According to some reports in EM magazine and also on the internet, we can now run VST plugins inside Pro Tools using a MultiVST Shell!
I think that means that we could also run UAD-1, PowerCore (under VST) inside Pro Tools -- Logically, it's possible but don't know if it works like that in the real world. Maybe need to test this possibility.
Michael
Can run VST in Pro Tools
Moderators: fred lui, Antress, stanley_c
Shell Game
By Geary Yelton
Electronic Musician, Aug 1, 2002 Brought to you by:
One of the most revolutionary developments in computer-based music production is the proliferation of virtual electronic instruments — synthesizers, samplers, drum machines, and modeled acoustic instruments that exist only in software. Virtual instruments are made possible and practical by the combination of powerful personal computers and music software that features a plug-in architecture. A sequencing program such as Mark of the Unicorn (MOTU) Digital Performer 3 (DP3) typically serves as a host application, and you can open and manipulate plug-ins within the host. A plug-in might be an effects processor such as reverb, a dynamics processor such as compression, or a virtual instrument such as an emulated Fender Rhodes.
On the Macintosh, three native plug-in architectures have been introduced to extend the capabilities of audio and sequencing programs. Virtual Studio Technology (VST), MOTU Audio System (MAS), and Real Time Audio Suite (RTAS) all work in real time, and none require any additional hardware. All are open architectures, so they're supported by a variety of third-party developers.
What if you're a Digital Performer user and you want to play VST Instruments? Because MOTU software doesn't directly support VST plug-ins, you need a third-party VST host known as a shell or wrapper. In this article, I'll investigate three VST shells as well as a dozen instrument plug-ins that are available for VST but not for MAS. I'll evaluate whether and how well each plug-in works with each VST shell in DP3 and make recommendations about configurations that might work well for you.
VST VERSUS MAS
Steinberg got the plug-in-architecture ball rolling in 1996 by introducing VST effects plug-ins for its popular sequencer Cubase VST. Steinberg made VST an open format, and third-party developers got into the game by producing VST-compatible plug-ins to use with Cubase VST. Eventually, VST support became a significant feature of additional host programs such as Steinberg Nuendo, Emagic Logic Audio, BIAS Peak VST, and TC Works Spark. In 1999 VST 2.0 introduced support for instrument plug-ins, eliminating the need for virtual instruments to run as separate, standalone applications.
Don't make the mistake of assuming that VST is a true standard and that it works equally well in all hosts; it isn't and it doesn't. The VST 2.0 specification doesn't require plug-ins to operate with any host other than Cubase VST. Consequently, using VST Instruments in other programs can be problematic. When EM's reviewers test VST plug-ins in hosts other than Cubase, they often report that some features and functions are disabled; you might face the same limitations when running those plug-ins using a VST shell in Digital Performer.
MOTU introduced MAS as an open format after VST was introduced. Conceptually similar to VST, MAS is proprietary in that it runs in just two programs from MOTU, Digital Performer and AudioDesk. MAS instruments are designed to work only in Digital Performer (AudioDesk is designed for audio rather than MIDI, so it doesn't use instruments).
Many plug-in developers who produce VST Instruments also offer MAS versions. A few MAS instruments, including IK Multimedia SampleTank and Ilio Stylus, work exactly like their VST counterparts. However, most MAS instruments don't operate as plug-ins; instead, MAS routes MIDI to and audio from standalone programs running concurrently with Digital Performer. That type of software includes virtual instruments from Native Instruments, Koblo, and BitHeadz.
VST is supported by the other two major sequencing programs for the Mac — Cubase VST and Logic Audio — so 
why doesn't MOTU support VST in Digital Performer? Jim Cooper, director of marketing for MOTU, says, “Part of the answer is in the history of VST and MAS. After Steinberg introduced VST, MOTU was the first company to develop a competitive native plug-in format, before Steinberg made VST an open format. By the time Steinberg allowed other companies to host VST plug-ins, MOTU already had a thriving community of MAS plug-in developers eager to support Digital Performer directly.” By then, he says, the existence of MAS eliminated the need for DP3 to support VST directly.
