I have not found a recent update on the forums about the status of using VST3's in OpenMPT.
I am asking because NI (Native Instruments) has dropped some VST2 versions of there plugins. My plug-ins were 'updated' and the VST2 version was removed by NI's Native Access.
I also have Wave's plugins that are all VST3 that I would like to use.
Does anybody know the current statues of VST 3 in OpenMPT ?
Any suggestions for Free/OpenSource VST 3 to VST2 host, if they make such a thing ?
No, there are no immediate plans for VST3 support. Many plugin and host creators didn't make the move because it's a very flawed and at the same time very complex plugin interface. Some VST3 plugins secretly still export a VST2 interface, so even if a plugin claims to just be a VST3 plugin, you can try loading it into OpenMPT.
Will openmpt support Chinese in the future :)
Please do not ask unrelated questions in existing threads; open a new thread for new questions please.
The current code base of OpenMPT doesn't allow for easy localization; it's most likely something that will happen when/if we switch to the Qt framefork for multi-platform support, as it has great localization support.
Any chance of reconsidering the anti-VST3 stance now that the VST 2.4 SDK is no longer available ?
There are still plenty of ways to write VST2.4 plugins and people will continue to do so (I'm not a lawyer but I think that a lot of things they claim with regards to what you are allowed to do with the VST2 SDK these days are legally questionable at best).
VST3 is a monster SDK that is terribly complex and noone but Steinberg asked for, and on top of everything, it's either proprietary or GPL-licensed (the latter is incompatible with OpenMPT's BSD license). As long as noone writes a more permissive implementation of the VST3 interface (that may very well be me but I have more important stuff to do at the moment), it's unlikely to happen.
Quote from: Saga Musix on November 08, 2020, 01:16:57
Some VST3 plugins secretly still export a VST2 interface, so even if a plugin claims to just be a VST3 plugin, you can try loading it into OpenMPT.
Do you have any examples of this actually working, it just saddens me that many new plug-ins is only available in vst3 format only.
I only tested a few VST3s but it worked with most of them. Lynx, Kx PolyMod, Roland Concerto, SquashIt are a few examples. Not sure if the latest changes to the VST3 SDK still allow for this, most of those files are a couple of years old (but even some plugins from that timeframe don't work so it's not just about age).
I dont get it, is modplug tracker able to load files ending with *.vst3?
I have not been able to do so.
VST3 files are just renamed DLL files. Some of them may contain the VSTPluginMain entry point (the function in a DLL file that identifies a plugin to be a VST2 plugin) in addition to the VST3 entry point. If OpenMPT can find that entry pointin the file, it can load it as a VST2 plugin. Otherwise it can't. It's really up to the plugin. Maybe all plugins you tried don't have this additional entry point.
I have found a VST host program that allows some major functionality with VST3 and OpenMPT.
This can be loaded as a VST in OpenMPT, allowing for use (bridge) of VST3!
Element VST2/3 Host : https://kushview.net/element/ (https://kushview.net/element/)
Here is a download link for an older version, available without support :
https://github.com/kushview/Element/releases/download/0.41.1/element-win64-0.41.1.exe (https://github.com/kushview/Element/releases/download/0.41.1/element-win64-0.41.1.exe)
I was able to use my Waves VST3 delays, reverbs, and compressors and others with no problems. VST instruments also worked!
thank you very much for element, it is exactly what I was looking for
Sad...
If you find it sad and this issue is important to you, you could help by asking Steinberg to license their VST3 SDK from GPL to SDK. That would be the most important step to have any chance for legal VST3 support as long as there are no third-party implementations (which are being worked on as far as I'm aware, but only for plugins at the moment and not for hosts, I think).
Until then, I'll try to get VST shell plugin support into OpenMPT 1.31, which would allow for vst3shell to be used with OpenMPT.
I dont think, Steinberg will listen me. But anyway new free and open source plugins comes out in vst3 format mostly and is a future do you want it or not. I like vst2 better, but reality is other -for example I can't open SurgeXT(awesome opensource synth) in Openmpt. And IMO not many OpenMPT users are hard commercial plugins users. So it is for future of Openmpt ;)
Yeah, they wouldn't listen to me either. The only thing that will work is if we all do it. Which is why I have a bit of hope for CLAP (https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=574861) to eventually replace VST3 as the go-to format for new plugins, but we'll see. It's definitely more likely at this point that OpenMPT gains CLAP or LV2 support than VST3.
I'm afraid that World War III is more real, than CLAP.
how does element have vst3 but we dont? what does getting vst3 entail exactly? If it is money to get a licence, maybe we should let people know who use ompt so we can all donate more. vst3 is just getting bigger and bigger, we have to get it at some time.
It has nothing to do with money. VST3 can be either licensed under a proprietary license agreement with Steinberg, or through the GPL license, but the GPL license is not compatible with OpenMPT's more permissive BSD license - it would essentially force OpenMPT's code to be released under the GPL license as well. It would be technically possible to use the proprietary license together with OpenMPT as far as I understand, but I'd rather not sign contracts with Steinberg that they can change at their will at any point in time (as they tried before to make VST3 developers stop developing VST2s by forbidding them through their contract to use the VST2 SDK).
Quote from: Saga Musix on February 18, 2022, 08:36:46
It has nothing to do with money. VST3 can be either licensed under a proprietary license agreement with Steinberg, or through the GPL license, but the GPL license is not compatible with OpenMPT's more permissive BSD license - it would essentially force OpenMPT's code to be released under the GPL license as well.
