Author Topic: VST Effects Plugin  (Read 124213 times)

sveakul

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Steven:  I notice that your mb_vst plugin from the link on its MusicBee Addons/Plugins page has not been updated to match the one you posted here on January 6;  is this just an oversight or is it because you are still testing with it?

Steven

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sveakul

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OK, thanks for the info!  As I mentioned the original still works well with the new 2.4.0.9 bass_vst.dll now in the MB 3.3 updater;  the chunk data support by your new mb_vst may well fix other folks' issues though.

PLEASE, any VST users out there, do some TESTING, and POST!  While the verdict is still open and Steven is still working with the plugin.  Where is everybody??

wealstarr

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i will leave this a while

Thank you for the much needed update. More plugins work now. Snapshots are also being saved now. TDR and DDMF plugins that previously just bypassed the audio are working now. It's important to mention that TDR Nova is one of the best free dynamic EQ out there.

However, DMG plugins still not working. The audio is filtered but the GUI is unresponsive. It works only for the first time it's activated/deactived then becomes unresponsive as soon as the track changes or any links/toolbars are clicked and stays that way.

@Steven: can you help me with this plugin ?  https://dmgaudio.com/products_equick.php The plugin works fine, only the GUI is not responsive. I purchased it for a hefty price it makes me sad I can't use it :(

sveakul

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Hi wealstarr, good to see you back here and glad to know the new VST changes helped you with more plugins.  Did you update both bass_vst.dll (now in the regular update zip for MB 3.3) AND the mb_vst.dll from the link in Steven's post here (https://www.mediafire.com/file/f6ebbedyyw2sqq4/mb_VST.dll/file)??  I had issues with a previously problem-free VST (Maxwell Smart Limiter 3) that disappeared when I rolled back to the original mb_vst.dll (but kept the new bass_vst.dll).  Also, can you check if the Acon Effect Chainer is loading for you now?  A no-go for me with any file combination.

wealstarr

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Hi sveakul good to see you too bud. Yeah I've updated the new mb_VST. I already had the newer version of bass_VST.dll that is 2.4.5.0 so I skipped that from Steven's post.

Although it's still buggy but solves a lot's of issues, the most prominent of which was not saving the snapshots/banks. I've tested the latest version of this plugin with quite a lot of plugins and it saves the snapshots just fine. All Voxengo plugins had this issue but it's solved now. And all the Toneboosters, Sonible, Fabfilter, Acon plugins are working as they should, no errors. Oh! and Tokyo Dawn Labs plugins are also working fine without any errors.

However, DMG Audio plugins still have that GUI not responding issue that I was seeking the help for. So it's still work in progress. We can only hope that Steven get around one last time to update this plugin and it becomes stable and fully functional.

I did't try Acon chainer but I did tried another VST based wrapper with the mb_VST plugin and it's working the same way the mb_VST works. Fine with the plugins that already work and buggy with the plugins that have errors with mb_VST plugin. I don't think we need a wrappers anymore within Musicbee since the snapshots are being saved now and multiple plugins can be hosted. Moreover wrappers solve nothing that mb_VST throws errors for. I think the wrappers are only needed if a plugin has no support for VST2 or for the bridging of 64bit to 32 bit. More and more companies are now ditching the 32 bit versions. Toneboosters being the latest in the list. Someone also complained about Goodhertz plugins not being detected, cuz they are only 64 bit. It should also be noted that the wrappers will add unnecessary latency to the stream.

Here's a wrapper that you should try out
https://ddmf.eu/metaplugin-chainer-vst-au-rtas-aax-wrapper/

I will await for your analysis and please continue posting in the thread, you've been a lot of help.
Last Edit: February 08, 2019, 11:33:20 AM by wealstarr

sveakul

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Hi wealstarr,

Great on using the newly modified mb_vst.dll host!

You mentioned that you didn't also go to the new bass_vst.dll because you already have the "newer" 2.4.5.0 version.  Actually, if you mean the one originally supplied with MB before now, which was the same as the one at the regular un4seen.com download link, the mod date on that is actually 9/17/2013, so a much older build.  My own belief is that the version number on that one is a typo for "2.4.0.5".  Supporting that would seem to be that there is a bass_vst.dll over at Github with a mod date of 2/27/2015 with a version number of "2.4.0.8", with these listed enhancements:

"BASS_VST_Get/SetChunk added: plain binary parameter data handling;
BASS_VST_Get/SetProgramParam length parameter added: to yield better .Net interoperability;
Default/last parameter value handling optimized: as some VSTs can dynamically add/remove parameters."

