Vst Plugins For Writing Songs

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This is the most comprehensive HUB to VST Plugins online.

You will get acquainted with different types of VSTi & VSTfx plugins:

...and if you want to know which plugins are solid workhorses, you can click the links in the description.

Pluginboutique is the place where the best music software companies come to sell their VST Plugins, Virtual Instruments, Synth Presets and Music Plugins to Producers, Musicians and DJs worldwide. Customers can browse Best Selling and Top Rated plugins and can download Free VST Plugins.

Let's dive in.

VSTfx

look at some of the effects plugins
(often known as VSTfx) that are widely used to polish and improve the sound of your productions.
Add crunch and flavor to your tracks with these effect plugins. They really bring a song to life.

EQ

Improve your recordings and take full control of the frequency spectrum with the top equalizer VST plugins.

Compressor

Robert already gave a great overview of WDL-OL, which is my favorite library for plugin development. I will mention though that there is another more expensive (I.e. Not free) and significantly less portable library, “JUCE”, that allows you to mak. Check on Plugin Boutique: VoxBox 2. Auto-Tune EFX 3. Auto‑Tune keeps evolving, and the latest.

Manage your dynamics to create interesting drum sounds, polish your vocals and make your songs explode.

Reverb

Add realistic or other-worldly reverb to your voice-over, sound effects and music. Check out these reverb based VST plugins.

Delay

Whether you are looking for real-world or unconventional delay for your tracks, you will find it here.

Distortion

No need to spend money on distortion and overdrive pedals with these high-quality distortion VST plugins for every occasion.

DeEsser

Get rid of the annoying harsh “sh” sounds and polish your vocals for maximum clarity.

Filter

Pass your audio recordings through unique creative filters to shape your sound and music.

Vocoder

Synthesize vocal sounds and shape them the way you want with top-notch digital vocoders.

Autotune

Fine-tune vocal performances for maximum musicality and clarity using top-quality autotune VST plugins.

Mastering

Finalize your songs like a pro with the top mastering VST plugins.

Chorus

Best chorus Plugins

WAVES

Check out the best VST plugins by the top VST plugin brand “WAVES”.
Vst

VSTi

Check out the top VST instruments that can replicate analog instruments and even provide you with additional creative options.

Drums

Create realistic drum patterns for your songs or make your own unique percussion sounds for every project.

Bass

Make everyone move to your funky basslines or create earth-moving bass from your DAW.

Synth

Play and record electronic sounds with digital synths or with plugins that imitate iconic analog synths.

Piano

Access dozens of different pianos with realistic samples and your audience won’t tell the difference from the real thing.

Guitar

Add catchy riffs, chords and solos to your songs without the need to record any guitarist.

Strings

Keep realistic and adjustable string ensembles right at your feet for classical, rock and instrumental music.

Orchestral

Compose instrumental music and hear it right back with the top Orchestral VST plugins.

Brass

Jazz and classical music writing are made easy with these plugins that recreate brass bands with high fidelity.

Choir

Jazz and classical music writing are made easy with these plugins that recreate brass bands with high fidelity.

Virtual studio technology (VST) is an audio plug-in software interface that integrates a software synthesizer and effects into digital audio workstations. It uses digital signal processing to simulate a traditional recording studio’s hardware in software.

There are both commercial and freeware versions of VST plug-ins available in the market.

Think of VST plugins as an affordable way of making your home studio sound like an expensive commercial studio setup.

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What are the Best Tools to Develop VST Plug-ins?

I have listed a couple of libraries and frameworks that can handle most of the coding required in developing VST plug-ins.

JUCE Cross-Platform C++ Library

It is supported by the following platforms: OSX, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android. It is free for non-commercial releases, but the commercial license works our best. It also covers 64bit systems.

Pricing of its commercial license

  • Commercial license for a single product – $521
  • Commercial license for any number of products – $912
  • Upgrade from single-product version to unlimited version – $455
    Despite the cost of the license for retail releases, it is the only library/framework option for a 64bit cross-platform.

Watch this video on how to create an awesome distortion VST/AU Plug-in using C++ / JUCE Framework

SynthEdit

SynthEdit is a framework and a visual circuit design that allows you to create your own synths with only drag & drop without programming. Therefore giving you the flexibility of using your DSP algorithms inside the modules.

At the time of writing this the 64-bit version is in Alpha and its creator Jeff McClintock is working on the ability to exporting it to AU. It’s got a ton of community-produced modules and works great with the 32-bit version. It is soft on your wallet – goes for $70.

Check out this video how SynthEdit work –

FL SynthMaker

FL SynthMaker aka flowstone comes free with FL studio.
It has a straightforward drag-and-drop graphical interface and a wide range of components. You can use it to code modules and DSP in Ruby and comes with loads of examples to get started quickly and its ability to assist you in creating a prototype within a short time is a plus.

