MUTOOLS

jpumphandle · Post by **jpumphandle** » Wed May 20, 2020 5:08 am

Lately, because of the Steinberg decision to dump VST2, the VST3 standard is the only route, especially with new developers that don't have the previously established VST2 license. I am not a fan of VST3, and have yet to see the real advantage, but am slowly being forced to come to grips. I can appreciate the difficulty for MuLab to adapt the VST3 technology, so ....

Fortunately, I ran across the Wusik X42 plugin Manager/Converter that has given me about a 75% solution. X42 allows you to scan plugin libraries, either VST2 or VST3, and create a list to manage. You can then decide which plugins to convert or skip. They can be 32 bit or 64 bit plugins. Once you have scanned the 'source' folders, the list is ready to manage.

The next step is to designate 4 target folders for the converted plugins. You are allowed to define VST2-32 and VST2-64 and VST3-32 and VST3-64 folders.

Then just click on UPDATE to send converted plugins to their respective folders. Actually, the plugins don't move or change. What happens is the appropriate 'dummy' file is created that fools the Host DAW into loading the plugin in the form that is needed.

In Mulab's case, VST3 plugins are converted to VST2 plugins in the Target folder. Forunately, Mulab doesn't seem to limit the folder location, but only the content. My experience now is that all (25) of the VST3 plugins I tested, were converted successfuly. But I found two that failed to perform out of 10 that I attempted to use. I suspect that the plugin probably does not completely conform to the VST protocol. The only downside detected (so far) is that their seems to be a slight lag in first moving a plugin control, which is not a serious consideration.

The X42 is a standalone app that is currently on sale for $9.95 (80% off). You can take a look at Wusik.com. The X42 also creates some additional controls which assist in using the plugin, which I have not yet fully explored. Wuzik also allows you to download a demo version which will allow you to confirm the operation.
https://www.wusik.com/w/index.php/purch ... p131262298

dakkra · Post by **dakkra** » Wed May 20, 2020 7:02 am

I've also had success using https://kushview.net/element/ as a VST3 to VST2 bridge. YMMV of course.

focusrite · Post by **focusrite** » Sat May 23, 2020 7:58 pm

dakkra wrote: ↑Wed May 20, 2020 7:02 am I've also had success using https://kushview.net/element/ as a VST3 to VST2 bridge. YMMV of course.

How? It crashes Mulab for me.

dakkra · Post by **dakkra** » Sat May 23, 2020 10:07 pm

http://prntscr.com/smk1ud

Works just fine for me. Make sure to match the integer bit depth (ie 32 or 64) with Mulab.

focusrite · Post by **focusrite** » Sun May 24, 2020 12:19 am

kv.png

@mutools can you take a look please?

I can load this plugin inside mux.dll but not in mulab or mux inside mulab

mutools · Post by **mutools** » Mon May 25, 2020 7:54 am

Focusrite please email me the respective MuLab log file of that crash, it's in your MuLab/User/LogFiles subfolder.

focusrite · Post by **focusrite** » Mon May 25, 2020 1:57 pm

There's no corresponding log.txt I've sent the Crashed.MuProject file

mutools · Post by **mutools** » Mon May 25, 2020 3:35 pm

Thx but can't use the MuProject. I wanted to doublecheck the log file to see if the crash is inside the plugin. Can't research this more without a proper crash log with the exception address etc. Please also have a look at Windows Event Viewer and check if you find a corresponding crash log there.

focusrite · Post by **focusrite** » Mon May 25, 2020 4:29 pm

Unfortunately there's no sign of any logs with the corresponding date and time, sorry

focusrite · Post by **focusrite** » Mon May 25, 2020 4:37 pm

I've just tried loading the dll again. And Mulab just shuts down as soon as the plugin loads. The respective log has this:

0x00001638 17:30:47:983 Gonna load DLL C:\Program Files\Steinberg\vstplugins\00MostUsed\KV_ElementFX.dll
0x00001638 17:30:47:993 Loaded DLL at 00007FFF7CA10000
0x00001638 17:30:47:993 DLL base address = 00007FFF7CA10000
0x00001638 17:30:47:993 DLL image size = 14471168
0x00001638 17:30:47:993 DLL end address = 00007FFF7D7DD000
0x00001638 17:30:47:993 DLL entry point = 00007FFF7CE918E8
0x00001638 17:30:47:993 Gonna lookup 'VSTPluginMain'
0x00001638 17:30:47:993 Gonna create VST plug-in instance
0x00001638 17:30:48:447 VST plug-in instance created ok
0x00001638 17:30:48:472 KV_ElementFX has VST version 2400
0x00001638 17:30:48:514 Gonna init VST plug-in
0x00001638 17:30:48:534 VST plug-in Aeffect inits OK

mutools · Post by **mutools** » Mon May 25, 2020 4:47 pm

Please email me that complete log file.

mutools · Post by **mutools** » Mon May 25, 2020 7:15 pm

KV Elements v0.41.1 (shown as v1.41.1 in the about box) loads fine here in MuLab 8.6.9 64 bit, no crash. Are you using the latest version of Element?

focusrite · Post by **focusrite** » Mon May 25, 2020 8:29 pm

I've got v0.43.2

mutools · Post by **mutools** » Mon May 25, 2020 8:40 pm

Some special version i see. Anyway, what about trying v0.41.1 which is the latest version on github. It works fine in MuLab 8.6.9 64 bit. If v0.41.1 works fine but v0.43.2 doesn't then that sounds more like a plugin issue to me.

focusrite · Post by **focusrite** » Mon May 25, 2020 8:51 pm

Yeah there's a new version due out on June 1st. I'll try see if that works. Meanwhile .43 works inside mux vst and is handy for oversampling plugins / muxes that don't oversample - So it's not just not just for vst3 hosting. 041 doesn't have plugin oversampling

MUTOOLS

KVR Audio

Using VST3 within Mulab 8