Can't select a custom VST Folder

[sourceblaak]

Is there any reason why you can't select a custom VST folder? Any time you do so it just decides to default to the Components folder or scan every VST (depending where the custom folder is). I've tried on two different systems. Mac OS Big Sur and Sequoia. Very annoying.

[peterrudenko]

Thanks for reporting that, could you check if the development build fixes it for you?

[sourceblaak]

Where are the nightlies? Or do I have to build it from source? Where is it for mac?

Nvm found it, but it won't open on Sequoia 15.3.1. Just simply says it cannot be opened and has the "Prohibited" Symbol over the icon. Stable release opens fine.

[peterrudenko]

Ah, seems like it wasn't compiled for both architectures (I've been building it manually since TravisCI dropped support for mac).

Please try the development build again, it should be the universal binary this time.

[sourceblaak]

Thanks seems to be working now. Also unrelated but it seems "Superlocrian" scale is wrong. It should be 0-1-3-4-6-8-10

[peterrudenko]

Thanks for the feedback! Updated the scales list too.

[Musclorman]

Hello/Bonjour

In Windows and Linux the loading logo spins endlessly when I scan the VSTs... Bug?

Sur Windows et Linux le logo de chargement tourne a l'infini quand je scan les VSTs.. Bug?

[peterrudenko]

In theory, it shouldn't hang forever, it scans with a separate process and has a 1 minute timeout for each library it finds.

I'm guessing it found too many libraries to scan because it looks into a lot of folders (like documents, common applications, and so on).

[Musclorman]

Hello. I am bad at English so I use Google Translation.
Here is where my VST plugins are located.

Bonjour. Je suis mauvais en anglais donc j'utilise googe traduction.
Voici ou se trouvent mes plugins VST.

Unfortunately, even with an empty folder (or one that only contains the program executable), it doesn't work and I have no way of knowing if the backend is running or not. I had this problem with the stable version, so I switched to the development version last week to see if it would change, but it hasn't. For now, I'm using Qsynth via Midiloops for output due to lack of better options. To export to audio, I have to export to MIDI and then import into LMMS.
Why not create an integrated plugin list that wouldn't need scanning and a VST list with multiple folders and progress status when scanning (at least the name of the currently scanning file)? Possibility to display a console in Windows to see if it's progressing or stuck? CARLA support (I haven't been able to test it)? Otherwise, some improvement ideas: Displaying the track list with ports and instruments like an Excel spreadsheet, easy to modify (without going through menus)? Other MIDI controllers like sustain? Pitch? Enlarging a track to loop it? Step recording (with a virtual or real MIDI keyboard by selecting a note duration and playing it)? Custom chords or arpeggios (like creating a track by specifying node 0 for reference and creating our loop that we can play in our piece starting from any note)? An option to import a VST plugin or a soundfont into the project without having to scan or go through 'Studio'?
Otherwise, the fact of placing a note and having a big circle to choose the chords is so simple but so practical. It makes music creation so much easier without a MIDI keyboard at hand that it should be a feature available in all MIDI creation software, even professional ones. It's just a pity that we can't create plugins and interface enhancements via Python like Gimp or Blender does, for example. Or at least an equivalent to VST plugins compatible with all OS (including Windows or Android) for processing MIDI (or audio) without forcing the user to install a whole bunch of things or having to compile.
Goodbye.

