Master Mix installation (not showing up in plugins folder)

[Fartgum]

I'd been using T6 for a while now, liked it enough that I recently upgraded to T7 with the 'Ultimate' bundle. The T7 install went smoothly and the two synths were hassle-free, however, somewhere along the line I guess I botched the Master Mix vst install. Anyone here maybe have an idea what the problem could be? Right now, it simply isn't showing up, and I've tried placing it in maybe 3 different folders

[jabe]

Have you included the folder you put it in in the folders to scan?

Mine (under Windows 10) are in Program Files (x86)/Common Files/VST3/

Maybe oddly, both the 32 and 64 bit versions are in there.

[Fartgum]

Ok, i got it now. The problem was that I downloaded the Mac version not the Windows. So it's showing up and works fine but after I scanned its folder I got a message telling me that it "...failed to load correctly". Also I have no idea what's the difference between vst3 and vst regular and how I should treat 32bit vs. 64 bit files (where to place them properly, that is). I should probably download that Bill Edstrom manual.

[jabe]

If you make sure there's a VST3 folder in the Common Files folder in the Program Files and Program Files (x86) folders (assuming you're on a 64-bit machine), then put the Master Mix dlls in the appropriate ones, that should suffice, and future VST3 ones can go in the relevant one.

[Fartgum]

uhh, I appreciate the help you're trying to give but unfortunately you're assuming too much knowledge on my part! if you don't mind, i've got a couple of questions that are particularly bugging me rn:
(btw, i have a 64bit laptop running W10 but I use 32bit T6 or T7 on account of not too great RAM resources)
1) What's the difference between the Program Files and Program Files(x86) and how does that affect where I store .dll and VST3 files?
2) I'm beginning to understand that .dll files refers to 32bit vst's and VST3 refers to vst's that are minimally 64bit, if not 64 bit AND 32bit compatible?
{Haha! Making records is 90% dealing with tech BS and a mere 10% writing music, performing, recording, mixing, mastering...the easy stuff!}

[jabe]

1. On a 64-bit machine, W10 attempts (not always successfully) to install 64-bit software into Program Files and 32-bit software into Program Files (x86). The x86 relates to older CPU types or names or somesuch.

I'd expect 64-bit plug-ins that come with installers to be set to install their plug-ins somewhere in the Program Files folder, and for 32-bit plug-in installers to put theirs into Program Files (x86). As much as anything it's a protocol so we know where to expect them to be.

I'm not 100% sure about VST3 plug-ins, but I did find a VST3 folder within the Common Files folder within each of the Program Files folders. You might find some plug-ins in folders called Steinberg within each Program Files folder. This is a historic thing because Steinberg invented VST plug-ins and oversee the standards and maintain the various VST programming interfaces.

2. I believe that VST3 plug-ins have a .VST3 suffix. As far as I'm aware, .dll ones can be either 32- or 64-bit. The 64-bit version of Master Mix includes 64-bit in its file name. Compatibility depends on the DAW, I believe. There is software called JBridge (I haven't tried it) that allows 32-bit plug-ins to be used in 64-bit DAWs. It may allow more than that.


Yes indeed, the tech side is often not as straightforward as it ought to be. My 32 year-old portastudio (with recently renewed belt drive) often holds great appeal and never suffers from software silliness.

[Fartgum]

thank you, jabe. in the meantime, i'd found this article to be pretty useful:

http://www.howtogeek.com/129178/why-doe ... 86-folder/

getting my plugin situation sorted out is really giving my poor brain a thorough work out, ay caramba

[fromwithin]

I have a single explicit folder that has all of my VST plugins.

What I almost always do is install whatever plugin the usual way, find its dll and copy it into my plugins folder, then immediately uninstall the plugin. It leaves me with a single dll in the right place without all the crap associated with it.

For VSTs that have a library of assets, they almost always have an option in the plugin itself to specify the folder of the assets, so I have an assets folder as well and move any assets/instruments into there.

My entire pro audio setup is totally self contained and can be easily backed up. If I ever have to move to a new computer, the finicky VSTs will complain that they are not authorized, but it's usually easy to re-authorize them in place.