OK, tha'ts it, I'm doing it(!) Deleting Excessive VST's

[mjolnir]

Somehow I went from collecting one of each effect to having WAY TOO MANY VST's.
I finally decided that I just can't keep track of them and can't concentrate on which ones to use when.
So, I'm going to start deleting all of them except for a small few, if possible.

Has anybody else done this too? What were your experiences and results?

[FranklyFlawless]

I never collected any VSTs to begin with. The most I ever have and use now is Surge XT paired with the LinnStrument.

[elassi]

Has anybody else done this too? What were your experiences and results?

Welcome to the G.A.S. society.

Accept your destiny.

There's nothing more to say.

[Cavey Arrgh]

Try merely hiding/disabling them from your DAW vst list, that way when you return to the darkside, you won't have to reinstall anything

[jamcat]

Somehow I went from collecting one of each effect to having WAY TOO MANY VST's.
I finally decided that I just can't keep track of them and can't concentrate on which ones to use when.
So, I'm going to start deleting all of them except for a small few, if possible.

Has anybody else done this too? What were your experiences and results?

It can't be done.

[zerocrossing]

I definitely have a very larger collection, but I treat it in a specific way that makes it a non-issue. For instance, I’ll often force myself to use something at random that I’ve not used in a long time, or sometimes never, if it came with a bundle that made more sense to buy than the individual plugins I wanted. I like how it forces me out of old habits and makes me think in a different way.

[audiojunkie]

Somehow I went from collecting one of each effect to having WAY TOO MANY VST's.
I finally decided that I just can't keep track of them and can't concentrate on which ones to use when.
So, I'm going to start deleting all of them except for a small few, if possible.

Has anybody else done this too? What were your experiences and results?

It has done wonders for me. I used to spend my time listening to and playing with presets the whole time, and getting nothing done. Now, I try to focus in the easiest, highest quality, best sounding instruments available, and not worry about going through presets. I create now, like I did as a twenty-something in my garage band years ago. I use a guitar, a bass, drums, a keyboardist, etc., but try to use the best tools for the job. I am always on the lookout for better tools, but not to “add” to my collection, but rather to “replace” what I’ve got already. Little by little my toolkit improves, without getting any bigger. This allows me to focus on the song, instead of the tools when I’m working on creating music.

[Michael L]

I tidy regularly.
I ask, "Does this plugin evoke joy?"
If not, I toss it into a trash folder on another drive.

[mjolnir]

thanks for the decent replies.
truly helpful, this is.

i made some progress today remixing my old tunes and it gave me ideas about which sounds i need and which ones i don't.
hopefully this project will work out okay.

[Michael L]

truly helpful, this is.

More helpful, understanding Somehow, will be.

Somehow, I went from collecting one of each effect . . .

[havran]

I tidy regularly.
I ask, "Does this plugin evoke joy?"

At this stage of the game I am even skeptical of joy.
A pleasant average would probably be more suitable for me.

[havran]

Somehow I went from collecting one of each effect to having WAY TOO MANY VST's.
I finally decided that I just can't keep track of them and can't concentrate on which ones to use when.
So, I'm going to start deleting all of them except for a small few, if possible.

Has anybody else done this too? What were your experiences and results?

Maybe similarly but differently, I have also accumulated too many plugins, while also knowing from an early age that I am easily paralyzed by overchoice (e.g., three-fold restaurant menus).

What is to be done?

Given that I am a scattered, indecisive, and easily dissatisfied person, I often just erase my hard drives and start over with a new configuration.

But then of course come the questions again:
Which DAW would I actually use?
And ditto for the plugins?
What kind of music would I like to make?
Am I not already living in the music? (speaking as someone who enjoys ambient HVAC soundfields but who is also easily disturbed by cafeteria noises)

Sorry -- I'm probably not much help in this case.

[Michael L]

Sorry -- I'm probably not much help in this case.

You certainly understand your own ‘Somehow’

Years ago, KVR had a ‘buy only one plugin for a year’ challenge. I participated.

[havran]

---

[GaryG]

I tidy regularly.
I ask, "Does this plugin evoke joy?"
If not, I toss it into a trash folder on another drive.

I hope you thank it as you trash it.