Are All VSTs Compatible

[MichiganDave]

It looks like so many free VSTs are available on internet. Many are shown on youtube too. My question is, can I just use them for LMMS? Or is there such thing as Kontakt VST, Logic Pro VST, etc?

Also, can VST contain virus?

Thanks in advance for your reply/replies!

[ac220]

Theoretically, all correctly-made VSTs are supposed to work on any application that supports them (IIRC, Logic Pro actually doesn't.) Practically, it's a bit more complicated, and the only way to be sure is to download the VST (or at least its demo version) and run it through its paces: create a project, add the VST, play with the settings, watch if it saves and loads correctly, watch if it loads your CPU too much or leaks memory, see if it works correctly with things like automation and MIDI learn (if it has the latter.)

Viruses/malware are at least a theoretical possibility, since VSTs are at the end of the day just standard Windows DLLs with some pre-specified exports, so anything that can infect a generic DLL can infect a VST.

A bit of a general advice: While trying new VSTs is fun, ending up with five gigabytes of the things you'd never use is counter-productive. Try to either search for VSTs that are good for the specific thing you're doing (A synth with good trance lead, or that extra-spacey stereo reverb or whatewer) or ones with some new to you feature you didn't try before, just to see what happens. Another good thing to look for is VSTs somebody filmed a good tutorial about, if you're new. Even if that VST isn't exactly what you need, you may still learn something that would work with those you do use.

[MichiganDave]

Thank you ac220 for your quick and complete reply!

I am going to try some out. In fact, I am going to do some learning through from some VST demo. In the past I have found that some VST sounded so good in the demo, but when I got it, it sounded different. I got a little discouraged, but now I think, wait a minute, that is exactly where/how I can learn. The demo showed the parameters used, but mine sounded different, so I can and compare check the level, frequencies, reverb, etc. and learn a lot from the process.

Thanks again.

[musikbear]

I am going to try some out.

Il just add my .05 € on this.
Dont dl every 'interesting' vst from the net.
Start with the best
Synth1!
Then, and only then, if you have a VST need that you feel Synth1 cant manage, the first ask this community, and then look for a VST that can do that thing you could not do with Synth1. -That wont be often!
The benefit is that you will have a tiny powerfull collection of VSTs that you KNOW in depth, instead of 50 weird ones, that you never ever are going to know the in and out of, anywitch
Few good are MUCH better that many soso

[MichiganDave]

Thank you musikbear. I will indeed just use 1 or 2, mainly for creating some background music/loops for educational videos. For more serious work, I have downloaded some DSK vst's and will play with those too.

[brandystarbrite]

Thank you musikbear. I will indeed just use 1 or 2, mainly for creating some background music/loops for educational videos. For more serious work, I have downloaded some DSK vst's and will play with those too.

Checking out new Vst's can be alot of fun.
And the guys that posted above my comment, gave some good advice.

And since you're on a Vst adventure......
Don't forget to check out the list of tested vst's, that work well in Lmms.
https://lmms.io/wiki/index.php?title=Tested_VSTs
Enjoy.

[MichiganDave]

Thank you Brandy!

[woods alive]

Thank you musikbear. I will indeed just use 1 or 2, mainly for creating some background music/loops for educational videos. For more serious work, I have downloaded some DSK vst's and will play with those too.

Checking out new Vst's can be alot of fun.
And the guys that posted above my comment, gave some good advice.

And since you're on a Vst adventure......
Don't forget to check out the list of tested vst's, that work well in Lmms.
https://lmms.io/wiki/index.php?title=Tested_VSTs
Enjoy.

By the way brandy, you can go ahead an add Massive as working under windows. My only notes are that you'll need a fairly hefty computer to be able to run it with LMMS. If you do use a weaker computer, the only thing that you'll need to know is that you might need to close and then re-open the GUI within LMMS to reflect changes. Other than that, it fits all five categories as far as I have tested it. It should also be noted that the demo doesn't have full functionality and will not retain preset information.