Vst 101 Help! Options

[sdpinc]

OK so I am o old school electronic musician looking to get into what is going on these days. I’m very used to rack mounted modules (Emu, Akai) and so on and running sequences through midi from a Macintosh based sequencer. I am really interested in learning on how VST’s work, you know the virtual instrument. I love vintage keyboards, but because of the cost of some of them, VST’s seem a much better idea. I wonder if someone can help me out with the understanding of them and how they work. Basically what I want to do is get a midi keyboard, use one of my Mac minis and then load it up with VST’s so I can use the different instruments like Nord’s and Moog’s and so on. Is this possible? Like to basically use the Mac as brain of the instruments, the VST’s as the sound banks and hook it up via midi to a keyboard so I basically turn the whole thing into the instrument, into I guess a software based synth? Is this basically right and if not can anyone help me get started? Any insight or help would be great! Another question I have about VST’s is in regards to running them. Can they run stand alone or do they have to be run through another program? If anyone could point me in the right direction here it would be much appreciated, I am really in a jam here and need some new sounds.
Thanks in advance
M.
Sdpinc@comcast.net

[Dub]

Hi,
I'll try and answer some of this, and hope it helps.

OK so I am o old school electronic musician looking to get into what is going on these days. I’m very used to rack mounted modules (Emu, Akai) and so on and running sequences through midi from a Macintosh based sequencer....

Right, VST's work similarly to a piece of rack equipment - except the physical rack is replaced by a VST host (Cubase sx / Plogue bidule / MAX/MSP... lots of others - check around the site or look at KVR), and a VST plugin can be thought of just like a piece of rack equipment (each one with its own set of functions and individually adjustable).

Typically, at the back of a physical rack is a bunch of spaghetti - power cables, signal cables, etc - The VST version is similar - except without the power cables and there's no need for Bolognese sauce! - You set up the plugins, and how they're connected to each other - and adjust their settings to suit what you want.

ASIO can be thought of like a digital version of Line-in and Line-out - Essentially, that's where your incoming audio comes from, and where your out-going audio goes to.

I love vintage keyboards, but because of the cost of some of them, VST’s seem a much better idea. I wonder if someone can help me out with the understanding of them and how they work. Basically what I want to do is get a midi keyboard, use one of my Mac minis and then load it up with VST’s so I can use the different instruments like Nord’s and Moog’s and so on. Is this possible? Like to basically use the Mac as brain of the instruments, the VST’s as the sound banks and hook it up via midi to a keyboard so I basically turn the whole thing into the instrument, into I guess a software based synth? Is this basically right and if not can anyone help me get started?

Ok, lots of questions, I'll have to tail off a little, I'm not a keyboard player - but the idea's the same, no matter what plug ins you're using - you connect the audio inputs/outputs and/or MIDI inputs/outputs to your plugin - For example - say you've found a Moog Vst plugin (there's bound to be something like this out there) - I'll probably take MIDI messages as an input (equivalent of a MIDI line), and will generate audio -

Can they run stand alone or do they have to be run through another program? If anyone could point me in the right direction here it would be much appreciated, I am really in a jam here and need some new sounds.

You can get standalone VST hosts - i.e. a host that only loads one VST, and provides it with Audio/MIDI feeds, and routes audio/MIDI out of the machine - I'm only familiar with a few on PC's .

Hope that helps - read around sites such as here (obviously) KVR, andCreate Digital Music (there are lots of others, too - but those (esp KVR) - should help you get going )

{Oh,you might try and avoid posting your e-mail address, bots regularly pick up on them in their search for people to send spam to!}

This post has been edited by Dub: Thu 30 Aug 2007, 15:56