I get it, I'm all on board with the GUI-less plugins. Fantastic. But with 171 plugins at last count, most of which have names that are not "flanger" or "saturator" or "compressor", I find it incredibly difficult to know what is what and who is who.
How do you organize them? How do you keep them straight in your head? What are your secrets to using Airwindows plugins?
How to organize Airwindows plugins?
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- Banned
- 7624 posts since 13 Nov, 2015 from Norway
Make folders for compressors, saturation etc. I did this recently before downloading his plugins, read the description of the plugins you downloaded/will download then put them in their own folders.
EnergyXT3 - LMMS - FL Studio | Roland SH201 - Waldorf Rocket | SoundCloud - Bandcamp
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- KVRAF
- 2720 posts since 2 Jul, 2010
I organise all my plugins as REAPER FX chains. This allows a deep nested menu structure, custom names and redundant copies in different folders for multipurpose plugs opening with different presets.
Even so, it's hard to keep up with Chris's output!
Even so, it's hard to keep up with Chris's output!
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1426 posts since 30 Mar, 2014
I'm an Ableton user, but that might work for me. Sounds like it will take some time to get it all put together, hopefully it's worth the effort.imrae wrote: Fri Jun 21, 2019 9:11 pm I organise all my plugins as REAPER FX chains. This allows a deep nested menu structure, custom names and redundant copies in different folders for multipurpose plugs opening with different presets.
Even so, it's hard to keep up with Chris's output!
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- KVRAF
- 4584 posts since 21 Sep, 2005
You can't!dangayle wrote: Fri Jun 21, 2019 9:05 pm I get it, I'm all on board with the GUI-less plugins. Fantastic. But with 171 plugins at last count, most of which have names that are not "flanger" or "saturator" or "compressor", I find it incredibly difficult to know what is what and who is who.
How do you organize them? How do you keep them straight in your head? What are your secrets to using Airwindows plugins?
viewtopic.php?t=520667&start=45
All you can do is buy Tracktion where they put them in to nice folders for you.
It's why I bought it!
It's in the video somewhere. Someone has taken the time.
But then again, it's hard to keep up...
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- KVRAF
- 9530 posts since 6 Oct, 2004
rakarrack is an open-source plugin host holding any 10 of 180 effects,
mainly linux, but a windows port did get off at alpha level.
Utilising this for Airwindows vsts would be well worth opening
a patreon account just to support it.
http://rakarrack.sourceforge.net/
mainly linux, but a windows port did get off at alpha level.
Utilising this for Airwindows vsts would be well worth opening
a patreon account just to support it.
http://rakarrack.sourceforge.net/
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- KVRAF
- 1851 posts since 3 Jan, 2019 from Holland
Since these are just .dll files without installer, shouldn't you be able to rename them ? Just wondering...
Anyway, in Cubase it's easy : i have one general Airwindows folder but i also put them in self-created categories. That's how i have all my stuff organized.
Anyway, in Cubase it's easy : i have one general Airwindows folder but i also put them in self-created categories. That's how i have all my stuff organized.
The loudness war is over, loudness has won
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- KVRian
- 534 posts since 9 Aug, 2017
No secrets, I just have 12 of them in my folder that I use regularly. When I used more I just knew them well enough to remember what each were, that was around 30-40, but I cut down to the essentials.
My advice, if your feeling overwhelm from lots of them, is to simply use less. Then add them in if you ever feel like it one at a time, that way you get to know them well. If your keen on having them all in your folder in Live though, you could create subfolders or rename the dll files.
I don't use the whole lot because for me that's way too many, the ones I use I really like.
My advice, if your feeling overwhelm from lots of them, is to simply use less. Then add them in if you ever feel like it one at a time, that way you get to know them well. If your keen on having them all in your folder in Live though, you could create subfolders or rename the dll files.
I don't use the whole lot because for me that's way too many, the ones I use I really like.
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- KVRian
- 1030 posts since 26 Feb, 2018
This is why I don't use AirWindows at all.
Every time I want to try any of the plugins it turns into research and experimentation. Most of the functionality is pretty narrow, you really need to understand the plugin and work to find a sweet spot. Then I need a place to record those thoughts since between the odd naming, the GUI-less interface and often some odd parameter names, if I don't record what I've studied about the plugin I'll be back at square zero next time I think of trying it.
This is just not the workflow I aim for during creative work.
