Educate Me On The ABCs of VSTs

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Phreesoal

New member
I have a very basic understanding of what VSTs are and how they work. However, I'm confused about some aspects of it.

Right now, my host application is the demo version of Ableton Live 4 for Mac OS X (Panther). This is what I'm using to test out various demo & freeware VSTs.

The demo VSTs that I've tried with Live tend to be "effects" vs. software-based instruments. Since I don't have any real (hardware) instruments aside from my real keyboard, I want to go 99% software-based with my song creations.

My questions are:

1) Are VSTs themselves primarily software effects vs. software instruments?

2) How do I find VSTs that are software instruments and NOT effects? (I'm specifically seeking software-based: guitars, flutes, pianos/keyboards, drums, horns & any other instruments.)

3) Do software instruments come in any other file or plug-in format that I should look for? (i.e., AU, WAV, AIFF, ???)

4) Some of the VSTs I've downloaded cannot be used in Live it seems. I don't know what's preventing them, but it's the ones where the icon says "VST" over a pic of a keyboard. However, I can use the ones where the icon says "VST" over a pic of a plug. Anyone know the difference between these types of VSTs and how they must individually be used?

5) Under Mac OS X, I've noticed that the VST plug-ins are in two locations: /username/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins & /harddrive/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins. Is it okay to keep ALL VSTs in one central location? If so, which level should I keep them at, the hard drive or the user level?

6) For those VSTs that can double for standalone use, can a host application still record & edit what's created when using them as standalone? For example, if I buy Native Instruments Kontakt and use it as a standalone product, can Ableton Live record and edit realtime whatever I create with Kontakt?[/list]

I'd really appreciate the help...

Thanks! :)
 
1) both, probably about equally.
2) kvr-vst.com as the previous responder said.
3) on the Mac, they come in AU (AudioUnits) format as well. Both probably work with your app.
4) Just a guess, but I'd think that the ones with the keyboard icons are VSTi (instruments) and the ones with the plugs are VST effects. Maybe the demo version of Live doesn't support VSTi? Or maybe they are working--you need to send MIDI data to them somehow for them to make sound.
5) I don't use a Mac for VSTs, but I would say that keeping them at the "harddrive/" level would mean they would be accessible to everyone, and might be more compatible. On the other hand, you're probably the only one that uses the computer. So it probably doesn't matter.
6) Well, not really. The question is a bit confused though. You *can* use Kontakt standalone, but you would probably be using it standalone only to create multisamples and tweak sounds and stuff. If you were going to play it and record it or program a MIDI track for it, you would be in your DAW anyway.
 
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