Furthermore, according to Cooper, MAS plug-ins can be more tightly integrated with DP3 than can their VST counterparts. “MOTU works closely with MAS plug-in developers to ensure the quality and stability of their MAS plug-ins,” he adds. By offering a proprietary application programming interface (API, which provides MAS plug-ins with “hooks” into Digital Performer), MOTU retains technical control, keeping open the door to future innovation in Digital Performer's plug-in architecture.
THREE FLAVORS
DP3 users have at least three shells from which to choose if they want to use VST plug-ins. Each shell has its strengths and weaknesses. Which one is right for you depends on your working style, what plug-ins you want to use, the availability of RAM and processor resources on your computer, and the amount of money you want to spend. You can use more than one VST shell at the same time, but I recommend that they don't share the same folder of VST plug-ins.
The most popular shell is Audio Ease VST Wrapper ($50); its sole purpose is to enable Digital Performer to open VST plug-ins.
Another popular choice is Cycling '74 Pluggo ($74). Opening VST plug-ins in DP3 is just one of the many things Pluggo can do; it also comes with literally dozens of proprietary plug-ins, including a few soft synths of its own.
The third choice is the version of Spark FXMachine that's bundled with two audio editors from TC Works, Spark and Spark XL ($499 and $749, respectively; see the sidebar “To Be Continued” for more on a standalone version of FXMachine). FXMachine is a useful routing matrix for VST plug-ins, and like Pluggo, it offers plenty of other functions.
START ME UP
When you install a VST shell, its corresponding plug-in is placed in the MOTU Plug-Ins folder in your System folder's Extensions. During installation, you'll be asked to specify the location of a VstPlugIns folder. Like other MAS plug-ins, VST shells will then load automatically whenever you run Digital Performer.
Because plug-ins consume RAM, you should increase DP3's memory size in the Finder by opening the Get Info dialog box. Also note that the more plug-ins you have installed, including those in your VstPlugIns folder, the longer it will take the sequencer to open. Happily, the strain on your CPU is determined by the plug-ins you have open rather than the plug-ins you have available.
To use VST instruments, you won't need to set up any new devices in FreeMIDI or Open Music System, but make sure that you enable Inter-application MIDI in FreeMIDI preferences. Otherwise, your plug-ins cannot receive MIDI data.
After you first install a VST shell, test it with small groups of plug-ins and then add new ones no more than two at a time. All it takes is one errant plug-in to bring the whole system crashing down. Once you have a group of stable plug-ins that work well together, you'll know that if you add a plug-in and trouble ensues, the new addition is probably to blame. If you're depending on a plug-in's compatibility with a particular VST shell, download the demo versions of both and try before you buy.
To record and play a VST instrument, add an audio track (either a stereo voice or an aux track) to Digital Performer's Sequence Editor window. In the new track that appears in the Mixer window, insert a plug-in (see Fig. 1). If you're using Pluggo or VST Wrapper, select a plug-in from its submenu; if you're using Spark FXMachine, just insert FXMachine. Then go back to the Track List and add a new MIDI track. In the Output column for that track, you'll see that one of your choices will be the name of the plug-in you selected, either a VST Instrument or FXMachine. If it has a submenu with a choice of MIDI channels, pick the one you want as the track's playback destination. If you're using FXMachine, go to its window, click on the Add button, and select an instrument from the file dialog. If all goes well, you're ready to record.
VST WRAPPER 3
VST Wrapper, from the Dutch company Audio Ease, is an inexpensive solution for DP3 users who want to open VST plug-ins as though they were MAS plug-ins. As I write this, it's the most recently updated of the three shells in this article, and it's compatible with most VST Instruments. Version 3 can load and save standard VST banks and presets, typically allowing you to select patches from a mini-menu in VST Wrapper's upper-left corner. The number of presets and how they're organized varies with every plug-in.
