instruments plugins

[chiplonkar]

I am new to LMMS. Using LMMS on windows 7.( 32 bit) Please excuse if the question is too basic.
a) Why am I not seeing standard MIDI instruments ( 128 in number ) in the list of INSTRUMENT PLUGINS under settings ?
b) How can I add vst instrument to the list?

Thanks

[musikbear]

I am new to LMMS.

Hi, Welcome to the Forum chiplonkar !
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a) Why am I not seeing standard MIDI instruments ( 128 in number ) in the list of INSTRUMENT PLUGINS under settings ?

You need to make a default-SF2 link in your settings.
First decide what you want as your default SF2-Since you are looking for the 128 midi-table type SF2m you need a General-User-soundfont. There are several. We link to the popular GS implementation in gitBook:
https://docs.lmms.io/user-manual/7-reso ... -resources
After you have downloaded and scanned for malware! Place the soundfont in a folder in your USER-library, and in Settings| 'file&Folders browse to that SF2-GS file. Now your default-SF2 will have all Midi-table instruments and all effect tables as well (afair 512 SFs-voices)

b) How can I add vst instrument to the list?

You can add specific VST-instruments by saving a VST you have made a setup inside by saving the VST-setup as a LMMS-preset
Use The button on the VST-container in top right shoving the DL-icon.

For General VST-usage i refer to my tutorial:

If that does not answer your VST questions, please repost

(Btw no questions are ever considered trivial : )

[chiplonkar]

Great help ! That too at a click of a button!!! Thanks. I am going into the suggestions made by you, one by one. I am sure that will solve my basic questions.

[chiplonkar]

In continuation with my questions about adding LMMS plugins, I have another question now. It could be just 'half' related to LMMS.
I came to know about a software called SWARPLUG 3. I tried to run the downloaded zip file and completed the process of installation, as done for any other downloaded programs. But, on completion nothing seemed to have changed in the PC. No Icon generated or nothing was seen in the 'Control Panel'. Later I realized that it was not a stand alone software but it is a PLUG IN meant for MIDI editors. Therefore I installed LMMS in this Windows 32 bit PC. I could add the installed plug in in LMMS as guided by you earlier. But it is not fully functional. Now that LMMS is present and ready int PC, how do I UNINSTALL the "plug in" ( or remove ) and try one more time ? I hope, I have made the situation clear. Please suggest. Thanks!

[musikbear]

In continuation with my questions about adding LMMS plugins, I have another question now. It could be just 'half' related to LMMS.
I came to know about a software called SWARPLUG 3. I tried to run the downloaded zip file and completed the process of installation, as done for any other downloaded programs. But, on completion nothing seemed to have changed in the PC. No Icon generated or nothing was seen in the 'Control Panel'. Later I realized that it was not a stand alone software but it is a PLUG IN meant for MIDI editors. Therefore I installed LMMS in this Windows 32 bit PC. I could add the installed plug in in LMMS as guided by you earlier. But it is not fully functional. Now that LMMS is present and ready int PC, how do I UNINSTALL the "plug in" ( or remove ) and try one more time ? I hope, I have made the situation clear. Please suggest. Thanks!

In general executable plugins need to create a xyz.DLL file, so in your example, the should have been a SWARPLUG.DLL file created in the folder that you pointed to in the installation process.
executable plugins are always a bit worrying, and i would always advise to do some searches online and see if someone has flagged the EXE-file as malware, or dangerous!
.EXE-files can do anything on your pc, if you give it access to run!
But if there is no .DLL file created, then it could be because the plugin is of type VST3, and those are yet to be supported in LMMS (wip).
To un-install any software you would need to use Windows-uninstaller. You go to
administration | Add Remove programs
-And search for the name of the program you want to remove. If you find any, select it and choose to remove it. Win10+ should do that correctly.
(As safeguard it is recommended to make a restore-point before removing 'odd software')

[chiplonkar]

Thank U Dear MusikBear
A swarplug.dll is created during extraction of swarplug zip file. My friend is using this dll for last 1 or 2 years , but with FL20 midi editor. I am trying LMMS in place of FL20 . I see all instruments of Swarplug playing well in LMMS. Only problem is that I am not able to drag and drop "ready made" rhythm patterns from "Swarplug" into LMMS. These rhythm patterns play well independently without dragging in to LMMS ( I have tried , by now, many combinations of installing / uninstalling LMMS and Swarplug .) But the result is always the same. My friend is not facing the problem mentioned above. I am of the opinion that the problem is with Swarplug.dll , or my way of linking LMMS and Swarplug. ( Problem is not with LMMS. ). There are 6 directory paths seen under settings of LMMS. When I put Swarplug.dll in the " C:\Program Files \ VST Plugins\ " folder, the GUI of Swarplug immediately starts appearing . I am yet to know the significance of other 5 directory paths.

