Using Vst Plugins In Reaper
- How To Use Vst Instruments In Reaper
- Using Vst Plugins In Reaper
- Reaper Vst Not Working
- Obs Reaper Vst Plugins
Most commercial VSTs come in both versions, but a lot of freeware and older VSTs are available in 32-bit versions. To remedy this Reaper has a VST bridge, a helper program that loads 32-bit VSTs in 64-bit Reaper. For a long time this bridge has loaded all 32-bit VSTs in a separate Window instead of inlining them in the FX window for a track. Make sure reaper knows where to find them all. On 64bit windows there are two program files directories and some plugins may install to the 'other' one that reaper isnt pointed at. Default 32bit = 'program files (x86)/vst plugins'. The 64bit is 'program files/vst plugins'.
19 Jan, 2015
I noticed that windows version of Audacity can load LADSPA plugins so I thought what If I could also use these as VST plugins.
This post will discuss how to use the LADSPA plugins, to another VST host as VST plugins, on a Windows platform. To summarize this post: It can be done using a VST plugin called ladspashell which loads these LADSPA plugins and makes them available to be used as VST plugins. I will be discussing from the perspective of Reaper but technically you can use any other VST host like FL Studio. Scroll down and skip the text to get right to the links.
LADSPA plugins are Linux audio plugins that are usually found in Linux audio environment but a set of plugins that are compiled for Windows are also supplied for Audacity to be used on Windows platform. But even if you don't use Audacity, you can still use these LADSPA plugins on your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) if it supports VST plugins.
Why use LADSPA as VST?
There are so many free VST plugins out there and Reaper itself comes with a lots of JS plugins. So you might wonder why you would like to use LADSPA plugins as VST. Well, your reason for using it might vary. If you use Audacity as your sound editor on windows and have the LADSPA plugins pack (which contains more than 90 plugins) and for some reason you want to use the same LADSPA plugin in your DAW that supports VST, then you can use these. So you can change effects parameters whenever you want and render only when you are done, as in Audacity you can preview little segments of sound and then you have to render it immediately. So, if you decide to use LADSPA as VST plugins, then you get the added benefit of parameter automation using curves, something that you can't do with Audacity at the moment.
LADSPASHELL VST
In order to use LADSPA plugins, that are compiled for Windows platform, on a VST host, you need a VST plugin called ladspashell (100KB). ladspashell is part of 'Polac VST Loaders for Jeskola Buzz' (http://www.xlutop.com/buzz/) and you can browse for this here: http://www.xlutop.com/buzz/zip/ But you will just need ladspashell for the purpose we are talking here.
How To Use Vst Instruments In Reaper
After installing ladspashell to your default VST plugin folder by unpacking the ladspashell.dll file there and then loading the plugin for the first time, you will be asked for the location of the path of directory where those LADSPA plugins are installed. After choosing the right path, the LADSPA plugins will be available to your host. How it be available will depend on the host.
LADSPA plugins on Reaper-
Workaround for GVerb on Reaper
Many of these LADSPA plugins are Mono channel effect processors and the host automatically assigns two instances of these plugins for stereo channels. Some plugins like GVerb which has 1 input and 2 output, you need to do extra work to get proper stereo 2 in 2 out type sound.
Lets see how it's done. One quick way would be to just load two instances of the same plugin and use the plugin pin connection to assign left and right channels. You can use presets to share the same settings between these instances.
Pin connection for getting proper stereo channel processing for GVerb-
GVerb LADSPA plugin on Audacity-
GVerb LADSPA plugin on Reaper. As you can see '1 in 2 out', so use proper channel routing.
Reference
- LADSPA plugin loader - A forum post at PSYCLE.
- Discussions that contains LADSPA wrapper at KVR Audio.
- Polac VST Loaders for Jeskola Buzz. ladspashell originated from this place. http://www.xlutop.com/buzz/ , http://www.xlutop.com/buzz/zip/
(Last edited: 18 June, 2015, mostly for readability.)
It’s good practice to organise your plugins – well it is for me.
You can always filter and search for a plugin, but sometimes the amount of plugins you have can mean that you overlook certain plugins that are within your arsenal.
So let’s get organised.
First you’ll need Reaper up and running.
Next add a track and click on the ‘FX’ button.
Click ‘Add’
This will open up the Reaper FX browser.
Scroll down to ‘My Folders’.
Using the right click on your mouse you can create your own folder.
As you can see I already have some folders created.
Let’s create a new one.
The new folder will now be ready for plugins.
You can also organise these folders by moving them up and down, to the top or to the bottom.
Once you have your new folder you can start to add your plugins.
Using Vst Plugins In Reaper
You can search for plugins either by the browser or if you know it’s name or a search word then you can use the filter feature.
Before we start we need to move out of ‘My Folders’ to the top of the folder list to ‘All Plugins’
Underneath you can see there are plugins for VST, VSTi, AU, AUI, Js etc.
If you know specifically the type of plugin then you could probably go into the that folder.
As you can see from the screen shot, in the ‘Filter List’ I have typed ‘had’ and this has brought up all my UAD plugins.
I’m looking for a specific plugin called the CS-1.
Use the right click on your mouse, this will bring up and option to ‘Add to’ and then you have a choice of your plugin folders.
As this particular plugin is a chorus effect I’m going to add it to my newly created, ‘Modulation’ folder.
Once done we can check that it has moved over successfully. Go to the ‘Modulation folder.
Hopefully all being we’ll you should now see the plugin in that folder.
Ah, did you see, I forgot to clear my ‘filter list’ – not that it matters but hey t’s something that you need to be careful of.
Reaper Vst Not Working
You cannot make sub folders – which is a shame but not the end of the world.
Obs Reaper Vst Plugins
And there it is.