VST Plugins Inside of Pure Data!

Let's learn how to use VST plug-ins inside of Pure Data!
[vstplugin~] is an incredible external developed by Christof Ressi!
---
Links:
-Valhalla Super Massive (free & sounds fantastic!)
valhalladsp.com/shop/reverb/v...
-Special Pure Data for Running VSTs
github.com/Spacechild1/pure-d...
-Help Patchers
git.iem.at/pd/vstplugin
-Example Patchers (please watch the video to learn how to use them)
drive.google.com/file/d/1KW1y...
---
0:00 - Intro
0:54 - Setting Up
2:06 - Loading Up Effects VST
4:09 - Controlling Parameters
5:19 - Preset (Approach #1)
6:23 - Synth VST
7:05 - Saving Preset Files
8:42 - Loading Up Preset Files
9:19 - Let's Make Some Music!

[@spacechild2]

Beautiful video! Here are some comments from my side: 1:00 It's great that you mention my Pd-event-loop fork, but maybe you could make it more clear that it's only relevant for macOS users. It's kind of implied with "Windows users can skip", but it's a bit ambiguous, especially since Linux isn't mentioned. Maybe have some kind of big "macOS only" disclaimer? 1:58 Why download the help patches from the repo? They are already included when you download from Deken. 4:00 What's this about? 5:48 Unless you use the "-k" flag ;-) When you save your patch, [vstplugin~ -k] will remember the current plugin and all its state. 7:04 Note that instead of "midi_noteoff" you can also use "midi_note" with a velocity of 0. 8:00 This looks like a bug! [vstplugin~] should create the folder if it doesn't exist... Can you reproduce this error? If yes, please file a bug report (git.iem.at/pd/vstplugin/-/issues)! 8:49 Why does DSP have to be "on" to load a preset? 9:00 Since you saved the preset with "preset_save", it would make sense to load it with "preset_load". No need to use "program_read" with the full path!

[@SoundSimulator]

Thank you so much for the feedback! I really should’ve contacted you during the script stage. I tend to assume that people are unreachable via emails! I pinned this comment for future viewers! I’m sorry for the errors and ambiguities. - 1:00 - Yes, I should’ve said “macOS only”. I forgot about Linux users... 1:58 - It wasn’t in the “extra” folder in the “Show Package Content” of Pd-0.51.1. It is there in other versions of Pure Data (0.51-4 to be precise). I did just find it in the “Pd” folder in Library though! 4:00 - It was in reference to the Event-Loop. I should’ve said this earlier when I was mentioning it! 5:48 - Noted!! 7:04 - YES! 8:00 - Will do! 8:49 - I should have explained why (and kept a note of it too). From what I remember, the preset didn’t load when clicking on “program_read” before the DSP was turned on. I’ll see if I can recreate it. EDIT: I was able to recreate it. The preset doesn't load properly (some of the parameter settings aren't quite accurate) when it's loaded via "program_read" while the DSP is off. Will file a bug report in more details. 9:00 - Noted! - Thank you for creating such an amazing object!

[@spacechild2]

@@SoundSimulator no worries! > I tend to assume that people are unreachable via emails! You can write me anytime if you have any questions. My e-mail address is on my website. > It wasn’t in the “extra” folder in the “Show Package Content” of Pd-0.51.1. The "extra" folder only contains externals that are shipped with Pd vanilla, like [sigmund~]. Deken installs externals in platform specific resource paths resp. in the Pd documents path. Anyway, you don't need to worry about that. In the end, you only need to create [vstplugin~], right click -> "Help". In your video, this part appears much more complicated than it really is ;-) To be more clear about 9:00: "preset_list" outputs tuples of " ". With "preset_load", you only need to pass the preset *name*. So in your case it would be just "preset_save " and then "preset_load ". It doesn't get easier than that :-) Note that you can also use the [vstpresetbrowser] abstraction to show all available presets, but the "vstplugin~" folder must be in your path, e.g. with [declare -path vstplugin~]. --- Apart from the points above, the video is really a great introduction! My video production skills suck, so I'm always very happy when other people create tutorial videos :-) Carl Testa has made a similar video for the SuperCollider version: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioCumH-gnt1kl7c. Incidentally, he also used a Valhalla reverb plugin.

[@SoundSimulator]

@@spacechild2 I can't believe I went this far in my Pure Data tutorial series without knowing about "right click -> 'Help'". I'll make a quick video about it and own up to my mistake. I'm sorry everyone. Also, thank you for the clarification regarding "preset_load"! It's so much easier!!! I hope this video will introduce your brilliant project to more people!! Have a wonderful rest of the weekend!!