Malheureurement même avec un dossier vide (ou qui ne contiens que l'executable du programme) ca ne marche pas et je n'ai aucun moyen de savoir si le backend tourne ou pas. J'ai eut ce problème avec la version stable donc je suis passé a la version de developpement la semaine dernière pour voir si ca changeais mais non. Pour l'instant j'utilise Qsynth via Midiloops en sortie faute de mieux. Pour exporter en audio je suis obligé de d'exporter en MIDI puis d'importer dans LMMS.
Pourquoi ne pas avoir fait une liste de plugins intégré qui n'aurais pas besoin de scan et une liste VST avec plusieurs dossiers et l'état d'avancement quand on scan (au moins le nom du fichier en cours)? Possibilité d'afficher une console sous windows pour voir si ca avance ou pas et savoir ou ca plante? CARLA pris en charge (j'ai pas pu testé)? Sinon quelques idées d'amélioration: Affichage de la liste des pistes avec port et instruments façon tableur excel facile a modifier (sans passer par les menus? Controleurs midi autre comme sustain? Pitch? Agrandir une piste pour la boucler? Enregistrement pas a pas (avec clavier midi virtuel ou réel en selectionnant une durée de note et en la jouant)? Accords ou arpège personnalisé (genre on crée une piste en indiquant la node 0 pour se repérer et on crée notre boucle qu'on pourra jouer dans notre morceau a partir de n'importe quelle note)? Une option pour importer un plugin VST ou un soundfont dans son projet sans devoir faire un scan ou passer par "Studio"?
Sinon le fait de placer une note et d'avoir un gros cercle pour choisir les accords c'est tout bête mais tellement pratique. Ca facilite tellement la création de musique sans clavier MIDI a porté de main que ca devrais être une fonction disponible dans tout les logiciels de création MIDI même pro. Juste dommage qu'on ne puisse pas creer de plugins et d'améliorations d'interface via python comme le fait Gimp ou Blender par exemple. Ou au moins un equivelent aux plugins VST compatible tout OS (y compris windows ou android) pour traiter du MIDI (ou de l'audio) sans forcer l'utilisateur a installer tout un tas de trucs bi devoir compiler.
Au revoir.

2025-09-17.23-25-50.mp4

[peterrudenko]

Unfortunately, even with an empty folder (or one that only contains the program executable), it doesn't work

Please check out the latest development build, it should now hopefully find more folders. If it doesn't, something is definitely wrong. Also note that the 64-bit build won't see the 32-bit plugins and vice versa.

Why not create an integrated plugin list that wouldn't need scanning and a VST list with multiple folders and progress status when scanning (at least the name of the currently scanning file)? Possibility to display a console in Windows to see if it's progressing or stuck?

My idea was to avoid cluttering the UI: the global scan button should work most of the time, and if it doesn't, use the "scan custom folder" button. Although I agree that the scanning process needs better indication.

[peterrudenko]

Otherwise, some improvement ideas:

Thanks for the ideas! Some features are already in my backlog, will get to them when I have the time. Some things are implemented in one way or another, e.g. you can add custom arpeggiators (and apply them in a non-destructive way). You can also add custom chords, but it's not super convenient for now.

It's just a pity that we can't create plugins and interface enhancements via Python like Gimp or Blender does, for example

One of my long-overdue plans is to add some scripting language, mainly focused on writing custom musical transformations and doing MIDI processing in general. Python seems too heavy, so I was thinking about a lightweight Lisp-like DSL. If you have ideas and suggestions on scripting, please share.

[suhr]

An idea: https://www.osar.fr/protoplug/

It's not maintained anymore though. But Lua is still a popular scripting language.

so I was thinking about a lightweight Lisp-like DSL

If you're going to use a lisp, please support SRFI 119. I do not want to read parenthesis.

Guile supports it by the way. Also, guile is a popular embedded lisp among GNU projects.

[Musclorman]

It's true that Python is quite heavy... On the other hand, there are quite a few communities (including French-speaking ones) and many libraries. Lisp seems quite complex from what I see on Wikipedia France... There’s Lua which is quite used for extensions (VLC media player uses it I think) but the ideal would be to have at least one simple language for those who just want to create buttons that manipulate MIDI data (like for example Godot which allows you to choose between GDScript for beginners or C# for those who want to do more things).

C'est vrais que Python est assez lourd... Par contre pas mal de communaités (y compris francophone) et pas mal de bibliothèques. Lisp a l'air assez complexe de ce que je vois sur wikipedia france... Y a Lua qui est pas mal utilisés pour des extentions (vlc media player l'utilise je crois) mais l'idéal serait d'avoir au moins un langage simple pour ceux qui veulent juste creer des boutons qui manipulent des données midis (comme par exemple Godot qui permet de choisitr entre Dot pour les débutants ou C# pour ceux qui veulent faire plus de choses).