The 64-bit version of Synthedit requires 64-bit modules. A lot of your older modules are likely to 32-bit. The 64-bit version of SynthEdit will load projects created in the 32-bit version, but some modules will be inactive (greyed out) if you don’t have a 64 bit version of them. With older modules it’s also quite likely that there is no 64 Bit version available.
Can I create my own modules.
Yes as long as you are familiar with C++ programming, and are prepared for a steep learning curve with DSP concepts, and programming in general. You need to have either the Codeblocks or Visual Studio C++ programming software installed.
VST pre-sets.
FXP Presets. With the VST preset format (*.fxp) the presets that have been saved from saved from 32-bit plugins are generally not interchangeable with 64-bit plugins. The exception is that the Preset Browser module can load *.fxp presets from 32-bit plugins. However .fxp presets saved from 64-bit SynthEdit will be compatible with 64-bit plugins but not with 32-bit plugins (and vice-versa). XML Presets. The .xmlpreset format presets are compatible across all of the Synthedit VST plug in formats. 64 Bit API/GUI 64-bit SynthEdit plugins use a new drawing API. 64-bit GUIs (Control panels) do not support all controls, some controls will look different in a VST3 plugin. 64-bit plugins support only images less than 16384 x 16384 pixels in size or for Windows 7 8192 x 8192 pixels. Fonts may render slightly differently, and text is sometimes wider or narrower or smoothed differently. VST2 and VST3 64-bit SynthEdit will export both VST2 and VST Version 3 Plugins. 32-bit SynthEdit will export only VST Version 2 plugins. 64-bit Plugins have reduced support for MIDI. Only Note, Controller and SYSEX messages can be received by a plugin, plugins do not currently send any MIDI. Synthedit 1.5 and VST2. If you are using V1.5 you can still export VST2, but you must have V1.4 installed. V1.5 will call V1.4 to load the project, then create it as a VST2. V1.5 cannot directly create VST2. You must also save your project in the .SE1 format, as V1.4 cannot load the new .synthedit file format MIDI Channels. At present Plugins only receive MIDI on channel 1. We (SynthEdit) will look at increasing the number of supported channels in a future version of SynthEdit. MAC Export. Mac export: Some modules are not available for Mac yet. Module compatibility with VST3. Some modules from the older version of SynthEdit are incompatible with VST3: e.g. Float-Scaler (please replace with Float-Scaler2). Always use the latest versions of modules for VST3! Support for loading VSTs into SE. 64-bit SynthEdit does not support loading VST Plugins into SynthEdit, however the old 32-bit V1.4 does.
VST is an abbreviation of Virtual Studio Technology which is an audio plug-in software interface that plugs-in software synthesizers and effects units into digital audio workstations. VST and similar technologies use digital signal processing (DSP) to emulate a traditional hardware recording studio using computer software technology. Thousands of plugins exist, both paid and free, and many audio applications support VST under license from it’s original creator, Steinberg.
Overview VST plugins generally run within a digital audio workstation (DAW), to provide additional functionality and instruments, although there are few standalone plugin hosts exist that support VST plugins. Most VST plugins are either instruments (VSTi) or effects (VSTfx), although other categories do exist: for example spectrum analyzers, and various meters. VST plugins nearly always provide a custom graphical user interface (GUI) that displays controls similar to physical switches and knobs on audio hardware. Some (often older) plugins rely on the host application for their user interface.
VST Instruments.
VST instruments include software simulation emulations of well-known hardware synthesizers (Moog, ARP, Roland to name a few) and samplers. These often closely emulate the look of the original equipment as well as its sonic characteristics, and behaviour. This lets musicians and recording engineers use virtual versions of devices that otherwise might be almost unobtainable, very expensive and hugely expensive to keep in working condition.
A VST Instrument running in the Reason DAW.
VST plugins and MIDI VST instruments receive notes as digital information via MIDI, generate, process and output the results as digital audio.
VST Effects plugins.
Effects plugins are able to receive digital audio and process it, passing it on to their outputs. Some of the effect plugins also accept a MIDI input – for example, MIDI sync to modulate the effect in sync with the tempo. MIDI messages can control both instrument and effect plugin parameters. Most host applications can route the audio output from one VST to the audio input of another VST (chaining). For example, the output of a VST synthesizer can be sent through a VST reverb effect.
