The Devices Plugin dialog shows many VST Instruments, but the Layer Instruments tree only shows a few. Presumably, Devices Plugin is searching in C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3 and sees everything. The Layer Instruments Search won’t find anything not already in its tree, and there is no Preferences setting for providing search directories to inform its search.
Therefore, the basic task of assigning a VST instrument to a Layer is not possible. Is there a JSON file or other source where I can fix this? I’m not interested in re-installing the software as it’s already broken availability of a number of VSTs from my Cubase Elements 11 installation.
all scanned VST3 Plug-Ins are stored in a xml file
C:\Users\YOURNAME\AppData\Roaming\Steinberg\VST Live_64\Vst3Plugins.xml
But I would not suggest to edit it.
Can you please give me the file and tell me which VST3 instrument you are missing in the Layer-Instrument-Selector?
VST Live Layer-Instrument-Selector shows only the 7 shown above.
I’ve attached the XML file you requested.
Also, Cubase 11 Elements specifically complains about not being able to find the Steinberg VSTs listed above, following the VST Live installation. It does so in a messagebox at startup.
… I am a little bit worried. The Instrument selector shows you Kontakt, Kontakt 7, Groove Agent SE, HALion Sonic, Padshop, Retrologue and USM. And you are able to load them, right? Which instrument are you missing?
Everything else listed in the XML file. At least a dozen - there are 129 groups covering what is missing, but most reference dlls rather than vst3 files. I need the Eventide Octavox and that is just the first one missed by the Layer-Instrument-Search. Shouldn’t the XML file be the source to inform the search?
Exactly nothing is listed under Effect in the Layer-Instrument-Search. That might be what the category node in the XML file is for, but there are no effect class VSTs in the list.
Here is a list of the 55 vst3 files that VST Live-Devices-Plugin Information lists:
So, there are 55 VST3 files on my system that the product can find when using VST Live-Devices-Plugin Information from the main menu. However, the Layer-Instrument-Search dialog only lists 7. The population of Layer-Instrument-Search is deficient. I believe the Plugin Information is dynamically built whenever requested, but the not the Layer-Instrument-Search dialog content. It seems to me that both of these dialogs should be using the same source. The contents from “Layer” only shows the stuff that comes with the product. That seems like a setup/installation error. It’s embedding a default source in the installation when it can’t properly enumerate the VST3s on the target system.
… I see. The Layer-Instrument-Selector shows you all available instruments. However, Triebwerk, Neo-Soul Keys and so on are all part of HALion Sonic. That’s why they are not listed in the selector. We’ll check why the “Plug-In Information” view shows those plug-ins. That’s a bug.
… The “Layer-Instrument-Selector” also has a category called “Effects”. That’s right. But it only shows the effects which can receive MIDI-events. “RC 10 De-clip” can handle MIDI-In events? I guess not. That’s why it is not listed in the “Layer-Instrument-Selector”. But I guess the Octavox can handle MIDI-In events? We need to find out why it is not listed. We’ve already contacted the vendor of the plug-in. But meanwhile you can load it as an Insert-Plug-In and select a MIDI-Input device for it.
I can’t find a pathway to do this.
Since the Eventide Octavox won’t appear for loading into a layer, I’m loading it as an Insert in a Stack. I can use it there, but a Stack has no facility for sending MIDI to it so I can’t control it as needed.
A Layer detects the MIDI I send to it, but a Layer is ignorant of any Stack. A Layer can be Audio, apparently, but it doesn’t have any inserts.
A Track can be of type MIDI and output to a Layer, but then the Layer can’t forward it anywhere I can use.
I think I need steps to prove that this is ever going to work. I’ve read about half the manual, but not the section on Modules.
let’s take the included wahwah Plug-In. Load it as an Insert to a Stack. Open the Editor. The upper right area of the header of the plug-window has a control to assign a MIDI Input device. See here
No, the Octavox has no UI for setting the MIDI channel. It’s MIDI support was tacked on to control the harmony.
In Cubase 11, I am able to control it by creating an audio track containing the Octavox Insert and then a separate MIDI track set to the midi channel where events are being emitted by a keyboard or pedals.
I exported this Cubase project as a Media File, but it didn’t work automatically and I decided to learn about Layers and Stacks.
Added a Stack and loaded an Oscillator to Insert Slot 1
Loaded Octavox to Slot 2
Opened the Editor of the Plug-In
VST Live adds an “header” for control access, like to add an MIDI Device. I’ve selected a AKAI MIDI Device to control the Plug-In and it works without any problems.
Okay thanks, now I see the MIDI selector Quick Controls header. I got it working either in a Stack or a Track now that I know how to choose the MIDI source. Eventide can’t put this on the Octavox user interface? Anyway, it seems Steinberg is able to sweep the public interface of each plugin and build a Quick Controls panel that is unique for each. That is very nice!
I guess I’ll use this from a Stack and not a Track as it seems to align better with VST Live ethos. My other plugins will be VSTs in Layers.
The first time you deploy an instance of Octavox as a plugin to a Stack or Track in a project, the MIDI input source combo box appears, so the source can be selected. You will then have MIDI control of the plugin. However, upon re-opening the project later, for a Stack , the MIDI input source selector is absent and no MIDI stream can reach the Octavox plugin. With a Track , after having saved the preset, both in the Steinberg Quick Controls present file and the Eventide preset file, the MIDI Input source populates as expected and MIDI works fine for the instance.
The problem with using a Track, as a work-around, is that it attaches to the Song and not a Part, so I can’t step through it. Also, I have to use a mouse click to turn on the monitor for the track before I play.
I’ve indicated the issue to Eventide as “Octavox – MIDI Input Source is not always Persisted.” Maybe they’re not consistently making the property available for persistence to a preset file.