I understand the uninstall process when the program to be uninstalled is visible in the Control Panel . My question was about DLL uninstallation as DLL is not visible in the Control Panel, under list of installed programs.

[musikbear]

When I put Swarplug.dll in the " C:\Program Files \ VST Plugins\ " folder, the GUI of Swarplug immediately starts appearing . I am yet to know the significance of other 5 directory paths.

You could have a problem if you have write-events inside Program Files. Those would happen is the dll attemt to save something in Program Files, and the VST is not given write-permissions by windows. but perhaps that is the whole secret behind having to use an installer (EXE) for this VST. It could be that the installation creates write-permissions for the VST (?)
Otherwise VSTs are best placed in USER| LMMS| Samples| VST-library.
Samples is special. It allows serialisation so all folders inside Samples, will appear in the sidebar-browser.
If you attempt to reinstall this dll, make a folder under Samples, and then point to this folder when you elect the installation folder. I would expect that LMMS would do better with that setup
Let us know the outcome :)

I understand the uninstall process when the program to be uninstalled is visible in the Control Panel . My question was about DLL uninstallation as DLL is not visible in the Control Panel, under list of installed programs.

Afaik there is no other option than manual edits in REG-DB, but there is no reason. If you remove the dll, then there is nothing to give any privileges to, and that should be ok.

[chiplonkar]

Thank you very much dear MusikBear,

Thanks for taking keen interest in my problems! Without bothering about removal of DLLs, I re-installed SwarPlug plug-in again.I noticed that LMMS shows following directories under the 'settings' tab.

a) LMMS working directory = C:\users\chiplonkar\Documents\lmms
b) GIG directory = C:\users\chiplonkar\Documents\lmms\samles\gig
c) VST Plugin directory = C:\Program files\Vst Plugins\
d) SF2 directory = C:\users\chiplonkar\Documents\lmms\soundfonts
e) LADSPA plug in directory= C:\users\chiplonkar\lmms\plugins\ladspa
f) stk Rawwave directories= data:\stk\rawwaves\

After extracting SwarPlug plug-in, I found that the two DLL files swarplug.dll and swargroove.dll are extracted in different directory
I think that this logical, because SwarPlug can not know, in advance, which DAW is going to be used.

Therefore , I copied these two DLL files in the VstPlugins directory. Only after this, swarplug started working.

Do you suggest any other change in directory management, so that other functions of Swarplug also work properly?

Thanks and regards,
Chiplonkar

[musikbear]

a) LMMS working directory = C:\users\chiplonkar\Documents\lmms
b) GIG directory = C:\users\chiplonkar\Documents\lmms\samles\gig
c) VST Plugin directory = C:\Program files\Vst Plugins\
d) SF2 directory = C:\users\chiplonkar\Documents\lmms\soundfonts
e) LADSPA plug in directory= C:\users\chiplonkar\lmms\plugins\ladspa
f) stk Rawwave directories= data:\stk\rawwaves\


Do you suggest any other change in directory management, so that other functions of Swarplug also work properly?

No your setup is identical to the one recommended:
But what other features does this plugin have, that is not working?
Here on the page
https://www.swarvst.com/SwarPlug/
It says that it support
Windows 7 or greater (64 bits)
Mac OS X 10.12 or greater (Intel & M1)
iOS 9.3 or greater*
And these formats
VST2 & VST3
Audio Unit
AAX

I would think that the other folders are for other formats, perhaps even for other OS
What are the names?

-Btw have you bought SwarPlug 4 -or is it the Demo-version you got?
Demos are often unreliable ..

[chiplonkar]

Dear MusikBear
Ok. You are hitting the nail ! This is a version not purchased, but downloaded from a site getintopc.com. That was to get a feel first. Mine is 32 bit windows and SwarPlug3 is also meant for 32 bit. ( option 32 was selected during extraction of zip file. )
Function which I was expecting to work was ability to drag and drop sample rhythm strings from library of SwarPlug to LMMS.

Swarplug only says that unlocked Swarplug will work only for 15 minutes and stop playing later on. On Restarting the LMMS and Swarplug I again get 15 minutes for trials. So I expected that drag and drop function should be available at least for 15 minutes.

Regards
Chiplonkar