A VST plugin running in Reason DAW.
History of VSTs.
Steinberg released the VST interface specification and Software Development Kit (SDK) in 1996. They released it at the same time as the Steinberg Cubase 3.02 DAW, which included their first VST plugins: Espacial (a reverb effect), Choirus (a chorus effect), a Stereo Echo, and an Auto-Panner.
VST 2. Steinberg updated the VST interface specification to version 2.0 in 1999. One notable addition was the ability for plugins to receive MIDI data. This supported the introduction of VSTi plugins. VST Instruments could now act as standalone software synthesizers, samplers, or drum machines. Neon was the first available VST Instrument (which was included with Cubase VST 3.7). It was a 16-voice, 2-oscillator virtual analog synthesizer (Pretty basic compared to some of the VSTi’s being created now). VST 2.4. In 2006, the VST interface was updated to version 2.4. Changes included the ability to process audio with 64-bit precision. A free-software replacement was developed for Linux MultiMedia Studio (LMMS) that would be used later by other free-software projects.
VST 3.0 was introduced in 2008. Changes included: Audio Inputs for VST Instruments Multiple MIDI inputs/outputs Optional Steinberg Kernel Interface (SKI) integration
VST 3.5 was introduced in February 2011. Changes included: Note expression, which provides extensive articulation information in individual note events in a polyphonic arrangement. According to Steinberg, this improves support for performance flexibility, and allows a more natural playing feel. In October 2011, Celemony Software and PreSonus released Audio Random Access (ARA), which is an extension for audio plug-in interfaces, such as VST, allowing for greater integration between the audio plug-ins and DAW software.
VST2 Support officially discontinued. In September, 2013, Steinberg discontinued maintenance of the VST 2 SDK. In December, Steinberg stopped distributing the V2 SDK. The higher versions of SDK have continued support.
VST 3.6.7 came out in March, 2017. VST 3.6.7 includes a preview version of VST3 for the Linux software platform, and the VST3 part of the SDK was given a new dual license: “Proprietary Steinberg VST3” or the “Open-source GPLv3”.
Hosting VST’s
VST plugins can be hosted in incompatible environments by using using software a translation layer, or shim. For example, FL Studio only supports its own proprietary plugin architecture, but a native “wrapper” loads VST plugins, among others. FXpansion likewise has a VST to Real Time Audio Suite (RTAS) wrapper that lets VST plugins run in Pro Tools, and a VST-to-Audio Units (AU) wrapper lets VST plugins run in Logic Pro.
Hardware Hosting. Hardware VST hosts can load specially created versions of VST plugins. These units are portable and usable without a computer, although some of them do require a computer for editing. Other hardware options include PCI/PCIe cards designed specially for audio processing, which take over audio processing from the computer’s CPU and free up RAM and valuable processor power. Some hardware hosts accept VSTs and VSTis, and either run Windows-compatible music applications such as Cubase, Live, Pro Tools, Logic etc., or are able to run their own DAW. Other hardware hosts are only VST Hosts, and thus will require a separate DAW to function. Origin from Arturia is a hardware DSP system that houses several VST software synthesizers in one machine, such as the Jupiter 50/80 from Roland. Using the required software, audio data can also be sent over a network, so the main host runs on one computer, and the VST plugins can run on peripheral machines.
The VST Standard.
The VST plugin standard is the audio plugin standard created by Steinberg to allow any third-party developers to create VST plugins for use within VST host applications. VST requires separate installations for Windows, macOs, and Linux. The short history of software developments for Linux means few developers have as yet targeted the Linux platform.
Presets VST plugins usually have many controls, and therefore need a method of managing presets (sets of control settings). Steinberg Cubase VST introduced two file formats for storing presets: an FXP file stores a single preset, while an FXB file stores a whole bank of presets. These formats have since been adopted by many other VST hosts, although Cubase itself switched to a new system of preset management with Cubase 4.0. Many VST plugins have their own proprietary methods of loading and saving presets, which do not necessarily use the Steinberg FXP/FXB formats.
