Bye bye VST2

[wikter]

Has anyone commented about the new RST "format". There's also FST & Vestige.

RST1.0 A Request for Comments (RFC)

A general DAW compatible audio plugin format under the MIT license. Other alternative API's to this ABI is allowed.

Presented here is a audio plugin header file with support for voice killing for synthesizers and support for silence for audio effect units for reduced CPU load...

https://github.com/logos-maker/RST1.0

You can make plugins that will register as VST2 plugs.
But it has 2 new functions that report what channels in are silent. That require almost no changes to existing VST2 plugs to able to use.

And it's only a ABI as it allows other API's. You can make a drop in replacement API that will old plugs compile and then make small changes to and give it modern compatibilities.
And you can make no changes to VST2 plugs and comply to the format.
And you can make small changes that will give the plug lower CPU usage.

And the host can give id number on notes, and events so you can modulate voices on synthesizers.
And synthesizers can report on dead notes so hosts can stop modulating them.

And you get synthesizers with almost endless modulation possibilities without getting the clap.

Here is some things that comes to mind...
It needs no registration.
You can use it in closed source applications.
Can make faster plugs.
Easier to make plugs.
Most DAW's already supports in.
New stuff can use it without licence.
Endless polyphonic modulation capabilities.
Don't needs code generators like VST3.
A chance to improve old stuff without total rewrite.
You can create proper documentation and best practices.
You can make tests programs that gives info about plugs, to make development easier.
Get users for these plugs.

The game here is to make a format that can load into existing DAW's and ensure no craches.
And stop the guesswork when it comes to complying to DAW's with a new plugin format that is more compliant to with DAW's than VST2 plugs.

[wikter]

I have Midi hardware. Think about what Steinberg wants me to do with my MIDI equipped hardware is that I should remove its interface on next firmware update.
Raw.
Anyone started a lawsuit against Steinberg about this? Maybe it is the time to do...
Will Studio One 7 support VST2 or they'll be forced by that license???

[wikter]

Read what everyone before you actually said. And what I've said. The problems originate in the way specific hosts implement VST3. If you want VST3 work, make sure you use a DAW that has properly implemented VST3. At the very least, that includes Cubase and Studio One.

I've used VST3 for years, and I've had no problems. I never have any crashes with VST3. But I use Studio One, so my experience is probably a lot different from someone using a host with a history of poor implementation.

VST3 is stored in locked folders, those folders disappear when you reinstall system or lose acces to your system thanks to the Windows pin access not being a priority service and you've started a fail safe session tonfix some stuff.
That's the main reason to avoid those default folder locations. CLAP also falls on those folders.

[teilo]

Time for some pragmatism.

Steinberg owns VST2/3. They have the right to do anything they want to with it, even pushing that right into gray areas that will likely never go to court.

The community that has supported them has a right to create their own standard, so they are never again reliant upon Steinberg's decisions.

The developers that have relied on them have the right to abandon them as their primary target and move to other tooling, if it makes financial sense to do so.

And everyone has the right to think what they damn well want to about Steinberg, CLAP, or anything else. But they should realize that their opinions, however vociferously expressed, don't change any of the above, and it's a pointless waste of energy to be frustrated about what other people think.

[machinesworking]

I think mostly if you're on Windows and still have VST2 plugins you rely on, you're going to experience the sort of shake up with this abrupt change in policy that people who've moved to Apple Silicon have.

CLAP may eventually take off as the standard, but for years at least everyone who has hundreds of plugins will do what I already do and use VST2, 3 and if on Mac, AU depending on stability, and in the case of some availability.

[Music Engineer]

Has anyone commented about the new RST "format". There's also FST & Vestige.

RST1.0 A Request for Comments (RFC)

Not in this thread, as far as I'm aware of. But a couple of pages ago someone has mentioned that there's also Xaymar's:

https://github.com/Xaymar/vst2sdk

which I wasn't aware of before. So, that's already 4 drop-in replacements for the VST2-SDK (Still counting? Anything more?). Personally, I'd very cautious using such a thing - especially in a professional context. Urs mentioned somewhere else that he got some legal advice to stay the hell away from these things. Maybe a hobbyist could get away with it - but maybe not. JUCE also had for some time its own drop-in replacement for the VST-SDK included - but that has been removed long ago. I guess, one could still find it in the git history. Personally, I'd rather stay away from using such things as well. CLAP is there as a legally safe and technically superior replacement for VST2, and it can be wrapped into the (currently still) more popular other formats - so there is no need to take such a risk.

[nix808]

it just needs another name,
I like BOLT

best oust licensing trauma

[Music Engineer]

it just needs another name

Stop annoying Urs! ...that horse has been beaten to death already.

[jamcat]

How about Creative Audio Plug-in?
Not clever enough?

[Urs]

it just needs another name

Stop annoying Urs! ...that horse has been beaten to death already.

LOL, all good. I was very close to wearing a t-shirt at the NAMM show with the CLAP logo and a slogan like "let's spread it!"

[Music Engineer]

LOL, all good. I was very close to wearing a t-shirt at the NAMM show with the CLAP logo and a slogan like "let's spread it!"

Großartig. Die "Flucht nach vorn" sozusagen - und mit Humor.

To all: sorry for the German, but I don't know about an English equivalent to this phrase

[ampetrosillo]

People who find "CLAP" an embarrassing name need to grow up.

Anyway! Once upon a time, reverse-engineered implementations of an API were considered fair game, and in Europe they still are probably, but in the US there is precedent for making such a thing unlawful (and people are up in arms about a specific decision).

But again, the threat of legal action may be enough to discourage people from trying such a thing. Or not.

[Jac459]

it just needs another name

Stop annoying Urs! ...that horse has been beaten to death already.

LOL, all good. I was very close to wearing a t-shirt at the NAMM show with the CLAP logo and a slogan like "let's spread it!"

Love it!

[Cyforce]

Somehow missed this topic, I read the first 10 pages but I`m still confused. Can someone (who has been following the topic for a while) give me a short info about following?

Q: Previously signed VST2 and(!) VST3 agreement is canceled (even without getting e.g. an email about it)?

Q: To release new plugins (or updates) in VST3 format, do I need to sign the new VST3 SDK agreement?

Q: But now I can`t release plugins in VST2 format (including updates) - even with a signed new VST3 agreement?

Q: Can I still keep distributing/selling plugins (which were released earlier) in VST2 & VST3 format?

Thanks in advance

[Music Engineer]

Anyway! Once upon a time, reverse-engineered implementations of an API were considered fair game, and in Europe they still are probably, but in the US there is precedent for making such a thing unlawful (and people are up in arms about a specific decision).

What is this precedent and the specific decision that people are up in arms about? Might this be relevant here?