Programs for playing VSTi live?

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I'm looking for a simple light weight program that will allow me to play my virtual instruments live. I have logic and Cubase right now but they just don't do the trick with live performance. If it could hook into a daw even to just record the audio file that'd be nice.

I'm on Mac operating system.

The only one I've really heard of is main stage. Is that the way to go with logic?

Thanks,
Kevin
Win 7 | Dual Xeon x5680 | 48 GB RAM | Saffire Pro 40 | Yamaha HS50 monitors |Cubase 8.5 Pro|
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Kevin DiGennaro

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How simple do you want it?

On Windows there is the SAVIhost, simple and effective
http://www.hermannseib.com/english/savihost.htm

There is also Cantabile, excellent when wanting to layer and split the midi keyboard with different VSTis: https://www.cantabilesoftware.com/

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Just to be able to split my keyboard and save my settings and record an audio file. Midi file would be a bonus! Going check out both your links!

Thanks,
Kevin
Win 7 | Dual Xeon x5680 | 48 GB RAM | Saffire Pro 40 | Yamaha HS50 monitors |Cubase 8.5 Pro|
Image
Kevin DiGennaro

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Freestyle is another one to check out

http://www.newsonicarts.com/html/freestyle.php

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Plogue Bidule (pronounced bajule) is something you should definitely look into.

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Thank you guys - I like the looks of freestyle. Going to demo both of them and see what works best.

Cantabile looks nice but Windows only. I've got Windows on this machine but most of my mixing/composing/playing is done in Mac OS
Win 7 | Dual Xeon x5680 | 48 GB RAM | Saffire Pro 40 | Yamaha HS50 monitors |Cubase 8.5 Pro|
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Kevin DiGennaro

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Freestyle is very promising.

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Hosting AU is my favorite for simply playing virtual instruments on my MacBook without having to open a whole sequencer. http://ju-x.com/Hosting%20AU.html

It's free, dead easy to use, yet still has some neat little features (eg record audio)

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+1 for Cantabile. There's a free version you can test, and if you can live with the limitations (not sure what those are in detail now), it's free even. :)

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Is it worth switching to Windows for live sets just for the software? Obviously I can load up bootcamp on my MBP and I have Windows and a couple Mac OS versions on my desktop but trying to find something for live use.
Win 7 | Dual Xeon x5680 | 48 GB RAM | Saffire Pro 40 | Yamaha HS50 monitors |Cubase 8.5 Pro|
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Kevin DiGennaro

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Sorry, i didn't read you're looking for something you can use on Mac too. Should really read the thread more thoroughly before replying...

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Hehe it's no worries. I am really curious if my windows rig would be better suited based on Windows.

If the 'best' vst host software is Windows that'd be a good reason to go that route :P

Still exploring Mac options too though.
Win 7 | Dual Xeon x5680 | 48 GB RAM | Saffire Pro 40 | Yamaha HS50 monitors |Cubase 8.5 Pro|
Image
Kevin DiGennaro

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Mainstage. So it doesn't play your "vsti" but if you already use logic you probably have all your stuff in au as well anyway, and its dirt cheap and powerful and designed for live performance. Im sure that there are some things that cantabile might excel in, but its more expensive and you would have to change your rig to pc.

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I may demo cantabile tomorrow. So far I like the directions some of these are heading in but they are either in beta or early development stages and just haven't been around long enough to implement all their plans.

I actually have main stage and maybe I just need to learn more about it but it seems to be overly complicated for what it actually does. I also HATE that just like logic, it shoves all my third party AUs into a folder with horrible browsing. I'm just underwhelmed with what the program does and the complication.

All of my machines, even my macs, run wins 7 & 10 as well as Mavericks, Yosemite, el captain. Except my laptop. It just has Yosemite and win 10. I'm looking for something I can really trust and that has a substantial track record for live performances. And cantabile just keeps coming up. Common Mac guys we got to get a head of the game on this! :-)

I use Cubase in Windows. I have no idea why I have it installed in Yosemite but naturally I go to it I Windows unless I am transferring something to logic. I split my DAWs about 50% time wise so I spend quite a bit of time in both.

What kind of specs and or laptops do you guys use for live performance? I'd imagine as much ram as you can get and then the fastest i7?

Having a windows based live rig is not a big deal as long as it does what I need it to and does it at the top of its game.

Thanks for all your help,
Kevin
Win 7 | Dual Xeon x5680 | 48 GB RAM | Saffire Pro 40 | Yamaha HS50 monitors |Cubase 8.5 Pro|
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Kevin DiGennaro

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