Ableton Live 11

[EnochLight]

I've had more than a few VST installers not give me the option to install in a directory of my choice, and Ableton only allows you 1 to choose. When the two aren't the same, it's maddening.

I'm still not getting it? In Live on Mac anyway you can install in three locations, the main OS level VST plug in folder, the user VST plug in folder, and a user selected one, I never do it, but it's an option. The only reason I can see installing in different locations is to isolate a particular VST from a DAW that's having issues with it. Is that why you want this option?

As has been explained (thanks SLiC!), especially on Windows, we can have many different installation folders that VST have defaulted to, and we are never offered an option to choose a different directory to install them to. It shouldn't be required that the user has to hunt down all of the *.dll files and move them - this is 100% a developer issue.

@SLiC - yeah, I've seen people recommend doing the shortcut folder solution. Looks like I'll probably do this, as clearly Ableton isn't interested in improving Live in this area. If it didn't happen by version 11.1, I doubt it will ever happen!

[Trancit]

You can, but when you have 100s of plug ins frequently updating and updating to different locations its very easy to forget to move them... You could just as easily argue its a developer issue for not allowing paths, but as I said, making a shortcut folder works for me as you only have to do that once, not move stuff every time there is an update

And I look at this from the other side...
If I am not able to manage my plugins properly anymore I definetely have to much...

If I can not manage them properly anymore because of the amount how shall I know to use them properly because of the amount...

[EnochLight]

And I look at this from the other side...
If I am not able to manage my plugins properly anymore I definetely have too much...

If I can not manage them properly anymore because of the amount how shall I know to use them properly because of the amount...

For you, sure, it may be a productivity killer. For others, having access to 100's of plugins is 100% paramount to their production arsenal.

[mcbpete]

As has been explained (thanks SLiC!), especially on Windows, we can have many different installation folders that VST have defaulted to, and we are never offered an option to choose a different directory to install them to. It shouldn't be required that the user has to hunt down all of the *.dll files and move them - this is 100% a developer issue.

Strange, I've got a [frankly quite ludicrous, like very close to 4 digits mark!] number of VST2s and everyone single one of the plugin installers I own has asked me for the VST directory location. They quite often default to the wrong one (Program Files\Steinberg) but I just point the installer to my chosen folder and it'll will correctly dump the VSTi/s in that custom location.

The only times I'm not offered a directory choice is for VST3s, but they always automatically go in the same folder (Program Files\Common Files\VST3)

[machinesworking]

mcpete is pointing out something here, this is more or less a developer issue, and since Steinberg are insistent on killing VST2, the fact that VST3's have a directory they like to instal in give DAW developers less of an impetus to solve what is an installation issue on the part of VST developers.

[EnochLight]

mcpete is pointing out something here, this is more or less a developer issue, and since Steinberg are insistent on killing VST2, the fact that VST3's have a directory they like to instal in give DAW developers less of an impetus to solve what is an installation issue on the part of VST developers.

Right. And out of the thousands of VST devs who have released plugins over the past 20+ years, it's really hard to keep track of where they chose to make their default folder (let alone remember where I as a user may have installed them). Pretty sure this is why most DAW allow multiple folder scanning. Just seems like it would be a simple/logical way to address the issue. But, I've said my piece. Can only beat a dead horse so much.

[chk071]

As has been explained (thanks SLiC!), especially on Windows, we can have many different installation folders that VST have defaulted to, and we are never offered an option to choose a different directory to install them to. It shouldn't be required that the user has to hunt down all of the *.dll files and move them - this is 100% a developer issue.

Strange, I've got a [frankly quite ludicrous, like very close to 4 digits mark!] number of VST2s and everyone single one of the plugin installers I own has asked me for the VST directory location. They quite often default to the wrong one (Program Files\Steinberg) but I just point the installer to my chosen folder and it'll will correctly dump the VSTi/s in that custom location.