[@TheCinefotografiando]

So glad you had the time and the willingness to share this with us.

[@SoundSimulator]

Of course!! Glad you found this useful!

[@ghy201]

This is great, it really does open a lot of new opportunities

[@SoundSimulator]

I know right? I'm excited to hear what people are going to create with this tool!!

[@draconianrhythms]

Well, that’s my evening sorted ❤️👏

[@SoundSimulator]

Nice! It's a lot of fun!

[@bjornkeyser5334]

whatttttt I just returned to your ambient PD tutorial where you referred to making a VST plugin video for PD in the future, so I check your acc and 2 hours ago you uploaded this !! CrayZ

[@SoundSimulator]

Hahaha, great timing!!!

[@alwayssomewhattired]

This video is a blessing

[@SoundSimulator]

Great to hear that!! 🙌

[@siliconbrush]

one of the best tutorial narrators on pd ive ever heard on you tube, great work!

[@SoundSimulator]

Thank you!!!

[@clarakok8759]

you're amazing! Thank you very much! I'll try it!

[@SoundSimulator]

Enjoy!!

[@clarakok8759]

@@SoundSimulator could you please help me to connect [vstplugin~] to [adc~]? I'm trying to use it with my mic but I'm doing something wrong because it's not working 🥴 Thanks!!

[@SoundSimulator]

@@clarakok8759 Let's see... Could you connect [adc~] to [dac~] directly and see if there's any sound?

[@clarakok8759]

​@@SoundSimulator thank you very mutch! I've downloaded your example and I realize that I've made something wrong with my patch 🙄 rs Thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge! I've I doubt about latency. When I open a new VST the pd menu shows me a new value of latency. Should I adapt my patch for each new latency?

[@SoundSimulator]

@@clarakok8759 It might be because specific VSTs need latency to work properly? It's the same with DAWs too.

[@Erdertainment]

In case your plug-in name contains spaces, make sure to put backslashes before each space to escape them. I ran into this problem when I was trying to load the ReaStream VST, which has "Reastream (ReaPlugs Edition)" as its plug-in name. Changing the open message to "open -e ReaStream\ (ReaPlugs\ Edition)" allowed me to load the plugin.

[@elijahjflowers]

Thank you.

[@SoundSimulator]

You're welcome Elijah!

[@marcotamburini7626]

Useful video; I follow the instructions and all works, but isn't possible for me play a VSTSynth (inside VSTplugin obviously) with an external keyboard controller; this is why VSTplugin expects messages to play (note or noteoff, with numbers for channel, note and velocity), but the NOTEIN and the others MIDI object on PD produces only numbers. May be VSTplugin works just with PD internal sequencers? Any idea to solve my problem? Thanks

[@malva_visca]

OMG ! Te amo

[@SoundSimulator]

Thank you!

[@aeshwarya009]

Thank you

[@SoundSimulator]

You're welcome! Have fun!!

[@diegoserrano462]

Nice video!!, would be possible to use [makenote] in conjuction with [midi_note( and [midi_noteoff( I want to control env of the vst from pd

[@SoundSimulator]

I'm not 100% sure if [makenote] will work with [vstplugin~]. You can certainly combine [midi_note] and [line] to do complex envelope control!! You can control the synth's parameters similar to how we controlled the parameters of the effect plugin (in this video, the reverb)! Have fun!

[@kiko2129]

Oh damn nicee well that is amazing to see. Does this mean that we can inport VST Instruments as well? So maybe the ribbon synth with a VST Piano? Or even Better, a violin cuz both have no frets

[@SoundSimulator]

Yes! There's a section in this video about using VST instruments!! I actually didn't think of using sensors to control VSTs in Pure Data! Ribbon sensors should work amazingly especially with software synths! Doing pitchbends with violin VSTs may involve some tricky patching but should be possible! I may have to make a video on it in the near future! Nice!!!!! I'll be checking out your video!

[@danbocook]

I can't get my vst's to open (Windows) -- is this because I didn't install the standalone VST? I only install the vst3 files...not the standalone...just trying to troubleshoot and see if that is the issue

[@Xenon_Chameleon]

Thanks for this tutorial. I got the extension downloaded and started scanning but it gets stuck at my native instruments plugins for some reason. I think it may be due to my antivirus because it starts blocking host.exe for "suspicious activity"

[@SoundSimulator]

Woah, that's interesting. Did it work after you turned off antivirus temporarily?