Although VST Wrapper offers no frills, it has conveniences such as the ability to recognize the contents of folders within the VstPlugIns folder. That lets you group all of your reFX instruments together, for example, and put a bank of presets in the same folder as the instrument it supports. If the VST folder contains only one plug-in, VST Wrapper doesn't appear as an insert. Instead, the plug-in itself appears in the Insert mini-menu as though it were a MAS plug-in.
When you save a sequence that contains an instrument plug-in and then reopen the file, the plug-in should be right where you left it with all its settings intact. If it's a sampler, it should load the samples when you open the file. If a plug-in supports multiple output buses, VST Wrapper 3 does, too.
PLUGGO 2.1
Pluggo, from Bay Area developer Cycling '74, is a plug-in manager that includes more than 75 plug-ins of its own. It has the ability to route MIDI, sync, and control signals between plug-ins, which means you can use Pluggo's modulation plug-ins to modulate VST Instrument parameters. As of this writing, the current version is nearly a year and a half old, and Pluggo will be updated to version 3.0 very soon.
When you open some VST Instruments in Pluggo, you can make parameter changes using the controls in the plug-in's user interface (its control panel); other VST Instruments require you to make edits in Pluggo's parameter windows (see Fig. 2).
Pluggo's View menu lets you choose from parameter windows and the plug-in's original interface. If a plug-in has lots of parameters, you can choose from several parameter windows. Each window contains several sliders, and occasionally the sliders have cryptic labels such as P1 or P2. Even if the instrument has a menu for selecting different programs, you might have to use Pluggo's menu for program selection because selecting in the interface's window has no effect.
A few words of warning about Pluggo are in order. The bundled plug-ins aren't actually VST plug-ins, and they don't work without Pluggo. Pluggo often doesn't recognize the contents of folders within the VstPlugIns folder, so support files should be at the same hierarchical level as the VST Instrument. Also, if you have a dual-processor Macintosh, you need to disable multiprocessing for Pluggo to work.
SPARK FXMACHINE 2.0
Spark FXMachine, from German hardware and software developer TC Works, is a plug-in that provides a visual matrix for arranging and routing VST plug-ins. The FXMachine window looks like a chessboard, and you can open a different plug-in in each square (called a slot). By default, the size of the matrix is four rows of five slots, but it can expand to whatever size you require. The number of plug-ins you can load is limited only by CPU resources.
To add a plug-in, simply select the slot, click on the Add button, and choose a plug-in from the file dialog. The plug-in's user interface will appear in a window below the matrix (see Fig. 3). In the current version, you can't resize the window to accommodate plug-ins with large control panels.
In FXMachine's matrix, you can route an audio signal from one plug-in to another in series, which is ideal if, say, you want to route an instrument plug-in to an EQ plug-in and then to an effects processor plug-in. You can arrange plug-ins in whatever order you desire, and FXMachine will automatically make the audio connections. Each slot indicates signal level with its own stereo LED meter, and you can specify the mix level for each plug-in. In addition, stereo master-level meters accompany a pair of master faders.
As I write these words, there are three versions of Spark FXMachine. The version that should most interest Digital Performer users ships with Spark and Spark XL. At present that version is the only one that includes the MAS plug-in to open FXMachine within Digital Performer.
WELCOME TO MY LABORATORY
For this article, I tested every combination of three VST shells and a dozen VST Instruments in Digital Performer 3.02 with FreeMIDI 1.46. My computer is a Power Mac G4/400 MHz with more than a gigabyte of RAM, and my audio hardware is a MOTU 2408mkII. I'm running Mac OS 9.1 and more than 50 MAS plug-ins in addition to the VST shells.
I tested each plug-in for its ability to remember saved programs and the most recent parameter changes, to respond to recorded MIDI Control Change (CC) messages, and to react to track automation. For the track-automation test, I enabled automation and then changed parameters on the fly; if it worked, my changes were duplicated on playback. By the time I had completed my testing, however, I'd discovered that VST Wrapper doesn't support track automation at all.
