Hi, noobie here, I'm a Linux user who is struggling severely to get .so files to run in LMMS, according to (https://docs.lmms.io/user-manual/instruments/vestige) VeSTige can run .so files, and yet the .so files I have moved into the lmms/plugins/vst directory don't show up! And I've tried using Carla, but that just breaks LMMS for some reason, making window ui buggy. I need help and very much do not wish to have to use wine.
I'm not able to reproduce that issue.
I use the built-in file browser and navigate to .vst (where my *.so files are located).
There, I drag an *.so file into LMMS's song-editor, and vestige auto-loads.
I got xhip.so and helm.so to work (both synthesizers).
On the downside, there's a bug which doesn't allow the VST window to close when I click the close box.
I use an OS tool to force the window closed (usually used to force an entire program to quit to the desktop), but of course this isn't ideal.
Personally, I am using a recent "Nightly" appImage version.
I don't know how else to help except to say that sometimes *.so files can't be found unless you set their "execute" permission to true (in the "file properties" window of your desktop environment).
If you are new to music and DAW perhaps Rookie-guide can be for you. Link in signature.
I'm a Linux user who is struggling severely to get .so files to run in LMMS, according to (https://docs.lmms.io/user-manual/instruments/vestige) VeSTige can run .so files
Yes, but do you use the version that has this upgrade?
You need
https://github.com/LMMS/lmms/releases/d ... 4.AppImage
Eg Alpha.2.
You find your version in the tittle-line of song-editor.
Let us know the outcome :)
Besides that, since you are new in Forum
Welcome Tiny guy!
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Hello all -- I'm also having problems trying to use .so VST3 plugins with the latest nightly (1.3.0-alpha-2.14+a2f57e7). Whether I drop VeSTige onto the song editor and select an .so in its file selector, or go to "My home", toggle "Hidden content" and drag/drop the .so file from there, the result is the same: nothing visibly happens and the VeSTige window still says "No VST plugin loaded".
When run from the console, this message pops up each time I try to load a .so:
Code: Select all
Starting using X11Embed protocol.
Native linux VST works only without embedding.I'm not sure what that means. I also tried loading lv2 plugins; here I've had slightly more success: Yoshimi, TetraOP and Ultramaster KR-106 all showed up after being installed in either /usr/lib/lv2 or ~/.lv2, and produce nice sounds. However no UI is drawn for them -- the area above the virtual keyboard is just an empty grey, so I can't switch instrument patches or change any settings in the synth.
Yes, but that is not tested alpha.2
The version that should(?) have this feature is
https://github.com/LMMS/lmms/releases/d ... 4.AppImage
console.
Code: Select all
Starting using X11Embed protocol.
Native linux VST works only without embedding.Afaic see That means that there is work being done on embedding in Nightly
Backup!!!, then get the AppImage i linked to.
Besides that, since you are new in Forum
Welcome Ganxel !
Here are all important links:
http://lmms.io/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4740
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If you like to introduce yourself, to the community, go here:
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musikbear wrote: ↑October 4th, 2026, 3:16 amYes, but that is not tested alpha.2
The version that should(?) have this feature is
https://github.com/LMMS/lmms/releases/d ... 4.AppImageconsole.
Code: Select all
Starting using X11Embed protocol. Native linux VST works only without embedding.Afaic see That means that there is work being done on embedding in Nightly
Thanks for that info! I tried the alpha.2 AppImage with the same results, so perhaps it's an X11 issue (maybe it works in Wayland?). I'll just have to be patient for that, and maybe I'll open a separate thread to figure out the LV2 issue.
Darn :/ I hoped that would work. Then there are so much else that can be off, like
The best advise i can give you is to ask Linux-musicians what your Distro need. They are experts on things like this.
One thing also i forgot- Before you tried Alpha.2 did you also remove the config-file .lmmsrc2.xml from your HOME-directory? If not you have a wrong config-header
As far as I know, LMMS can not (yet) officially run VST3 .so files.
It can officially run VST2 .so files (if they work, of course).
The online manual specifically says LMMS VeSTige works with VST2 files.
It's somewhat confusing to refer to ".so" files, because the ".so" extension is used by more than one type of file. Also, if you transport such files, usually you have to keep them inside the same folder they came in. For example, VST3's come in their own .VST3 folder often, with various stuff inside of them.
I think VST3's will always fail in every DAW if you drag the *.so file into the DAW or reference it directly without regard to the plugin-named .VST3 folder(s).
As for VST2's. Those I think would work dragged or referenced. But I think there might be difficulties (or impossibilities) if you try to cross the 32-bit / 64-bit "barrier".
LV2's also use a specific folder structure and also have files named *.so , but like VST3's you're not supposed to move the *.so around manually without the accomanying folder named after the plugin.
Inside an LV2 folder, you might see stuff like *.ttl or manifest.ttl
Inside a VST3 folder, you might see stuff like "Contents", "x86_64-linux", "Resources", etc.
(CLAP's use just a *.clap file).
In general, you shouldn't rename the folders nor the files.
When you download a plugin, there will usually be installation instructions about where to put the plugin files.
On Linux, I think the home folder defaults are pretty stable and convenient:
Let's say my username is "thor". Then my plugin default directories would be:
/home/thor/.clap
/home/thor/.lv2
/home/thor/.vst
/home/thor/.vst3
LADSPA plugins get installed automatically elswhere into the system, and sometimes the other types do too. But the home folder is convenient because that user ("thor" in the example) has full access to his/her own files and can move them around at will.
Again, LADSPA plugins use *.so for their names too, and should not be moved around manually.
LADSPA's are usually effects (as far as I know), and will show up (if installed automatically) within LMMS's built-in effect search window--you get to it from within the LMMS mixer (add effect).
If you get a plugin from a Linux distro, it will probably(?) be installed in the system directory somewhere instead of in the home directory. However, all users will be able to use the plugin.
Sorry if I'm making this more confusing. It's hard to explain all these details.
P.S.-If you're using Wine (or a Wine variant) on Linux, you use the fake Windows path inside of your LMMS preferences [paths] area. For example: (something similar to)
/home/thor/.wine/drive_c/Program Files/VstPlugins/
As MusikBear said, it does get complex with all the different variations.
I don't even use "wineprefixes" which gets even more varied. (I just use one .wine folder).
QUESTION: Which plugins are you trying to use? (What's the name of the plugins specifically?)