MuTools

mickwest1 · Post by **mickwest1** » Sun Jan 25, 2015 11:12 am

VstPlugins.xml

This XML file contains all info regarding your VST plug-Ins. Almost everything can be edited via the user interface -> VST Plug-In Manager. Directly editing this file is not recommended except for the special cases explained below.

If I go to the VST Plug-In Manager I can't see any way of doing anything except adding vsts or showing info on them

also I have read the info on dealing with multi out plug ins and it seems to be a bit of a pain - does it have to be so difficult?

sorry to mention energy XT again - but in that all the possible outputs just appear as mixer channels (equivalent to racks) - but there is a nice little collapser arrow if you don't want to show them all

mickwest1 · Post by **mickwest1** » Sun Jan 25, 2015 12:28 pm

Using multiple inputs and outputs

.. Alternatively insert the VST in the session's modular area and connect things as you want, similar to the first option, but here you can also add racks to the VST outputs and so these racks will also show up in the rack mixing desk.

I've managed to do this OK - but there's no way of saving that setup that I can see

When inserting a VST plug-in into a rack, you don't have control over the multiple inputs/outputs of a VST plug-in. If you want to have control over these inputs/outputs there are two options:

Insert a MUX in that rack and then insert the VST in that MUX. Then in that MUX's modular area you'll see all the inputs/outputs of the VST and you have all creative freedom to use them as you want. Also note that another advantage of working this way is that you can save this MUX as a preset that can be re-used in other sessions, for example you can make VST presets that include a complete sub-mix setup!

I am trying this but can't figure it out - I didn't think I was stupid but I obviously am -

Insert a MUX in that rack

What MUX and what rack?

and then insert the VST in that MUX.

How?

Then in that MUX's modular area you'll see all the inputs/outputs of the VST and you have all creative freedom to use them as you want.

Ok I inserted the modular MUX in a new rack (assuming that was what was meant by the previous descriptions)

I dragged the VST into the modular area - and yes now I see the in/outs

now what?? - there's nothing else in the modular erea to connect to!

MuTools · Post by **MuTools** » Sun Jan 25, 2015 1:05 pm

FYI: The VstPlugins.Xml file has nothing to do with using VSTs with multiple outs.

And i don't think using VSTs with multiple outs in MuLab / MUX Modular is that difficult: Plug it in, connect the outputs you want, it's as simple as that.

If you want that certain VSTis are always inserted with all outputs connected, no prob, you can create a MUX preset for that VSTi, even with certain extra presetted FX settings etc if you want.

Pls also watch this tutorial movie, it explains how to use a multi-out plugin within a rack:

mickwest1 · Post by **mickwest1** » Sun Jan 25, 2015 1:08 pm

FYI: The VstPlugins.Xml file has nothing to do with using VSTs with multiple outs.

If there are VST plug-ins for which you would want a more permanent reorganisation of its audio inputs and outputs, then you can use the ReGroupAudioInputs and ReGroupAudioOutputs preferences in the VstPlugins.xml file. More details on the Preferences doc page.

I followed that link and found the text I quoted :-

VstPlugins.xml

This XML file contains all info regarding your VST plug-Ins. Almost everything can be edited via the user interface -> VST Plug-In Manager.

And i don't think using VSTs with multiple outs in MuLab / MUX Modular is that difficult: Plug it in, connect the outputs you want, it's as simple as that.

As I said - I'm trying but I must be too stupid - 'cos I can't figure it out

If you want that certain VSTis are always inserted with all outputs connected, no prob, you can create a MUX preset for that VSTi, even with certain extra presetted FX settings etc if you want.

Again - I can't figure out how to do this

If anyone can give me actual instructions I would be most obliged

mickwest1 · Post by **mickwest1** » Sun Jan 25, 2015 1:28 pm

Ok the video helps explain what you have said -

when you said insert a "mux" you meant from the insert menu - where just "mux" appears in the menu

I was using the browser where "mux" is actually "mux modular"

you were also using cut and paste in the video which you didn't explain previously

I'm getting there slowly but it could have been explained a lot better

MuTools · Post by **MuTools** » Sun Jan 25, 2015 1:30 pm

Mick, here are my top most instructions:

1) Ignore VstPlugins.Xml for now
2) Watch that tutorial video

That should explain you how to use a multi-out VST in a rack.

