A very nice and freeware tool to work with plugins

Hi everyone, I would like to share a link to a couple of very important and very cool tools for loading your DLL plugins ( VST and VSti) so you dont need to fire up your Daw to use them in case you just need to practice a jam on guitar or keyboard. There is the SAVIHOST which loads one DLL. But there is the VSThost that loads multiple VSTI and VST plugins,which is like a full function DLL daw and also has very good midi functions such as OSC ( for you banned LOL) and midi channels, banks and SYSEX, so you can control the plugins with midi . It allows you to route different DLL's in boxes and you can also see the plugins windows as well This is one of those HAVE TO HAVE TOOLS!! Anyways I have been using them for so long. And it's very cool to load a VSTI synth quick and no loading of DAW needed . This is a great way to test out VST's and VSti's Love VSTHOST!!

Thanks for the link. I like the simplicity of just clicking the DLL - and you're playing!

xlutop chainer... too bad it did not continue development... there are plugins today that it will not load but once that was not the case... once it would load things that nothing else would load... it is still very handy...

I find VSTHost to be a very handy app ! Just today I setup a routing system so that I can Q-Clone a few NEBULA equalizers, allowing me to 'sketch out' some eq strategies via Q-Clone ... thus easing the load on my computer. Once satisfied, I can then replace the clones with the real deal. Doing this in VSTHost was so simple, straightforward [even though I did get help to do this all within REAPER], VSTHost is great for this type of 'lab' work. :) Via 'Virtual Audio Cables', I'm also able to route a couple of standalone apps that have no internal VST support. I VAC into VSTHost and can have access to all my VST plugs. I just wish there was a way I could GUI control the OUTPUT of VSTHost so that I can send audio out to one of my 3 monitors [I love this REAPER ability !]. Great little app .... and FREE :)

excellent and thanks for the replies I use this testing out plugins kind of like a sketchpad seeing the plugins as boxes is very cool I would love to see a routing matrix like this in Reaper IMAGINE the possibilities!!! of seeing how your sends and vst effects link up virtually you could then virtually patch a send to an fx from another track withouting using the I/O windows OMG worlds colliding LOL I could see this working in Reaper a VSTHOST style window routing layout. What do you all think of that?

VSTHost, SaviHOST -- all useful, but I use Cantabile 1.0. The maker, TopTen Software, pulled that formerly free version off the internet a while back because everybody was so happy with it they weren't upgrading to any of the commercial versions of Cantabile! You'll see that the current free version of Cantabile (2.0) won't record or do much of anything well. But 1.0 comes with a nicer keyboard, records either MIDI or WAV, and has no clutter or rubbish in its controls. It's hard to locate on the NET but still out there. If I ever hook up a DropBox page I'll upload it, because it's an EXE and email, etc., makes it impossible these days. No mention of it at the makers website anymore, but I think it's still officially freeware. Edit: BTW, there are plenty of valid reasons for wanting to launch plugins on a desktop without having to bother with booting your DAW each time. That's a no-brainer.

Savihost ain't working with Asio4all drivers on this old Acer lappy - no sound. Haven't tried it on the main machine. Weird... 'cos Reaper (and other stuff) is fine. :(

the Cantabile free version still exists here on their site: