KVR Audio

neutrino.sky · Post by **neutrino.sky** » Sat Feb 27, 2021 2:39 am

I'm the author of Synth1 Librarian:
https://www.kvraudio.com/product/synth1 ... utrino-sky

Since I released that plugin, I've created another set of librarians for old - but popular - soft synths (Dexed, OB-Xd, Charlatan, Crystal, PG-8X to name a few). I've had numerous people asking for these, so the demand is certainly there.

My plugins very specifically 'wrap around' the soft synths, and I interface with them via the standard VST2 api.

But I've now discovered that Steinberg aren't allowing new VST2 plug-ins? Wondering how other devs here have got around this?

I'd welcome any tips/advice on this.
Thanks.

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Sat Feb 27, 2021 2:54 am

These are 2 years old news now. There are no workarounds - new developers need to use the VST3 SDK, if you haven't signed a VST2 SDK contract with Steinberg before October 2018.

For example, Dexed is not distributing VST2 anymore because it's open source and VST2 license is not compatible with GPL3. You could still build it from source if you are a licensed owner of VST2 SDK, but that's as far as it goes.

If, however, you DID sign the VST2 SDK contract with Steinberg before October 2018, there's nothing wrong with you releasing closed source VST2 binaries. You can still do that (as other plugin vendors that are not new players in the market are doing exactly that).

neutrino.sky · Post by **neutrino.sky** » Sat Feb 27, 2021 4:43 am

Plug-in development is an infrequent part-time/hobby thing, so this was completely in my blind spot. I'm using a 3rd party component that does the API interfacing, so it's not an area that I spend much time on.

Thanks for your reply, though

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Sat Feb 27, 2021 5:17 am

I don't quite see the problem though. Your librarians will continue to work with the plugins you mentioned, unless they only offer VST3 in a future release. Which is always possible, of course, but, that's the way it goes with software.

neutrino.sky · Post by **neutrino.sky** » Sat Feb 27, 2021 8:18 am

I need the VST2 to bridge to the actual soft synth, which effectively makes my librarian a *host*. So even if I made my librarian VST3, the bridge is the contentious part. I'll keep researching, in hope...

matt42 · Post by **matt42** » Sat Feb 27, 2021 1:52 pm

neutrino.sky wrote: ↑
Sat Feb 27, 2021 2:39 am
But I've now discovered that Steinberg aren't allowing new VST2 plug-ins? Wondering how other devs here have got around this

As mentioned you are allowed to continue releasing VST2 plugins, so long as you have a license.

Maybe, you have the license as you have previous VST2 releases? If not you were already operating without a license since the beginning

Well this is a kick in the nuts: VST2 plug-ins