I wish at the bare minimum the plugins came with a few lines of explanation right in the GUI. So not be GUI-less, but simple GUI with a box of text. Or a help button that pops some text. Something.
Every time I want to try any of the plugins it turns into research and experimentation. Most of the functionality is pretty narrow, you really need to understand the plugin and work to find a sweet spot. Then I need a place to record those thoughts since between the odd naming, the GUI-less interface and often some odd parameter names, if I don't record what I've studied about the plugin I'll be back at square zero next time I think of trying it.
This is just not the workflow I aim for during creative work.
I wish at the bare minimum the plugins came with a few lines of explanation right in the GUI. So not be GUI-less, but simple GUI with a box of text. Or a help button that pops some text. Something.
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- KVRAF
- 5394 posts since 25 Jan, 2014 from The End of The World as We Knowit
Very useful question.
I use Bluecat Patchwork to organise my other GUI-less plugins into a big (up to 8x8) grid, with each row having a particular function. That way I only have to load one plugin.
I also rename all my plugins.
But I have not been able to figure out how to organise Airwindows, because they can be very specialised and similar.
The suggestion to only use a subset is a good one.
I use Bluecat Patchwork to organise my other GUI-less plugins into a big (up to 8x8) grid, with each row having a particular function. That way I only have to load one plugin.
I also rename all my plugins.
But I have not been able to figure out how to organise Airwindows, because they can be very specialised and similar.
The suggestion to only use a subset is a good one.
F E E D
Y O U R
F L O W
Y O U R
F L O W
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- KVRian
- 1091 posts since 24 Jul, 2018
Dynamics, Saturators, Distortions, and Spatial is how I kinda categorize them in my head.
What I do is put my go 2 ones in a different folder. You don't need to use all of them, you use the ones that fit you're sound. In my case, I love his tape and color plugins as well as his unique compressors and spatial effects.
What I do is put my go 2 ones in a different folder. You don't need to use all of them, you use the ones that fit you're sound. In my case, I love his tape and color plugins as well as his unique compressors and spatial effects.
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- KVRian
- 534 posts since 9 Aug, 2017
There is a PDF floating around online that lists each one and what it does, I can't recall where tho.
All the info is on his site, albeit a lot of it if your trying to go thru it all in one go. If you take some time to go thru them and see whats what, just choose which you like and stick to a few is the best way to go. Trying to learn 170 or however many at once isn't the best way to go in my opinion, everyone is different tho.
Not sure about the best ones, but heres some of my favourites.
Acceleration
Busscolours4
Channel6
DeEss
FromTape and ToTape5
Buttercomp2
Slew and Slew2
They might be a good place to start. Seriously though, no need to try and do it all at once. Just make a folder and add one or two, use them and keep going like that. See what sticks, like I said, I use 12 of them regularly, there are some absolute gems in there so it's worth while and doesn't need to be a stress.
Once your familiar with them you can just check the new releases and it's simple really. I rarely add any to my folder any more as I'm happy with what I'm using and like to keep it as simple as possible. They are deadly simple once you get into them and pick the ones you want to use.
All the info is on his site, albeit a lot of it if your trying to go thru it all in one go. If you take some time to go thru them and see whats what, just choose which you like and stick to a few is the best way to go. Trying to learn 170 or however many at once isn't the best way to go in my opinion, everyone is different tho.
Not sure about the best ones, but heres some of my favourites.
Acceleration
Busscolours4
Channel6
DeEss
FromTape and ToTape5
Buttercomp2
Slew and Slew2
They might be a good place to start. Seriously though, no need to try and do it all at once. Just make a folder and add one or two, use them and keep going like that. See what sticks, like I said, I use 12 of them regularly, there are some absolute gems in there so it's worth while and doesn't need to be a stress.
Once your familiar with them you can just check the new releases and it's simple really. I rarely add any to my folder any more as I'm happy with what I'm using and like to keep it as simple as possible. They are deadly simple once you get into them and pick the ones you want to use.
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- Banned
- 658 posts since 4 Oct, 2018
You know you don't have to use all of them, right? And some (most, or at least a lot) are redundant, since have been replaced by newer and better versions. And some are flops, aka useless.
My suggestion: keep an unzipped folder with all of them somewhere in your storage. In your vst folder, put only those you know/need/use, and categorize them in your head. You can then drop from here to there as you see fit.
My suggestion: keep an unzipped folder with all of them somewhere in your storage. In your vst folder, put only those you know/need/use, and categorize them in your head. You can then drop from here to there as you see fit.