3) Saving a MUX preset is done using the Save Preset button at the top of a MUX editor (it's on both front panel and deep modular area)

MuTools · Post by **MuTools** » Sun Jan 25, 2015 1:31 pm

Crossed posts.

mickwest1 · Post by **mickwest1** » Sun Jan 25, 2015 3:14 pm

Ok - I think I get most of the possibilities now - but If I use the VST inside a mux modular I still only have one audio output - there's no way to connect to racks outside of it

If I use the main modular screen I can easily route two VST audio outs to two different racks to achieve what I want - but there's no way of saving that as a preset as far as I can tell

Or am I missing something?

MuTools · Post by **MuTools** » Sun Jan 25, 2015 4:21 pm

Not as a MUX preset indeed, but you can save it as a (template) session.

Another option is that you combine method 1 (VST within MUX modular) and method 2 (VST in session modular area).

pljones · Post by **pljones** » Sun Jan 25, 2015 7:27 pm

All rack components only feature a stereo audio routing, top to bottom - they're for the "easy case". The idea is everything else needs a "breakout area" -- the Mux. You can drop racks into a Mux, of course, so you can wire up each out on the VST to a rack, within a Mux. That lets you sub-mix the VST through whatever set up you want. You could save this as a user patch, so you can insert it into a (session or other) rack slot, then dive in and change the content of the inner racks if needed.

mickwest1 · Post by **mickwest1** » Sun Jan 25, 2015 7:33 pm

Yep got that - but I can't connect from inside a mux to a rack in the project - a: so I can easily see what's going on - and b: so I can send the vst out to a project effect - eg: overall reverb

pljones · Post by **pljones** » Sun Jan 25, 2015 7:41 pm

That's right. It would be the mixed-down output of the Mux you'd be sending to the overall reverb, right?

If you're working with multi-out a lot, using the (optionally floating) modular view does make it easier to get an overview of what's going on, of course. Restricting your view to racks makes it implicit that you want to hide things behind the scenes (all that wiring).

mickwest1 · Post by **mickwest1** » Sun Jan 25, 2015 8:04 pm

That's right. It would be the mixed-down output of the Mux you'd be sending to the overall reverb, right?

exactly - but I want to send the individual vst outputs (or not) to the reverb separately

the mux will be handy at times - but I want to simply have any vst outputs available as racks - which I can do ok using the project modular view - but it would be a bit easier if they were just there in the first place - or maybe accessible by right clicking the vst rack header

pljones · Post by **pljones** » Sun Jan 25, 2015 10:34 pm

mickwest1 wrote:exactly - but I want to send the individual vst outputs (or not) to the reverb separately

the mux will be handy at times - but I want to simply have any vst outputs available as racks - which I can do ok using the project modular view - but it would be a bit easier if they were just there in the first place - or maybe accessible by right clicking the vst rack header

I guess part of the issue is that a rack is already multi-out - each slot can have a send in and that send passes signal to the next slot and to any other target. To allow the slot content to also have multiple outs would make visualising the set up very difficult. This is what a send looks like in the session Mux:

Imagine if Kontakt were in a rack and the rack slot it was in had to have up to 32 outputs (I used the 8-out Kontakt = 4 stereo pairs - it goes up to 64). That would be a lot of routing to keep track of mentally. You'd also have to have sends that could handle picking one of the incoming pairs and routing it somewhere, so that's a whole load more outs...

mickwest1 · Post by **mickwest1** » Sun Jan 25, 2015 10:43 pm

no - you simply have a rack for each output - as in energy xt - and just delete or hide any you don't need

MuTools

KVR Audio

multi out VSTs