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Virtual Studio Technology

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For the television term, see Virtual studio.

Virtual Studio Technology and its acronym VST refer to an interface standard for connecting audio synthesizer and effect plugins to audio editors and hard-disk recording systems. VST and similar technologies allow the replacement of traditional recording studio hardware with software counterparts.

Contents

[edit] Overview

Thousands of plugins exist, making VST the most widespread audio plugin architecture. The technology can be licensed freely from its creator Steinberg.

[edit] VST plug-ins

VST plug-ins are software modules that can take the form of real-time instruments or effects. Competing technologies include LADSPA and DSSI for Linux, Apple Computer's Audio Units, Microsoft's DirectX, Digidesign's AudioSuite, Real Time AudioSuite, and TDM.

[edit] VST instruments

A VST instrument (or VSTi) is a type of VST plug-in that is generally used to synthesize sound or play-back sampled audio. Types of VST instruments include (among others) virtual synthesizer devices and sampler devices.

VST Instruments can be played in real-time when used with an appropriate software and hardware configuration.

One of the very first VST instruments was the Neon VSTi, which was included in Steinberg's Cubase.

[edit] VST effects

A VST effect is a type of VST plug-in that is generally used to process audio. Types of VST effect include (among others) reverb processors or phaser effects.

VST Effects can be used in real-time when used with an appropriate software and hardware configuration, such as a sound card that supports ASIO, software that bypasses Windows' slower audio engine and so offers much lower latency times, allowing for effective real time playing. Modern Macintosh computers typically ship with low-latency audio drivers.

[edit] VST plug-in standard

The VST plug-in standard is the audio plugin standard created by Steinberg to allow any third party developers to create VST plug-ins for use within VST host applications.

[edit] Linux support

See also: Free audio software

Kjetil Matheussen's vstserver first provided a mechanism for loading and using VST plugins via his k_vst~ object for the Pure Data synthesis environment and his ladspavst "plugin to host plugins" for the LADSPA Linux audio plugin API. Kjetil has added his vsti to his list of vstserver clients, providing a way to use VSTi plugin instruments under Linux.

A newer project enables Linux users to use native Windows VST-plugins by using parts of the WINE emulator, and is named FreeST (fst), which can be found here. It is nowadays supported by such programs as Ardour and JACK Audio Connection Kit. This requires the Steinberg SDK.

[edit] VST hosts

A VST host is a software application or hardware device that allows VST plug-ins to be used in a logical context, interacting with digital audio and MIDI elements.

Examples of VST host applications include commercial ones such as Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Orion, Cakewalk's Sonar, Steinberg WaveLab, Nuendo, MixMeister Fusion & Studio 7, Ableton Live, Acoustica Mixcraft and Beatcraft, TC Spark, Bias Deck, and Bias Peak, Adobe Audition 2, shareware such as MiniHost and also open-source ones such as Rosegarden, Audacity, ModPlug, and Ardour. Buzz can host VSTs through plugins, e.g. Polac VST Loader. Also stand alone hosts which can be used when there is no need for sequencing or wave playbacks, such as VSTHost.

VST plugins can be hosted in incompatible environments through the use of a translation layer, or shim. For example, FXpansion offers a VST to RTAS (Real Time AudioSuite) wrapper to enable VST plugins to be used in the popular Pro Tools Digital Audio Workstation and a VST to Audio Units wrapper to enable VST plugins to be used in Apple Logic Pro Digital Audio Workstation.

[edit] Programming Languages

Steinberg's VST SDK is a set of C++ classes that can be downloaded from their website. However, there are several ports available. E.g. a Delphi version by Frederic Vanmol, a JAVA version from the jVSTwRapper project at sourceforge.net, and a .Net version - Noise.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

fr:Virtual Studio Technology it:Virtual Studio Technology es:Virtual Studio Technology sv:VST

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