These changes resemble the ones made by Steven and note that his own version was given the number "2.4.0.9" which follows the Github one's convention.

So, you might want to try using that one and seeing if it helps solve issues still outstanding after going to the new mb_vst.dll.  I still have plugins that will crash or produce the "dead GUI", but worth a shot.

Thanks for the tip on the chainer, will take a look!

wealstarr

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Hi again sveakul,

Thank you for pointing out bass_VST details. If it wasn't for you, I would have never guessed. Okay so I grabbed to newer one from Steven's post but unfortunately it does not solve the "dead GUI" issue for DMG Audio plugins. Appears like I have to stick with Toneboosters for now.

Thank you again for the help, sveakul. Highly appreciated.

sveakul

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An interesting recent post at un4seen on bass_vst.dll versions: http://www.un4seen.com/forum/?topic=18504.msg129790#msg129790

Also note the 2.4.0.10 build with a 12/15/2018 mod date downloadable here:  https://github.com/Falcosoft/BASS_VST/releases

sveakul

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Some recent news about the status of bass_vst.dll is over at the un4seen forum.  In summary, there is a new version available in "beta" status that incorporates additional functions from the "BaseHead" version merge;  as the source code for those was only recently made available, this version is currently the ONLY one that has them.  In addition to some fixes, these functions have been added:

   BASS_VST_ChannelCreateEx
   BASS_VST_ChannelSetDSPEx
   BASS_VST_CheckPreset
   BASS_VST_StoreOldPreset
   BASS_VST_StorePreset
   BASS_VST_RecallPreset
   BASS_VST_HasEditor
   BASS_VST_EditorInfo
   BASS_VST_ReadPresetInfo
   BASS_VST_Dispatcher

This new version, mod date 6/11/2019, still retains the old "2.4.0.8" version number, which will be changed to "2.4.1" when the release version is available.  The development version package posted now (https://www.un4seen.com/stuff/bass_vst.zip) is still awaiting some tuning on the OSX version, but the Windows version may be good-to-go as-is and is ready for testing.

Many thanks to Ian Luck at un4seen for providing this info.  MusicBee VST users may well see compatibility improvements when using the new bass_vst.dll with Steven's updated mb_VST.dll host with its chunk data capability (uploaded by him at https://www.mediafire.com/file/f6ebbedyyw2sqq4/mb_VST.dll/file , NOT the same as the one now in the regular "Plugins" download section of the MB website).

Steven

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MusicBee VST users may well see compatibility improvements when using the new bass_vst.dll with Steven's updated mb_VST.dll host with its chunk data capability (uploaded by him at https://www.mediafire.com/file/f6ebbedyyw2sqq4/mb_VST.dll/file , NOT the same as the one now in the regular "Plugins" download section of the MB website).
I have now updated the Plugins page as well


mark44

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I am relatively new to MusicBee.  Given the universal appeal/usage of VST plugins in pro audio, this VST support feature of Musicbee is impressive.
Reading through this thread, signs are it is all due to Steven, so, like others, I acknowledge Steven's abilities and efforts to establish this capability.

I have a question:    If I run a VST effects plugin that splits two-channel stereo into 4 channels, will Musicbee output those 4 channels to my DAC ?

Background info:
a) My Dac is usb connected to a windows pc and supports 6 channels; it has an Asio driver available, should it be required.
b) The particular VST plugin acts like a LF and HF filter, taking in two full-range channels and putting out 2 LF and 2 HF channels.

Steven

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I dont think it would as the final output is done through the bass library - MB and the bass library dont have any mechanism to dynamically react to changes to the number of output channels

mark44

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Thanks for your reply, Steven.

Just to make sure I grasp the breadth of your "no"  - when you say Bass library will not "dynamically" react to channel numbers, does that  also exclude me pre-configuring MB to always output 4 channels to obviate the need for dynamic adjustment ?