How Are VST Plugins Made

You’ll be required to source for information from different sources depending on what your specific goals are.

For beginners, before learning how to code VST plugins, I would advise you to check out these environments:

  • SynthEdit, SynthMaker, Reaktor, Max/MSP, PureData
  • CSound, SuperCollider, Bidule, Usine

These environments allow you to build something unique without having to write low-level code which most people find difficult to master. You’ll be required to know different areas, and if you already have some, then you’ll only require to fill in the gaps.

Check out this video to learn how to build and design your VST Plugin using JUCE

Audio Basics

Understanding sound and its properties are essential before embarking on the development of VST plug-ins. I have outlined a couple of online resources you should go through them:

Fundamentals of Digital Audio Processing

The Scientist and Engineer’s Guide to Audio Signal Processing

Discrete-time systems, sampling theorem, audio DSP, maths, psychoacoustics, sound analysis, and sound modeling.

Signals, Sound, and Sensation by William M. Harmann

The book got an introductory text on psychoacoustics and the readers on a journey through the mathematics of signal and processing from its beginnings.

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Vst Plugins For Writing Songs Using

Programming

Many professional VST plugins available on the market have been written in C++.

There are also several other languages you can use, but each got their pros and cons.

Learning how to develop VST Plug-ins as you’re learning to program isn’t easy. I usually recommend learning how to program before starting to create VST plug-ins.

The Audio Programming Book by Richard Boulanger – This book comes highly recommended for those who want to learn audio plug-ins.

BasicSynth by Daniel Mitchell – This one shows you how to create a custom synthesize in software using C++ programming language.

For more further information about VST development, you should definitely check these resources:

Audio Software (VST Plugin) Development with Practical Application

JUCE framework for VST-plugin development

Maths

You should have some basic engineering mathematics such as linear algebra, complex analysis, among others. Visit this website to get practical algebra lessons: www.purplemath.com.

Digital Signal Processing

You must know what an FFT routine is and why it is useful. Advanced content focusing on audio will usually require you to have at least a conversational level of DSP understanding.

Check out these resources on DSP:

Online and Free:
The Scientist & Engineer’s Guide to Digital Signal Processing

Print:
Understanding Digital Signal Processing by Richard G. Lyons

Audio Digital Signal Processing

Audio DSP extends on core DSP concepts to include the way digital signal processes apply to digital audio. It covers subjects such as audio filters, delays, and non-linear effects; think compression.

DAFX by Udo Zolzer is a book that comes highly recommended and covers many aspects of audio DSP technique.

Check out these online resources to get more info:

DSP Audio Classics
DSP Audio Algorithm Notes by XOXOS

Below are threads on VST Plug-ins I found from a couple of online discussion forums:

Advice for someone with ZERO experience
Developing a Vst Effect Plugin Where To Start?
What is your development setup?

Books

I have listed some books that can serve as a resource in your pursuit of learning how to make VST plug-ins.

Vst Plugins For Writing Songs For A

Check them here:

    Designing Audio Effect Plug-Ins in C++: With Digital Audio Signal Processing Theory
  1. Designing Software Synthesizer Plug-Ins in C++: For RackAFX, VST3, and Audio Units

Audio Plug-ins frameworks

Free Trap Vst Plugins

JUCE

JUCE is a highly recommended and all-encompassing C++ class library for developing cross-platform software. JUCE includes components for VST, AU, and RTAS. You should have at least a basic grasp of JUCE if you intend to use C++ for the development of your VST plug-in.

IPlug

This is a C++ framework for developing audio plug-ins and GUIs.

VST.NET

It allows VST Plugin developers to write Plugins in any .NET language. It also eases the transition between the C++ and .NET world and its framework built on top of the interop layer provide a clear and structured architecture. Feel free to check this Delphi library for creating VST plugins, VST hosts but also ASIO applications:

Delphi ASIO and VST

It also includes the algorithm for filters and dynamics.

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What is the best programming language for the VST plugin?

C++ is one of the best programming languages for creating VST Plug-ins, and the reason for this is that C++ has a wide range of frameworks and libraries that work so well in creating VSTs. Read more What’s the Best Way How To learn C++?

The WDL-OL library makes C++ an attractive programming language for VST plugins because it helps you with the following:

  • Creating multiple formats (VST, AudioUnit, VST3, and RTAS) from one codebase: Just choose the plugin format and click “run.”
  • Create both 32-Bit and 64-Bit executables.
  • Run your plugin as a standalone application (Windows or Mac). It means you don’t technically need a DAW to use the plugin.
  • Most GUI controls used in audio plugins (knobs, buttons, visuals).

Vst And Company Song

Vst Plugins For Writing Songs Without

Understanding what VST Plugins are and their role within the music production industry provides you with the knowledge of identifying the most effective tools for your music production outfit. It makes your music sound like it was produced in a million-dollar music studio.