The only times I'm not offered a directory choice is for VST3s, but they always automatically go in the same folder (Program Files\Common Files\VST3)

Same here... the only ones which don't ask explicitely are the ones which come with a download manager, which lets ypu specify a default path in the settings. I really don't think I have a single plugin which doesn't allow to set the VST2 path. Although I'm not quite sure about the Waves plugins now...

Does Ableton really only allow for a single location? That's mad...

[aMUSEd]

As has been explained (thanks SLiC!), especially on Windows, we can have many different installation folders that VST have defaulted to, and we are never offered an option to choose a different directory to install them to. It shouldn't be required that the user has to hunt down all of the *.dll files and move them - this is 100% a developer issue.

Strange, I've got a [frankly quite ludicrous, like very close to 4 digits mark!] number of VST2s and everyone single one of the plugin installers I own has asked me for the VST directory location. They quite often default to the wrong one (Program Files\Steinberg) but I just point the installer to my chosen folder and it'll will correctly dump the VSTi/s in that custom location.

The only times I'm not offered a directory choice is for VST3s, but they always automatically go in the same folder (Program Files\Common Files\VST3)

Same here... the only ones which don't ask explicitely are the ones which come with a download manager, which lets ypu specify a default path in the settings. I really don't think I have a single plugin which doesn't allow to set the VST2 path. Although I'm not quite sure about the Waves plugins now...

Does Ableton really only allow for a single location? That's mad...

Maybe but on the other hand it was always the only host (except the defunct Orion) to support shortcuts to plugins and plugin folders so it didn't really matter that much as it was always possible to create a single custom folder made up of shortcuts to anywhere. They are removing that apparently, however you can do the same (and more) with symlinks so this is still not really much of a problem.

[chk071]

... for advanced users, who know how that works, yes. For the "average Joe" user, not so much.

Wonder how much work it would be to implement multiple plugin folders. Likely a matter of 5 minutes, max. Bit crazy.

[.jon]

Ive used the symlink workaround since I started using Live. It may seem a bit hacky and maybe it is exactly that, but Ive come to like it as it allows some neat organisational tricks like a test folder for demos, and keeping plugins installed but not in active use.

[EnochLight]

it was always possible to create a single custom folder made up of shortcuts to anywhere. They are removing that apparently, however you can do the same (and more) with symlinks so this is still not really much of a problem.

Wait - Ableton are removing the folder shortcut feature??!! Is that being removed in 11.1 or a future update? Guess resorting to Symlinks is my only option.

[thecontrolcentre]

What is so difficult about installing your VSTs to one folder? All my vst2s are in sub folders inside a VST folder, my VST3s are all in my VST3 folder. I have hundreds of plugins installed and only IK give you no option to change the default folder. I move them to my VST folder after installation. Live allows for 2 locations for VST2 & 2 locations for VST3. That's more than enough imho.

[sQeetz]

Had it, sold it.... the lack of proper Plugin management was enough for me to ditch it. I don't understand how such an evolved DAW doesn't have any kind of Plugin management?

[EnochLight]

What is so difficult about installing your VSTs to one folder? All my vst2s are in sub folders inside a VST folder, my VST3s are all in my VST3 folder. I have hundreds of plugins installed and only IK give you no option to change the default folder. I move them to my VST folder after installation. Live allows for 2 locations for VST2 & 2 locations for VST3. That's more than enough imho.

If you’re installing all of your plugins for the very first time - all at once - that certainly is an option. But if you’ve been collecting plugins for a decade+ and have then installed in various default folders, then it’s more of a problem. In virtually any other DAW it’s easy to address, but in Live… not so much.

[chk071]

I just checked, and, the only plugins which don't let you choose the VST2 path I came along are Steinberg Retrologue and the Waves plugins (strange, also some Eventide plugins slipped in another plugin folder). Definitely need a symlink for those for Ableton Live.

Seriously though. Matter of 5 minutes to implement multiple plugin paths. Every other DAW, including some really shitty free ones, let you choose multiple paths. I don't quite get why Ableton think it's a bad idea to do so.