Having trouble using a VST plugin within Max5...

    bencharles82
    May 29 2010 | 1:50 pm
    Hi there,
    Could someone please walk me through what I would need to do in order to just load say, a VST FX plugin, within a Max5 patch? I've read the help topic on vst~ as well as the tutorials, but I'm still not quite understanding how the VST would be loaded in the patch. Do I have to relocate the .DLL into a Max folder? or, is there a subpatch involved? I'm just totally lost. Ideally, I'm wanting to learn how to insert a nice VST modulation plugin, or even one of my lightweight VSTi synths into my Max5 patch but I feel so lost :(
    Thanks for any help,
    Ben
    • tep
      May 29 2010 | 2:34 pm
      Normally, Max should find your vst~ but you can also put it in your patch folder. On OSX Max doesn't like much when there are spaces inside the plugin name, so you have to duplicate and rename it. Dunno how it works under Win.
    • bencharles82
      May 29 2010 | 3:56 pm
      Hmm...well, Max5 isn't finding my VST folder - how do I set it up to scan/'find' my VST folder? I tried copying the DLL and pasting an instance of it in my patch folder - but no luck either. No GUI loads within my patch...
      I'm on Windows 7 32.
      Thanks for any help! :)
    • bencharles82
      May 29 2010 | 5:13 pm
      Edit*
      Well, moving the DLL to my patch folder now works - weird, maybe it was just a fluke or something...
      Is there any way to *not* have to copy DLLs to my patch folder? Can I add an object somehow to scan/'find' my VST folder, and then I can select via a list somehow from within my patch? or... Thanks!
    • seejayjames
      May 29 2010 | 6:54 pm
      there's [dropfile], or autopopulating a [umenu] to have a folder listing of all your plugins. If you know the absolute path beforehand, you can use the [umenu] upon loading. Or just send the "plug" message to vst~ and pick your plugin.
    • bencharles82
      May 29 2010 | 8:08 pm
      Ah...gotcha.
      One last thing. I usually can use my MIDI keyboard controller with Max5, in general, but when I try to use it to trigger a VST (within my Max patch), I'm not getting any connection. How do I set up a patch that will let a MIDI device 'play' a VSTi (in Max)?
      Thank you!
    • seejayjames
      May 29 2010 | 9:45 pm
      Should just work by sending the "midievent" message to the vst~, you get the raw MIDI using [notein] or [ctlin], whichever you're using. So if the VST understands the notes or CC messages, it should do its thing. Though you may need to configure the VST, or modify which controller numbers you're sending.
      One caveat, too: if you have patch sliders or knobs which "mirror" the controls in the VST plugin (so you move them and they move the actual controls), if you want the controls *from* the VST to update the patch controls, you need to use the "set $1" message, NOT just send the value. This would create a loop/stack overflow. No big deal, but there's no safety net for that the way there is with plugparam or pattr.
    • bencharles82
      May 30 2010 | 12:44 am
      I understand the Set $1, but what do you mean "midievent"?
      Can you tell me literally what to connect, or make a test patch for me? I'm having problems visually the midievent/notein/ctlin....
      Whenever I connect a notein/ctlin it, each key on my MIDI keyboard simply changes the preset/bank - not actually MIDI Notes themselves. How do I set it up to play the notes themselves?
      http://tinypic.com/r/2cx91cx/6
      I just made a simple test patch now and it's not working - it's only changing the presets/banks of the VSTi every time I hit a MIDI key - not actually playing the MIDI pitch. What am I doing wrong?
      Thanks :
    • seejayjames
      May 30 2010 | 6:25 pm
      Ah, I think you need to use [midiin], so for notes on channel 1, they would come out like 144 60 127 (noteon on channel 1, middle C, full velocity) I think if you just use [prepend midievent] from this number list, then send it to VST, the VST should understand it as a note. Probably if you send just the number, it changes the patch of the VST, rather than playing a note. (Not at my Max computer right now so I can't check...)
      If the helpfile for vst~ doesn't have enough, check the documentation page for it, there's a lot more info there. Should explain "midievent" thoroughly for you.