KVR Audio

savantgarde · Post by **savantgarde** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 3:43 pm

What are your favourite modular VST hosts (that can themselves be hosted as VSTs)? I already have Bidule, but I'm not 100% happy with it. For instance, I find that something as simple as modulating a guest VST parameter with an LFO can be rather cumbersome.

george · Post by **george** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 4:16 pm

I'd recommend Jeskola Buzz if you are using Windows.

savantgarde · Post by **savantgarde** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 4:27 pm

I am on Windows (7 x64), yes.

vata44 · Post by **vata44** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 4:29 pm

Jeskola Buzz!

webno · Post by **webno** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 4:33 pm

I really like some of the features of the free program VstBoard by CtrlBrk.

http://vstboard.blogspot.com/
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=306578

bpblog · Post by **bpblog** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 4:53 pm

MuLab is completely modular:

http://www.mutools.com/

D-Fusion · Post by **D-Fusion** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 5:28 pm

FL Studio.

No_Use · Post by **No_Use** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 6:00 pm

Sensomusic Usine

pljones · Post by **pljones** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 7:19 pm

bpblog wrote:MuLab is completely modular:

http://www.mutools.com/

Not (yet) self-hosting/hostable... not long, not long...

prolapse · Post by **prolapse** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 7:23 pm

Similar to both Jeskola Buzz and Bidule is Audiomulch:

http://www.audiomulch.com/

nay-seven · Post by **nay-seven** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 10:25 pm

i second No_Use about Usine and Easine, there 's a VST and VSTI version for both of them and you can also save your patch as a vst too with Easine.
So, many possibilities...

synchronizer · Post by **synchronizer** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 11:52 pm

Are there any good AU hosts for mac that can be used as VSTI within Cubase 6?

synthgeek · Post by **synthgeek** » Sun Mar 11, 2012 1:23 am

Well, fwiw, Bidule is my favorite... but that's not very helpful, is it?

VstBoard is indeed very cool, but it doesn't have any of the extra goodies like LFO's to build stuff with. You may be able to find other plug-ins that can add the functionality you want though. Worth checking out for the price I think.

I love the layered Group/Program thing for saving setups.

Usine looks to be the only thing that really compares to Bidule feature-wise and can also be loaded as a plug-in. Iirc it wasn't as far along as it is now when I went with Bidule - as it is now, it would be a serious contender for me if I were looking. Not that I regret getting Bidule in the least, just saying it does look like a fine option.

I suppose you could also count SynthEdit (technically), though you would have to save your setup out as a VST to use it as a plug-in, which is likely just as much of a hassle as the one you're trying to avoid. There is also CPS and pd, but they may be a bit too nerdy for your needs, and I don't think they can be used to do some of the things you're looking for (adding an LFO to a VST, etc.) - they can both host and be hosted though.

allofdrab · Post by **allofdrab** » Sun Mar 11, 2012 8:36 am

As a huge Bidule fan, I feel compelled to suggest that you can make modulating plugin parameters quite easy, with a tiny bit of prep. For example, if you find you use the LFOs a lot, and are tired of hooking up Parameter Modulators to each one, simply take one LFO that is hooked up to a mod. and make them a Group. Then use the group whenever you need an LFO. Just assign the group's modulator to whatever plugin parameter you want and away you go. There's also a number of synced LFOs that can be downloaded using the Group Manager.

Not sure what else to suggest, although, as already mentioned, Usine is an alternative, though I'm not sure it will make life easier for modulating parameters.

Buzz does not have a plugin version, so I wouldn't suggest racking your brain trying to find it.

FLStudio, and EnergyXT may be really good options though, as both have plugin versions and both have a range of modulation/automation tools.

savantgarde · Post by **savantgarde** » Sun Mar 11, 2012 10:17 am

prolapse wrote:Similar to both Jeskola Buzz and Bidule is Audiomulch:

http://www.audiomulch.com/

Mulch doesn't come as a VST though?

Modular VST hosts