VST Placement of .dll's In Cubase

Cubase
#1

So I’ve had Cubase 7 for about a month now, and I went to load up some VSTs yesterday, and see that only some of my many VST’s are showing up as available.

Yet when I go to Devices>Plug-in Information they’re all there with a check mark by them already.
In the 5th column titled ‘File’, I can see that the ones that are available are only the ones that show as .‘dll’.

So according to the manual:

Installing VST 2 plug-ins on Windows systems

….On Windows systems, VST 2.x plug-ins are installed by dragging the files (with the extension “.dll”) into the Vstplugins folder in the Cubase application folder, or into the Shared VST Plug-in folder – see below…

So…does that simply mean copying & pasting the .dlls of each VST and leaving all else of the installed VSTs just where they are?

I have my VSTs installed where they work just fine with my 2 other DAWs, [now sitting idle], so I’m hoping not to have to move or re-install them anywhere else.

Thanks Buds,

James

#2

A couple of things…
First, you don’t necessarily have to copy and paste the .dll files to any folder. You can, as an alternative, go to the Plug-in Information display and where it says “Paths…” add the paths for the .dll files, then restart Cubase.
Second, to clarify, are you saying that some VST plug-ins are showing up in the plug-in display but they are not available in the list when you try to select them in the VST Instrument Rack or insert them as an effect in the Inserts Rack?
What is the extension of the plug-ins that DO NOT show up? Is it .vst3?
HTH
J.L.

#3

Hey jaslan - thanks for the prompt reply.

I failed to mention that I tried suggestion # 1, but even after adding the paths, they didn’t show up, which seemed odd. This system is exactly the same in Sonar and I thought it would work the same right away.

Why it didn’t - I don’t know. I even did a restart and a full shut down and restart of the computer, but no go.

…Second, to clarify, are you saying that some VST plug-ins are showing up in the plug-in display but they are not available in the list when you try to select them in the VST Instrument Rack or insert them as an effect in the Inserts Rack?…

EDIT:
Ok everything in the ‘Plug-in Information List’ screen that is listed there IS available for selection either in the FX choices for the Audio Tracks or as VST instruments in the Instrument/MIDI Tracks.

What isn’t showing up are the other instruments even after I add the paths to the point to them by clicking ‘Vst 2.x Plug-in Paths’ > ‘Add’. I can navigate down the menu tree to their folders, but no further.


.…What is the extension of the plug-ins that DO NOT show up? Is it .vst3?...

I believe they are VST 2.x.

One other note: When I press ‘Update’ at the top of the Plug-in Information screen, there is a slight movement whereby some of the list jumps a bit as a realignment. [Seems a bit odd.]

But if I click ‘Update Plugin Information’ nothing happens. I’m thinking that may be the culprit for not ‘seeing’ the new paths, since nothing happens.

#4

If these plugs are showing in plugin information as you say they are, the folder they are in is not relevant…Cubase has already recognised them.

As to the reason you can’t select them as an insert or instrument, can you give a specific case.
What plug-in is it, how you are trying to load it etc…be very specific.

#5

Hey Grim,

Agreed - makes perfect sense!

Ok, turns out that all the ones that are there in that list can be inserted after all - my mistake!

It’s the other ones installed on my system that Cubase isn’t seeing.

Clicking ‘Vst 2.x Plug-in Paths’ and adding them my navigating to their respective menus & folders isn’t getting any results.

Also when I click ‘Update Plug-in Information’ at the top right of the 3 choices on top of the ‘Plug-in Information’ screen, nothing happens, which I suspect may be the problem.

#6

Cubase will “black list” VSTs some times for whatever reason.

Delete this file: C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\Steinberg\Cubase 7\Vst2xBlacklist Cubase.xml

See if that makes them visible.

#7
  1. Thanks for the tip ‘Arc’. I will definitely do this. It might help with the few I mention below that still don’t show.

Otherwise…

  1. After some horsin’ around, I have some positive results.

Pretty much all of my Vst Instruments are showing up and loading up into Cubase now.

Seems that the only ones that aren’t now are those that would be ‘sfz’ sound font players:

ie: Zeta+, and Rapture.

And yet Alchemy does show up.

Not entirely sure why, but the clue is that the ones that do show up, all have ‘.dll’ visible as the next & last stage in the path when I ‘Add’ a folder as mentioned in the posts above.

Of course, other than Alchemy, those don’t have ‘.dll’ anywhere in their files, so I will continue onward with this and post if I figure it out.

If I’m missing something, it would be great to have some insight.

But I’m quite happy I spent the time at it yesterday.

I’ve now got Garritan PO 4 there, which I bought years ago, but have never really messed with it yet. :smiley:

#8

Well, I’ve got even more results.

With a little time & attention to the folders and pathways, I now have Rapture, Dimension Pro, Z3ta+2 and other VST instruments + VST FX available.

I see what I have to do with them and can now move a few things around if need be, although I like the idea of having a nice streamlined selection of both instruments and FX, without too many crowding it all up.

Any ways, it’s all good now.

Thanks for the replies and efforts to help out Buds,

James