KVR Audio

pderocco · Post by **pderocco** » Tue Feb 02, 2016 1:01 am

Does anyone make a VST instrument and effect host that only supports live playing, without recording? Something that just has MIDI input and audio output? In a DAW, you're only using 1% of the features when you do that, and the screen is cluttered with all sorts of irrelevant junk.

JJBiener · Post by **JJBiener** » Tue Feb 02, 2016 2:07 am

Have you looked at Cantible?

https://www.cantabilesoftware.com/

robotmonkey · Post by **robotmonkey** » Tue Feb 02, 2016 5:52 am

Forte is also meant for this. www.brainspawn.com

Ogopogo · Post by **Ogopogo** » Tue Feb 02, 2016 9:09 am

Mainstage is like that I think: http://www.apple.com/mainstage/

pderocco · Post by **pderocco** » Tue Feb 02, 2016 7:35 pm

Since I'm a mostly-Windows guy, Mainstage is out. Of the other two, it's not clear if they support VST3, or just VST2.4. Since I'm starting some VSTi development of my own, I'd like to be able to go either way.

I find no mention of VST3 on the Forte site (or in the manual), although they do say that plugins are identified by GUID, which I believe is something only done in VST3. Cantabile mentions in the Release Notes some code refactoring a year and a half ago, in preparation for adding VST3 support, but elsewhere I read they decided against it.

So does anyone know off-hand if Cantabile 3 and Forte 4 support VST3?

JonSolo · Post by **JonSolo** » Tue Feb 02, 2016 8:13 pm

I think steinberg used to make V-racks or something along that line but is no longer doing it. It worked quite well for me but I got rid of it a long time ago (maybe 10 years now).

Don't know if anyone has it available now.

No_Use · Post by **No_Use** » Tue Feb 02, 2016 8:27 pm

Not sure which features you want, but if a leightweight free option (VST3 version also available):

http://www.hermannseib.com/english/savihost.htm

And since you mention plugin development, Steinberg VST3 SDK comes with a free test host.

Usine might also be worth a look (not sure about VST3 support though):

http://www.sensomusic.org/

whyterabbyt · Post by **whyterabbyt** » Tue Feb 02, 2016 8:31 pm

Its not all it does, ie it can record audio, but I'd use Bidule. Its modular, only as much stuff onscreen as you put there.

VariKusBrainZ · Post by **VariKusBrainZ** » Tue Feb 02, 2016 8:36 pm

inTone 2

http://shop.audified.com/collections/au ... 1032177693

free version

http://shop.audified.com/products/inton ... 1032191189

pderocco · Post by **pderocco** » Wed Feb 03, 2016 11:59 pm

Thanks for all the suggestions. If I give up the idea of developing a VST3 instrument, then there appear to be a lot of good choices. Funny that none of them mention VST3, even if only to say they don't support it. Maybe I'll just have to stick with a DAW.

Tony Ostinato · Post by **Tony Ostinato** » Thu Feb 04, 2016 12:09 am

ive been using reaper with my yamaha wx5 windsynth onstage for years now, very very configurable and allows me to do stuff no other host would allow:

dformd · Post by **dformd** » Thu Feb 04, 2016 4:04 pm

Bidule loads VST3 plugins.
It's my main, and favourite tool/host for designing plugin setups geared for performance.

Lump · Post by **Lump** » Thu Feb 04, 2016 4:36 pm

I use and love Ableton Live for live action. Fast, stable, easy to use.

memyselfandus · Post by **memyselfandus** » Thu Feb 04, 2016 4:49 pm

Tony Ostinato wrote:ive been using reaper with my yamaha wx5 windsynth onstage for years now, very very configurable and allows me to do stuff no other host would allow:

What kind of stuff are we talking about?

Dewdman42 · Post by **Dewdman42** » Thu Feb 04, 2016 6:03 pm

If you're going to develop a plugin I don't know if I would recommend VST3 only...for precisely the reason that a lot of hosts still don't support it. The lion share of my VST plugins are not yet VST3. FWIW.

If you need something just to quickly host you plugins and play with them...there are numerous solutions. If you intend to actually gig with it..then I recommend either Forte or Cantabile, they are both good in their own ways.

Any live performance only hosts?