By Geary Yelton
Electronic Musician, Aug 1, 2002 Brought to you by:
One of the most revolutionary developments in computer-based music production is the proliferation of virtual electronic instruments — synthesizers, samplers, drum machines, and modeled acoustic instruments that exist only in software. Virtual instruments are made possible and practical by the combination of powerful personal computers and music software that features a plug-in architecture. A sequencing program such as Mark of the Unicorn (MOTU) Digital Performer 3 (DP3) typically serves as a host application, and you can open and manipulate plug-ins within the host. A plug-in might be an effects processor such as reverb, a dynamics processor such as compression, or a virtual instrument such as an emulated Fender Rhodes.
On the Macintosh, three native plug-in architectures have been introduced to extend the capabilities of audio and sequencing programs. Virtual Studio Technology (VST), MOTU Audio System (MAS), and Real Time Audio Suite (RTAS) all work in real time, and none require any additional hardware. All are open architectures, so they're supported by a variety of third-party developers.
What if you're a Digital Performer user and you want to play VST Instruments? Because MOTU software doesn't directly support VST plug-ins, you need a third-party VST host known as a shell or wrapper. In this article, I'll investigate three VST shells as well as a dozen instrument plug-ins that are available for VST but not for MAS. I'll evaluate whether and how well each plug-in works with each VST shell in DP3 and make recommendations about configurations that might work well for you.
VST VERSUS MAS
Steinberg got the plug-in-architecture ball rolling in 1996 by introducing VST effects plug-ins for its popular sequencer Cubase VST. Steinberg made VST an open format, and third-party developers got into the game by producing VST-compatible plug-ins to use with Cubase VST. Eventually, VST support became a significant feature of additional host programs such as Steinberg Nuendo, Emagic Logic Audio, BIAS Peak VST, and TC Works Spark. In 1999 VST 2.0 introduced support for instrument plug-ins, eliminating the need for virtual instruments to run as separate, standalone applications.
Don't make the mistake of assuming that VST is a true standard and that it works equally well in all hosts; it isn't and it doesn't. The VST 2.0 specification doesn't require plug-ins to operate with any host other than Cubase VST. Consequently, using VST Instruments in other programs can be problematic. When EM's reviewers test VST plug-ins in hosts other than Cubase, they often report that some features and functions are disabled; you might face the same limitations when running those plug-ins using a VST shell in Digital Performer.
MOTU introduced MAS as an open format after VST was introduced. Conceptually similar to VST, MAS is proprietary in that it runs in just two programs from MOTU, Digital Performer and AudioDesk. MAS instruments are designed to work only in Digital Performer (AudioDesk is designed for audio rather than MIDI, so it doesn't use instruments).
Many plug-in developers who produce VST Instruments also offer MAS versions. A few MAS instruments, including IK Multimedia SampleTank and Ilio Stylus, work exactly like their VST counterparts. However, most MAS instruments don't operate as plug-ins; instead, MAS routes MIDI to and audio from standalone programs running concurrently with Digital Performer. That type of software includes virtual instruments from Native Instruments, Koblo, and BitHeadz.
VST is supported by the other two major sequencing programs for the Mac — Cubase VST and Logic Audio — so why doesn't MOTU support VST in Digital Performer? Jim Cooper, director of marketing for MOTU, says, “Part of the answer is in the history of VST and MAS. After Steinberg introduced VST, MOTU was the first company to develop a competitive native plug-in format, before Steinberg made VST an open format. By the time Steinberg allowed other companies to host VST plug-ins, MOTU already had a thriving community of MAS plug-in developers eager to support Digital Performer directly.” By then, he says, the existence of MAS eliminated the need for DP3 to support VST directly.
Furthermore, according to Cooper, MAS plug-ins can be more tightly integrated with DP3 than can their VST counterparts. “MOTU works closely with MAS plug-in developers to ensure the quality and stability of their MAS plug-ins,” he adds. By offering a proprietary application programming interface (API, which provides MAS plug-ins with “hooks” into Digital Performer), MOTU retains technical control, keeping open the door to future innovation in Digital Performer's plug-in architecture.
