PG Music Home Forums General Discussion Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production Where do I place VSTi's

LONG WINDED description to follow:

Let me start with the DO NOT's: Do NOT try and MOVE around DX/DXi plugins. A DX’s and DXi’s are a class of Windows applications called Direct X (e.g., "Powertracks DirectX Plugins"). After they are installed SHOULD NOT be manually moved around - they need to remain where they were installed.
That’s because when the corresponding DX or DXi is invoked (used) it looks to the Windows system Registry for certain information, location of “where installed, ” etc.

Direct X “stuff” is not trivial to move around and should be left alone.


As for VST/VSTis (aka Virtual Studio Technology and Virtual Studio Technology instruments) is an audio-interface plugin tech originally developed by Steinberg, that’s why some things just like to be installed to a “..\Steinberg” folder. The restrictions for moving them around, for more logical or user required organization is ALMOST unrestricted (again note the - ALMOST).

In general, again IN GENERAL: VST's/VSTi's (e.g., "Sforzando VST_x86.dll", "Kontakt.dll", ...) can be placed/moved almost anywhere. And, as you have noticed, they can be spread out over multiple folders. This less then unified approach to VST/VSTi placement is sometimes just because the installer software does this without input from user, sometimes it is because you weren't paying attention at install time as to where it asked you to place them, ...etc.

So, again “in general,” you can keep all and move all your VSTs (e.g., reverbs, delays, compressors, EQ’s,..) and VSTi’s (Sforzando, Kontakt, SampleTank, Halion,…) to one or two folders so your DAW doesn’t have to look all over the PC for them. However, some VST/VSTi’s have supporting files (like tables they may need or reference) and those should remain where they are. Although most of those (VST supporting look up tables) can also be moved after install. Many VST/VSTi’s, if they have and need supporting “tabled” information and the VST/VSTi cannot find it, will ask you “where is it?”. This just requires a little trial and error on what can be moved and what can’t. It hurts nothing to move a VST/VSTi's "look up table" (a .dll or entire sub-folder) and try it, if it fails just move it back.

I keep all 32-bit VST’s and VSTi’s in my C:\Program Files (X86)\Vstplugins\ “ folder, and all my 64-bit VST and VSTi’s in my “C:\Program Files\ Vstplugins\” folder.

Some folks keep VSTs in one folder and VSTi’s in another, again sub-grouped by 32-bit or 64-bit.

And some folks don't mess with it at all and just have the DAW (and you the user) look in many locations or search the whole drive.

As a side bar: “Table Warp2” is an virtual analog synth instrument which can be/is loaded in Sfozaondo. If you move it you need to move entire “Table Warp2” folder and then Sforzondo needs to be told where it is (using its import) because Soforzando will complain it can’t find Table Warp2 the first time you open Sforzondo after moving Table Warp2.

However, since you even asked the question: I’d leave it and the entire “C:\Program Files\Plogue “ folder alone for now.

Good luck
Larry