How do I use a VSTi in SAW?

[SoundSuite]

We've all seen this basic question regularly, I even asked it myself when I first popped in a VSTi.
How do I get such-n-such VSTi working in SAW?

Here is my attempt to make it a FAQ, per se...at least making it a good search result.
Please add to this if you wish.

I will use '1' thruout the examples. You do not have to only use MT1, Out1, In1, etc.
These examples can obviously be expanded on and re-arranged, especially with multi-output VSTi's.




VSTi Installation Notes:
Before you can use a VSTi in SAW, it has to be 'seen' in SAW's FX Choices.
The VSTi must be installed to the SAWStudio\VST_Plugins directory.
This means the plugin's .dll itself must be in the VST_Plugins directory, not a subdirectory below it.
Alot of vst plugins will make a subdirectory for thier dll and presets, this is fine, but the dll itself must be in the VST_Plugins directory.
Sometimes, you end up just having to copy it from the installed location to the needed dir.
*edit...version 3.9j and higher of SAW can use an .ini for pointing to a dll not in the directory*

Once the VSTi is 'seen', and you can patch it in we can actually use it.
There are two ways, basically, of using VSTi's in SAW.
With, and without MWS.

Using either method, If you wish to use SAW's channel strips on the VSTi output:
-Mixer Menu > Pre-Fx Patch Signal Flow > Input 1 (repeat for all VSTi's)
-Mixer Menu > EQ / Dyn Signal Flow > Input 1 (repeat for all VSTi's)





Using a VSTi without MWS:
Fresh Session...
(assuming SAW's Midi input is to your external keyboard)
(also assuming tempo, etc is setup already)
-Place your VSTi in the FX-Pre of MT1.
-When the VSTi initializes, hit the RML Triangle.
-Set SoftSynth Midi IN port as your external keyboard port
-Assign SoftSynth MultiOUT Channels to MT1
-Rt.Click on the triangle to enguage Live mode (or preferred method of Live mode entry)
...play the VSTi live.

If you wish to record this live VSTi performance:
(disenguage Live mode if not already done)
-Hit the REC button on MT1
-As input, select Mixer Channel > Channel 1
-Hit REC(ord) and play the VSTi, SAW will capture the output to MT1.
(of course you can SRP in or however you need)






Using a VSTi with MWS, like you really, really want:
Fresh Session...ensure Midi Thru is enabled in MWS.
***Midi Thru enabled, may or may not be 'mandatory' anymore since the composition of this FAQ was a few versions ago***
(assuming MWS Virtual Port 1 is MWS Out1 and MWS In1 is to your external keyboard)
(also assuming tempo, etc is setup already)
-On MWS Track 1...Rt. Click on Track Label > Select Port (your external keyboard) and select channel 1
-Place your VSTi in the FX-Pre of MT1.
-When the VSTi initializes, hit the RML Triangle.
-Set SoftSynth Midi IN port as MWS Virtual Port 1
-Assign SoftSynth MultiOUT Channels to MT1
-On MWS Track 1, hit the REC enable button
-Hit the BIG REC(ord) button to record your keyboard input and the VSTi plays along
-Edit to your hearts content in MWS and buildmix when needed (or RECord it into MT1 as described above).
(you can still use Live Mode with MWS, even though this example does not use it, of course)



This should be enough to get you up and running.
Have fun!

[snapper]

Thanks Jon. I'm pretty new to the virtual intrument and midi side of things. So this will definately help me.

Mike.

[paul kostabi]

Yes very helpful . Thank you.
If I can get my parts I recorded with the external synths to read Sampletank would be great. Also if I want to save a confuguration of instruments in Sampletank, Saw won't save it. So I assume I have to save all my instrument selections within Sampletank and not in SAW and title it something like "instruments for song title".

[Bob L]

Paul,

My guess is that once properly patched as a VSTi in SAWStudio and the session is saved... SampleTank will be able to recreate its sample links when the session is opened... that is how most VST synths work.

SAWStudio does save whatever information about the patches that the plug sends to SAWStudio when it requests the data at the time a session is saved... it then sends that data back to the plugs when the session is opened.

Bob L

[paul kostabi]

Paul,

My guess is that once properly patched as a VSTi in SAWStudio and the session is saved... SampleTank will be able to recreate its sample links when the session is opened... that is how most VST synths work.

SAWStudio does save whatever information about the patches that the plug sends to SAWStudio when it requests the data at the time a session is saved... it then sends that data back to the plugs when the session is opened.

Bob L

Gotcha , however my Voxengo Voxformer does not save the settings either. Very frustrating to set the thing and then save it and reopen and then Voxformer opens as default. I have learned to Build mix once I get a nice setting but still it is extra work. Possibly a bug or something is not set right.
With DX effects it's fine.