for any sort except Relevance.

Combining filters

The text query and all active filter groups combine with AND. Empty groups impose no restriction. Any of these combines selections within a group with OR; All of these requires every selection. For example, selecting two amps with All of these and No plugins finds presets containing both amps and no declared plugin blocks.

Filter	How it works
Amp models	Any of these finds at least one selected model. All of these requires every selected model.
Plugins	Any of these finds at least one selected plugin family. All of these requires every selected family.
No plugins	Finds presets with no declared plugin blocks. In Any mode it can be an alternative to selected plugin families. Combining it with a plugin family in All mode produces no matches.
Preset creator	Finds presets uploaded by any selected creator. Click a result's creator name to select that uploader.
Uploader tags	Any of these finds at least one selected tag. All of these requires every selected tag. Click a tag on a result to add it to your filters.
Preferred instrument	Finds presets for any selected instrument. Unknown and Not specified are separate choices.
No IR-loader blocks	Finds presets without declared IR-loader blocks.
Time created	Choose Anytime, Today, This Week, This Month, Last 3 Months or a specific year. Legacy date (1970) groups presets carrying that date.

You can select up to eight choices in each group. Time periods start at UTC midnight. This Week starts on Monday, This Month on the first day, and Last 3 Months is a rolling three-calendar-month window clamped at month end. Year filters include January 1 and exclude January 1 of the following year. Missing dates do not match a selected period.

Finding filter choices

The small search boxes inside Amps, Preset creator, Tags and Plugins narrow the available choices. They do not search preset text. Choices use substring matching and are ordered by total preset count, descending. Selected choices remain available even when outside the choice search.

Choice counts apply the text query, date and IR restrictions, and selections in other groups. They normally exclude selections in their own group. Amp and plugin All modes also include their current selections, so counts represent adding each choice to the existing combination. Tag All mode excludes its own selections from counts.

Unavailable choices stay visible, and selected choices can always be removed. This keeps the filter lists steady while you explore combinations.

Changing and removing filters

On desktop, changes update results automatically; text inputs use a 300 ms debounce. While a search is updating, an activity indicator appears and the previous results are dimmed.

Applied filters appear below the search controls. Click a chip's × to remove that restriction. Clear filters removes group selections, time and IR restrictions, and searches inside groups. It keeps your main search text, sort and Any/All preferences.

On mobile, open Filters to edit a draft and preview counts. Apply filters updates the results; Cancel or Escape discards the draft.

Browsing and opening presets

Previous and Next appear above and below the results, alongside the current page. Changing page returns you to the start of the results. Changing a search or filter starts again at page 1.

The address preserves your search and filter settings so you can share them. Browser Back and Forward restore earlier applied searches, controls and in-session pages. Debounced typing creates one history step per burst; mobile drafts do not create steps. Reloading keeps your filters and starts at page 1.

Open a preset name to see its details, block grid, scenes and creator attribution. Use View on Cortex Cloud to visit the original preset page.