[@khetsutiphong8538]

Thank you , I use mac M1 but I'm not quite sure if it's a problem or not. It can't find Externals such as GAM, freeverb. "Thanks for Special Pure Data for Running VSTs " it can find

[@SoundSimulator]

[vstplugin~] works in M1? That's great!! I'm glad to hear that this video was helpful!!

[@pajzd]

hai there, nice tutorial !!! a devilishly tricky question though: how would one open a waves shell plugin ... 1) first one opens indicating the shell location 2) but then the response is that this shell obviously has many plugins underneath it ==> how can you reach one plugin in a shell ? thnx !!!

[@SoundSimulator]

That is a great question. I wondered about it too but didn't get a chance to explore. Your guess will be good as mine and I highly recommend contacting Christof Ressi, the developer of the external.

[@chingyun143]

hi thx for the great tutorial. I been trying to load vst but I'm still getting the "vstplugin~ couldn't create" error. I'm using an M1 2021 Macbookpro (OS: Monterey). When I press "search VST directories" nothing seem to happen. When I press "search user directory" I'm able to select my vst folder but then still nothing happens.

[@TheRanguna]

Same this is happening to me. Did you figure it out ?

[@naivepolitik]

Im curious - would it be somehow possible to have a PD patch with a vst plugin running on daisy seed?

[@SoundSimulator]

I doubt it as far as I know. Would be cool to run a VST easily on Daisy though!!

[@dubsnasty]

@@SoundSimulator Is it because the VST doesn't get compiled with the pure data patch?

[@TheOleHermit]

@5:40 yeah, tell me about it, Bro. Having fried 2 Teensy 3.6 waveform generator modules, I succeeded in getting the last one up and running (with no more available). I witnesses it producing beautiful full color imagery for 2 days, while getting the 127 MIDI variables under control. Went to bed, dreaming of creating the most awesome video/project reveal (Welcome to the Machine, of course🙄). Woke up, powered up the system & NADA! The prototype stack of Teensy/audio boards and the DAC PCB were separated by a piece of styrofoam, which had gotten hot, shrunk, and allowed the power rails to touch the T 3.6.🤦‍♂️ After a day in shock, I noticed that T4.1's were still available, so I grabbed up a few with audio boards and pushed onward, into the unknown, because the T4.1 doesn't have the pair of built in GPIO DACs. Looks very promising to add a 3rd stereo DAC for my 5 channels, except that now I have ~3 times the processing power. ;-) Meanwhile, the MIDI desk's rotary encoders, 7" Nextion touchscreens and RGB buttons have arrived and their layout is determined. Ready to start cutting out the aluminum front panel, but it will be covered with 1/16" textured ABS to avoid peeling paint, scratches, etc. Great look & feel, IMO. Cheap & easier that paint on aluminum. Enclosing it + the Windows miniPC, and 22" multi touchscreen monitor inside a Nanuk 935 camera case. A PD GUI will also be used on the touchscreen monitor for additional software defined controls, so thanks for sharing VST plugins. Looks like exactly what I'll need. 🤩 BTW, the new projector is nearly finished, as well. Sometimes, the most important factor is picking one's self up from failures and keep plugging along until one succeeds, right? 😎

[@mapleneck1520]

Hello, I am trying to download the VSTplugin patch, but it doesn't work. The download option does not appear. Could someone help me? :(

[@axnuke]

can this be flashed onto a daisy? even with a VST in the PD code?

[@SoundSimulator]

No quite! Most (if not all) external objects are not supported by hvcc.

[@mdsmithson]

are you able to get this to work in plugdata on macos? I run into all sorts of errors..

[@SoundSimulator]

I haven't tried it with plugdata yet. I think I saw somebody on the plugdata discord troubleshooting it. That group is awesome so you should join regardless!

[@Sefzzzzz]

6:27 when I do this, I get the following: 'Massive' is neither an existing plugin name nor a valid file path vstplugin~: can't open 'Massive' print: open 0

[@abrahamchagoya]

Your tutorials have worked very well for me, but in this one I no longer knew how to make it work through Windows. Help...😭😢Gracias por compartir tu conocimiento.

[@SoundSimulator]

I really wish I can help! But I don't have a windows computer. The developer may be available via email to answer your questions.

[@eti313]

8:23 if you hold down the Option key, Library will appear in the Go menu.

[@elijahjflowers]

Is there a dark mode 😅?

[@SoundSimulator]

Yeaaah, I wish! I think Purr Data has a dark mode? I have seen it but never tried it personally.