Comparison of synthesizer plugin formats

[chk071]

That's the only thing I understood about the developers' reluctance towards VST3. I also think that plugins should be able to handle MIDI properly. I think that's a thing the developers of the VST SDK simply don't understand, that there's a gazillion of VST2 MIDI plugins out there, which are far superior to everything Cubase of other DAW's have to offer onboard.

If they really think that a DAW should include MIDI plugins or features, then they should show me the functionality you can do with dedicated MIDI plugins in their DAW. Cubase's and other DAW's MIDI plugins are ridiculous, compared to the functionality of some MIDI plugins.

[syntonica]

nvm

[Urs]

Technically, the AU format is under the Apache license and anybody can use it. That said, it still sucks as a format...

It simply has dependencies that can't easily be substituted on any platform beyond Apple OSes.

[syntonica]

Technically, the AU format is under the Apache license and anybody can use it. That said, it still sucks as a format...

It simply has dependencies that can't easily be substituted on any platform beyond Apple OSes.

You must be quick on the draw!

I was looking at the wrong thing, that's why I deleted my comment. I seem to recall AU being fully open source at one time (AU1.0?) though, but like all Apple tech, was promptly ignored.

[felis]

.....
Good discussion here started by Abique (who created CLAP) and involving the main developer of VST3:

https://forums.steinberg.net/t/vst3-and ... /201879/52

You can pretty much see here how the thinking behind CLAP was started

Thanks. A bit over my head, but it sounds to me like vst3 is a preparation for Midi 2.0

[jamcat]

We have a winner!

[aMUSEd]

.....
Good discussion here started by Abique (who created CLAP) and involving the main developer of VST3:

https://forums.steinberg.net/t/vst3-and ... /201879/52

You can pretty much see here how the thinking behind CLAP was started

Thanks. A bit over my head, but it sounds to me like vst3 is a preparation for Midi 2.0

Yes me too, but it does seem more complex than just saying VST3 'doesn't support Midi'. Even Abique is saying it's somewhere in between no support and full support, which in his view is worse though as it lays the ground for all sorts of workarounding to happen but then no consistency. It was interesting though to also read Steinberg's position that they never intended even for VST2 to support Midi plugins and those that were developed were based on taking the framework in ways it was not planned for so they tried (and obviously partially failed) to close down some of those ways in VST3. If you open up most VST3 plugins they usually have a gazillion extra empty params just set aside for midi - I guess that is also a workaround.

[Ploki]

if anyone is still rebooting their macs after install.

Force scan AU.command.zip

it's the same dirty postflight one-liner Martin talked about


or roll your own:
- text edit
-

Code: Select all

#!/bin/bash 
sudo killall -9 AudioComponentRegistrar

- save as .command not .txt
- make executable

Code: Select all

sudo chmod 755 YourScriptName.command

i just have it on "speed dial".


Also opening logic in rosetta, if you don't fancy clicketing everytime you need something from rosetta (i.e. f**king ARA)

Code: Select all

#!/bin/zsh
arch -x86_64 /Applications/Logic\ Pro.app/Contents/MacOS/Logic\ Pro\ X

makes life easier and less clickety

[jdoo]

i don’t see much discussion about Logic Pro or MainStage in your writeup. Some of us are heavily invested in the Mac / Logic Pro ecosystem. VSTs… not so much. Logic Pro wants Audio Unit (AU) or .component plug-ins. AU plugins are specific to the Mac platform and supported there by most the popular DAWs (notable exceptions being Pro Tools and Cubase. Windows.. sure. VST away.. but Mac users, need to look closer at their DAW for compatibility. - just sayin ‘

[Super Piano Hater 64]

i don’t see much discussion about Logic Pro or MainStage in your writeup. Some of us are heavily invested in the Mac / Logic Pro ecosystem. VSTs… not so much. Logic Pro wants Audio Unit (AU) or .component plug-ins. AU plugins are specific to the Mac platform and supported there by most the popular DAWs (notable exceptions being Pro Tools and Cubase. Windows.. sure. VST away.. but Mac users, need to look closer at their DAW for compatibility. - just sayin ‘

The text of the page currently says it's supposed to "help you decide which one is right for you." Users who are already beholden to a particular format are therefore not the target audience. This could probably be more explicit, true. Then again, no amount of text can help the people who just won't read.

[Markus Krause]

I've updated the summary and added some points that you made (Linux, Mac with M1, The future of VST2, Maschine, more detaled explanations, etc).
Thank you for your feedback.

https://www.tone2.com/plugin-formats.html

[FapFilter]

shouldn't "yes" be always green and "no" be always red?
it's mostly the case, but for "proprietory technology" the color code is swapped, possibly because of subjective, instead of objective measures?
- HIV, or even worse: COVID-19 are also objectively "positive", if infected, despite probably being subjectively quite negative news for the affected person(s) most of the time

[Ploki]

Also is this AudioUnit V2 or V3?
There's some perks in AUv3, however i haven't seem them actually being used in Logic.
(such as decent flexible midi routing)

[Ploki]

Also is this AudioUnit V2 or V3?
There's some perks in AUv3, however i haven't seem them actually being used in Logic.
(such as decent flexible midi routing)

[pdxindy]

It was interesting though to also read Steinberg's position that they never intended even for VST2 to support Midi plugins

That right there shows why Steinberg should not be a steward of a plugin standard. They could hardly be more out of touch with what users want! And when they are educated about what users want, they do the opposite!