THREE FLAVORS
DP3 users have at least three shells from which to choose if they want to use VST plug-ins. Each shell has its strengths and weaknesses. Which one is right for you depends on your working style, what plug-ins you want to use, the availability of RAM and processor resources on your computer, and the amount of money you want to spend. You can use more than one VST shell at the same time, but I recommend that they don't share the same folder of VST plug-ins.
The most popular shell is Audio Ease VST Wrapper ($50); its sole purpose is to enable Digital Performer to open VST plug-ins.
Another popular choice is Cycling '74 Pluggo ($74). Opening VST plug-ins in DP3 is just one of the many things Pluggo can do; it also comes with literally dozens of proprietary plug-ins, including a few soft synths of its own.
The third choice is the version of Spark FXMachine that's bundled with two audio editors from TC Works, Spark and Spark XL ($499 and $749, respectively; see the sidebar “To Be Continued” for more on a standalone version of FXMachine). FXMachine is a useful routing matrix for VST plug-ins, and like Pluggo, it offers plenty of other functions.
START ME UP
When you install a VST shell, its corresponding plug-in is placed in the MOTU Plug-Ins folder in your System folder's Extensions. During installation, you'll be asked to specify the location of a VstPlugIns folder. Like other MAS plug-ins, VST shells will then load automatically whenever you run Digital Performer.
Because plug-ins consume RAM, you should increase DP3's memory size in the Finder by opening the Get Info dialog box. Also note that the more plug-ins you have installed, including those in your VstPlugIns folder, the longer it will take the sequencer to open. Happily, the strain on your CPU is determined by the plug-ins you have open rather than the plug-ins you have available.
To use VST instruments, you won't need to set up any new devices in FreeMIDI or Open Music System, but make sure that you enable Inter-application MIDI in FreeMIDI preferences. Otherwise, your plug-ins cannot receive MIDI data.
After you first install a VST shell, test it with small groups of plug-ins and then add new ones no more than two at a time. All it takes is one errant plug-in to bring the whole system crashing down. Once you have a group of stable plug-ins that work well together, you'll know that if you add a plug-in and trouble ensues, the new addition is probably to blame. If you're depending on a plug-in's compatibility with a particular VST shell, download the demo versions of both and try before you buy.
To record and play a VST instrument, add an audio track (either a stereo voice or an aux track) to Digital Performer's Sequence Editor window. In the new track that appears in the Mixer window, insert a plug-in (see Fig. 1). If you're using Pluggo or VST Wrapper, select a plug-in from its submenu; if you're using Spark FXMachine, just insert FXMachine. Then go back to the Track List and add a new MIDI track. In the Output column for that track, you'll see that one of your choices will be the name of the plug-in you selected, either a VST Instrument or FXMachine. If it has a submenu with a choice of MIDI channels, pick the one you want as the track's playback destination. If you're using FXMachine, go to its window, click on the Add button, and select an instrument from the file dialog. If all goes well, you're ready to record.
VST WRAPPER 3
VST Wrapper, from the Dutch company Audio Ease, is an inexpensive solution for DP3 users who want to open VST plug-ins as though they were MAS plug-ins. As I write this, it's the most recently updated of the three shells in this article, and it's compatible with most VST Instruments. Version 3 can load and save standard VST banks and presets, typically allowing you to select patches from a mini-menu in VST Wrapper's upper-left corner. The number of presets and how they're organized varies with every plug-in.
Although VST Wrapper offers no frills, it has conveniences such as the ability to recognize the contents of folders within the VstPlugIns folder. That lets you group all of your reFX instruments together, for example, and put a bank of presets in the same folder as the instrument it supports. If the VST folder contains only one plug-in, VST Wrapper doesn't appear as an insert. Instead, the plug-in itself appears in the Insert mini-menu as though it were a MAS plug-in.
When you save a sequence that contains an instrument plug-in and then reopen the file, the plug-in should be right where you left it with all its settings intact. If it's a sampler, it should load the samples when you open the file. If a plug-in supports multiple output buses, VST Wrapper 3 does, too.