What about making a gpl add on, ... so something that is entirely separate from ompt, it is its own little bit of software, with a separate installation process etc, but it is kinda a thing you install that makes changes to your ompt... idk just spitballing here on how we might be able to press the erect middle finger againt the faces of the people responsible for all that crap.
So it wouldnt be a vst, or anything like that, just a separate 'add on' that can be installed by anyone who wants it, made entirely gpl, it finds your ompt folder/s and adds on vst3 support.
would that still leave us vulnerable to steinberg?
Another way to look at it or lable it would be like a modification or mod for ompt.
Quote from: Exhale on February 18, 2022, 14:40:26
What about making a gpl add on,
That would be
legally possible.
HOWEVER:
- First, OpenMPT needs to get an abstract plugin interface at all. This is something that I would love to see anyway, as it would cleanup interfacing with current (VST2, DMO, custom tracker plugins) (and future (CLAP, LV2/DSSI/LADSPA, ...)) different plugin architectures. Currently, each plugin architecture is somewhat hard-coded ad-hoc, which is far from optimal.
- A proper abstract plugin interface will also maybe require or encourage a rewrite of the Plugin Bridge, working on the same API level as the abstract plugin interface.
- If any functionality ever gets added to that abstract plugin interface that is in any way VST3-specific, or derived from VST3, or makes particularly interfacing with VST3 simpler, this would make OpenMPT immediately GPL3.
- I will not touch any GPL3 code at all (for various reasons), so if OpenMPT gets VST3 support in any way, shape, or form without a strictly separately developed abstract plugin interface, OpenMPT looses 1 of its current 2 maintainers.
- This all would be a huge amount of work.
Quote from: manx on February 18, 2022, 14:56:04
3. If any functionality ever gets added to that abstract plugin interface that is in any way VST3-specific, or derived from VST3, or makes particularly interfacing with VST3 simpler, this would make OpenMPT immediately GPL3.
4.I will not touch any GPL3 code at all (for various reasons), so if OpenMPT gets VST3 support in any way, shape, or form without a strictly separately developed abstract plugin interface, OpenMPT looses 1 of its current 2 maintainers.
5.This all would be a huge amount of work.
The last thing I think anyone wants is our beloved ompt's code to become more restrictive which is why I suggested something entirely different, a separate bit of software, an add-on or a mod that isnt technically a part of modplug... so modplug stays the same, except maybe the other changes you suggested, the ones that are strictly essential but will have their own functions in base modplug, and then the add on / mod will have all the legal trouble if shit hits the fan as a separate bit of its own gpl software... and thus hopefully you would remain to work on the more permissive licenced ompt while whomever is brave enough to take on the mod / add-on can do so... maybe there could be a bit of code in modplug to make something like this more smooth, but it wouldnt necessarily have to have any of the vst3 code in it, surely it could be more general than that sort of like a plug socket to plug the mod into.
I am just busy looking up both licences and I will read through them, I am not a lawyer, but yeah I have heard people have a problem with the gpl3 licence not just here, but I think I have heard similar thoughts elsewhere, although I havent really heard much because I cannot program or understand law all that much even though every human is forcefully obligated to understand some law.
Either way I am hoping that my idea sort of paints a loophole we can hopefully exploit... I mean all sorts of software has add ons that arent the same licence as the base software, like photoshop has effects and stuff you can download that are made entirely by different people than adobe, some free some paid... minecraft has mods of various kinds, some free some paid and on and on... the lists are endless. They cant expect a mod / add on for software to force the base software into a new licence.
And yeah, I most certainly dont think a change like this would be anything but "a huge amount of work"... my only hope here is to put a sign board up for another rout that might be possible for those who are willing to take that road, a little bit of hope for those who would like to use vst3 in modplug to dream of at least. Maybe open a debate about if the base software's licence isnt touched, and a mod / add-on is created under its own licence, people like you, who I have full trust have perfectly respectable and legitimate objections wont have to compromise morals so that something that is looking like it might be essential can have a way to become a part of the ompt project, even as a separate project.
The way I picture it, you download modplug as normal, install it the way it is now... then if you want vst3 you download and install the vst3 mod, it makes a separate directory in your modplug folder, in which is contains everything it needs and, although when you are in modplug it looks like you are just opening vst3s like you would any other vst, any code that is needed for that to happen is executed outside of what is actually modplug.
I think I am making sense here... idk... I mean I have tried making my own mods for minecraft before, and those are just jar files if I remember correctly, but I used a bit of software that made the mod for me, I just used a visual interface. But that jar file wasnt minecraft, it was a totally separate and entirely optional thing to add to minecraft, and mojang could certainly not be held accountable for what that jar file would do.
Quote from: Exhale on February 18, 2022, 15:11:30
The way I picture it, you download modplug as normal, install it the way it is now... then if you want vst3 you download and install the vst3 mod
That "VST3 mod" could simply be vst3shell, which I already mentioned above, which is an existing product and the only thing it requires to implement is VST shell plugin support. It's a lot more realistic to happen anytime soon than any other sort of "official" VST3 support.
Quote from: Saga Musix on February 18, 2022, 16:52:11
Quote from: Exhale on February 18, 2022, 15:11:30
The way I picture it, you download modplug as normal, install it the way it is now... then if you want vst3 you download and install the vst3 mod
That "VST3 mod" could simply be vst3shell, which I already mentioned above, which is an existing product and the only thing it requires to implement is VST shell plugin support. It's a lot more realistic to happen anytime soon than any other sort of "official" VST3 support.
ok thanks, that clarifies things I guess. I guess I got carried away trying to suggest something that someone who might not even be a part of the present team could make on their own if they had the know how and the drive to do it... idk... back to making music again I guess.