JamPro Posted November 13, 2022 Share Posted November 13, 2022 Hello. I hoping someone can fill the holes in my knowledge base. To start off, my studio computer is running Win 10 64-bit. My DAW software is Reaper and Cakewalk by Bandcamp. So is VST3 better than VST2? If offered the choice between installing the VST3 and VST2 versions of a plug-in, which one should I choose? Should I install both if they are both available? Is there a problem if I have both VST2 and VST3 versions of the same plug-in on my computer? If my computer seems to be running VST3 plug-ins without problem, can I then just ignore VST2 versions in future downloads? And to satisfy my geeky curiosity, what briefly are the differences between VST2 and VST3? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KuruPrionz Posted November 13, 2022 Share Posted November 13, 2022 This is an interesting article and there are many others on this page - listed on the upper left side. https://kb.audiomodeling.com/en/c/grow-your-knowledge/d/what-is-vst-whats-the-difference-between-vst-vst2-and-vst3/ I'm glad you posted this thread, it's something I've wondered myself. Mostly I use AU plugins since I'm on Mac OS but I understand that there isn't much difference between AU and the various VSTs. 1 Quote It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Coda Posted November 14, 2022 Share Posted November 14, 2022 I hate VST3 because Steinberg decided to ditch MIDI program change commands. So, I hope for CLAP ! A.C. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KuruPrionz Posted November 14, 2022 Share Posted November 14, 2022 Thanks for posting that, gotta wonder why they chose to do that? Quote It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Coda Posted November 14, 2022 Share Posted November 14, 2022 2 hours ago, KuruPrionz said: Thanks for posting that, gotta wonder why they chose to do that? When they decided to do that, they obviously thought "DAW" only, not live giggin´. there are many VSTs being called "VST3" out there, but when they work w/ MIDI prg changes, these are still VST2 in VST3 shell. Other like UHe offer a special "MIDI bank" of 128 memory slots to work around and it´s also not accurate acording to VST3 specs. Using Mainstage and such load kind of "concert",- the entire set of plugins and fx for a single tune,- but I prefer creating a software keyboard rig, leave it as it is and change programs, like I did w/ hardware. I´m not interested in exchanging the complete "rig" for each tune, you know. I never had to. CLAP will change Steinberg´s VST dominance. IMO, it was a crime forcing new developers using VST3 SDK by making VST2 SDK unavailable for ´em. A.C. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted November 14, 2022 Share Posted November 14, 2022 Gig Performer is set up so you use Program Changes to select your "rackspace" (e.g. a set of plug-ins and their desired presets). They do allow you to send a Program Change directly to a VST if it accepts it, but they discourage doing that. Good article about that at https://gigperformer.com/rackspaces-vs-program-changes/ If you're using just a couple of standalone VSTs each on their own dedicated MIDI channels, then their ability to accept Program Changes is desirable. But once the setup gets more involved, it can make more sense to use that Gig Performer approach... send your Program Change to your host, and let the host do the rest. (In some brief further checking into this kind of thing, it looks like Mainstage and Keystage also accept Program Changes which in turn call up different hosted software sounds, but not Camelot Pro...?) 1 Quote Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamPro Posted November 15, 2022 Author Share Posted November 15, 2022 So I asked a similar question at the Sound On Sound forum and the Reaper forum. Here is what I am learning: - the VST3 specification does allow more advanced functionality than the VST2 spec (one advantage: VST3 allows multiple audio streams for things like side-chain inputs). However, it is up to the plug-in developer to make use of the advanced functionality, and only some of them do. So in the main, the VST2 and VST3 versions of the same plug-in will have the same functionality and features. - some users say their computer has problems with some VST2 plug-ins and so use the VST3 plug-ins; other users report their computer has problems with some VST3 plug-ins and so use VST2 plug-ins. No one reports computer or software problems because both VST2 and VST3 versions of the same plug-in are on their computers. So the choice to install VST2 or VST3 versions of the same plug-in appears to depend on the user's past experience using the different specs on their specific machine. Many users say they install both VST2 and VST3 versions of the same plug-in as a hedge: in the event they have a problem with one spec., they can use the other. There appears to be little downside to installing both VST2 and VST3 versions of one plug-in on your machine (downsides being the minimal use of HD space, and possible user confusion over which VST version one is using). - Steinberg no longer advances the VST2 specifications; they now only work on VST3 specification. Other developers are moving in the same direction. So right now VST2 is a robust well-used specification, but with time will stop being used and will disappear. This probably means if your computer is happy running VST2 but not VST3 plug-ins, you have some remedial work to do. The VST3 spec looks like it will be here for a while. There are also newer plug-in specifications like CLAP (Clever Audio Plug-in format from software developer u-He) are also coming on line. DAW support for CLAP is pretty limited right now - I think Reaper supports it. Discussion at the Reaper forum: https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=272695 Discussion a the Sound On Sound forum: https://www.soundonsound.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=84327 Here is another resource I just saw: https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/vst-2-4-vs-vst-3-0-who-cares-you-do/ Have fun. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Coda Posted November 18, 2022 Share Posted November 18, 2022 On 11/15/2022 at 2:07 PM, JamPro said: CLAP (Clever Audio Plug-in format from software developer u-He) are also coming on line. DAW support for CLAP is pretty limited right now - I think Reaper supports it. I understood they WILL support CLAP, but up to now, they don´t in official releases. Reaper v6.70 had been released 3 days ago and CLAP support isn´t listed. I guess, Reaper v7 will support it. A.C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill5 Posted November 18, 2022 Share Posted November 18, 2022 On 11/13/2022 at 8:13 AM, JamPro said: So is VST3 better than VST2? About 99%ish of the time for 99% of all people, no. Quote If offered the choice between installing the VST3 and VST2 versions of a plug-in, which one should I choose? 2. Quote Should I install both if they are both available? It can't hurt but there's little point. Quote Is there a problem if I have both VST2 and VST3 versions of the same plug-in on my computer? Nah Quote If my computer seems to be running VST3 plug-ins without problem, can I then just ignore VST2 versions in future downloads? Sure. Quote And to satisfy my geeky curiosity, what briefly are the differences between VST2 and VST3? If you look it up on Wikipedia they lay it out. Really the odds of it buying you anything are minimal. IMO Steinberg did this just so they could outdate the old one. The old Microsoft trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderton Posted November 18, 2022 Share Posted November 18, 2022 I think anyone interested in VST2.4 vs. VST3 would find the article VST 2.4 vs. VST3 - Who Cares? You Should interesting. It busts several myths, and also describes the (many) advantages VST3 offers. But the key word here is "offers." The VST3 spec is like MIDI, manufacturers can implement whatever subset of features they want. Very few companies have taken full advantage of the VST3 spec. It's like polyphonic aftertouch - although it's part of the MIDI spec, only a handful of manufacturers implement it. 1 Quote Craig Anderton Educational site: http://www.craiganderton.org Music: http://www.youtube.com/thecraiganderton Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/craig_anderton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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