PLUGGO 2.1
Pluggo, from Bay Area developer Cycling '74, is a plug-in manager that includes more than 75 plug-ins of its own. It has the ability to route MIDI, sync, and control signals between plug-ins, which means you can use Pluggo's modulation plug-ins to modulate VST Instrument parameters. As of this writing, the current version is nearly a year and a half old, and Pluggo will be updated to version 3.0 very soon.
When you open some VST Instruments in Pluggo, you can make parameter changes using the controls in the plug-in's user interface (its control panel); other VST Instruments require you to make edits in Pluggo's parameter windows (see Fig. 2).
Pluggo's View menu lets you choose from parameter windows and the plug-in's original interface. If a plug-in has lots of parameters, you can choose from several parameter windows. Each window contains several sliders, and occasionally the sliders have cryptic labels such as P1 or P2. Even if the instrument has a menu for selecting different programs, you might have to use Pluggo's menu for program selection because selecting in the interface's window has no effect.
A few words of warning about Pluggo are in order. The bundled plug-ins aren't actually VST plug-ins, and they don't work without Pluggo. Pluggo often doesn't recognize the contents of folders within the VstPlugIns folder, so support files should be at the same hierarchical level as the VST Instrument. Also, if you have a dual-processor Macintosh, you need to disable multiprocessing for Pluggo to work.
SPARK FXMACHINE 2.0
Spark FXMachine, from German hardware and software developer TC Works, is a plug-in that provides a visual matrix for arranging and routing VST plug-ins. The FXMachine window looks like a chessboard, and you can open a different plug-in in each square (called a slot). By default, the size of the matrix is four rows of five slots, but it can expand to whatever size you require. The number of plug-ins you can load is limited only by CPU resources.
To add a plug-in, simply select the slot, click on the Add button, and choose a plug-in from the file dialog. The plug-in's user interface will appear in a window below the matrix (see Fig. 3). In the current version, you can't resize the window to accommodate plug-ins with large control panels.
In FXMachine's matrix, you can route an audio signal from one plug-in to another in series, which is ideal if, say, you want to route an instrument plug-in to an EQ plug-in and then to an effects processor plug-in. You can arrange plug-ins in whatever order you desire, and FXMachine will automatically make the audio connections. Each slot indicates signal level with its own stereo LED meter, and you can specify the mix level for each plug-in. In addition, stereo master-level meters accompany a pair of master faders.
As I write these words, there are three versions of Spark FXMachine. The version that should most interest Digital Performer users ships with Spark and Spark XL. At present that version is the only one that includes the MAS plug-in to open FXMachine within Digital Performer.
WELCOME TO MY LABORATORY
For this article, I tested every combination of three VST shells and a dozen VST Instruments in Digital Performer 3.02 with FreeMIDI 1.46. My computer is a Power Mac G4/400 MHz with more than a gigabyte of RAM, and my audio hardware is a MOTU 2408mkII. I'm running Mac OS 9.1 and more than 50 MAS plug-ins in addition to the VST shells.
I tested each plug-in for its ability to remember saved programs and the most recent parameter changes, to respond to recorded MIDI Control Change (CC) messages, and to react to track automation. For the track-automation test, I enabled automation and then changed parameters on the fly; if it worked, my changes were duplicated on playback. By the time I had completed my testing, however, I'd discovered that VST Wrapper doesn't support track automation at all.
Paul Fang
--真心對待每個人，認真做好每件事--
--真心對待每個人，認真做好每件事--
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Michael
Can run VST in Pro Tools
Actually it's this that they are talking about in the article i heard about....
http://www.wildfrontear.co.uk/standalones.htm
l
http://www.wildfrontear.co.uk/standalones.htm
l
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MichaelHammer
- MidiMall 超級公民
- Posts: 221
- Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2002 7:42 pm
- Location: 台北市
Paul Fang wrote:we can now run VST plugins inside Pro Tools using a MultiVST Shell
But it's VSTi only. seems not VST Plug-in....
My mistake... I think i was talking about VST wrapper called Pluggo that can "appear" in Pro Tools' RTAS and maybe...just maybe... could run the UAD-1 card..... Not sure though....
Michael