Play Your VSTi Plugin LIVE!

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

OK; so you have this great plugin instrument that sounds like a million, either a software verison of a classical instrument like a Pianet N, a Rhodes Suitcase or a Vox Jaguar or Farfisa Mini-Compact, or some do-it-all synthesizer that has Subtractive Minimoog format, FM, CZ Phase distortion and Linear Algorithm, or a drum machine with 16 voices. And you say "Gee, if I could only play that without having to use my DAW"

Here is the deal, unless the plugin is an exe (executable) file, in which case it probably has a "standalone" mode or version, it is probably a dll. DLL stands for Dynamic Link Library. While this thing is, functionally, a whole program, parameter set, Graphic User Interface and set of presets and actuall DOES something, which makes it dynamic, it needs to be called to play. In the old days, it would be considered a kind of subroutine that is stored on its own, and called by a main program, which is what it needed to work. Well for a dll plugin. that main program is called a "host". So if your VSTi (VST instrument) is to play it needs a hose. Usually that means your DAW or Digital Audio Workstation (Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Sonar, FL Studio, Tracktion, or REAPER). Now,these are monster programs that you have to call up and set the plugin instrument up in to sound

What if you could just get a program that would just play the damn plugin live on its own?

Ta-Da!!

You are not the only one to think of that. When I hear some grat-sounding strings on a track and say "If I could only play that live [sigh]". Gluess what:

Minihost
https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=nc47WvLmGaOc_Qat3ZW4BQ&q=vst+minihost&oq=vst+min&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0i20i263k1j0l9.1960.6542.0.11107.12.9.2.0.0.0.172.855.5j3.8.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..2.10.864.0..35i39k1j0i20i264k1j0i131k1j0i10k1j0i20i263i264k1.0.Q42dzVxt3T4

VstHost
https://www.google.com/search?ei=s847WuvcMqaT_Qac-LPAAw&q=vsthost&oq=vsthost&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0i67k1l2j0i10i67k1j0j0i10k1l2j0j0i10k1l2j0.118120.124832.0.144284.8.8.0.0.0.0.110.663.6j1.8.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.8.768.6..35i39k1j0i131k1j0i20i264k1.108.x4KsiJtZ17c

Savihost
https://www.google.com/search?ei=RM87Wor3K4Gb_Qbw7oroCw&q=savihost&oq=savvihost&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0i13k1l7j0i13i30k1l3.61388.68651.0.76322.12.11.1.0.0.0.121.1041.4j6.11.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.12.1149.6..0j35i39k1j0i67k1j0i131i67k1j0i131k1j0i20i264k1j0i131i20i264k1j0i20i264i46k1j46i20i264k1j0i10k1j0i13i10i30k1.104.cFolXFsl9Ls

I take it that, using Savihost, rather than just rename it. you make a copy of it and rename the copy after the instrument it will be playing. Now do you know what that means to someone like me who has over 100 synths, about a dozen organs, 3 or 4 pianos and various exotic instruments, like sitars and santours as well as a gazillion string sets, drum machines and samples, and maybe I can do this with one of the sfz players? I can create versions of the Fairies, double-string harps, glass flute and Dulcichord (the double-string harp laid over a soundbox and either plucked or struck with hammers), or double-strung bowed instrumets. Now, all accessible on stage: Oy cavade! Drool...swoon...thud!

[mick_dl]

Basically you can use every VST/AU host. Some doing better and some not. I know also people playing with Natives Complete Control... 

I performed live with MainStage and with Ableton. Both have there pros and cons. I use MainStage mostly for the cover band in wich I play. Actually it is responsible for my guitar sound (PositivGrid BiasFX), my keyboard sound (mostly FM8 and Alchemie) and an FX mic (Vocoder, Harmonizer) 

The pro form MainStage is, that you can prepare the complete setlist with all Sound's FX's and a pre mix. More over you get a mini Notepad where you can put in remarks or chord. The con from MainStage is, that it is sometimes a bit tricky and have it's own live...

Ableton work way's more stable, but it's not that comfortable if it comes to setlist and premixing. It's more for DJ'ing and great if you work with stems.

How ever - in every case: 

a) Have a plan "B" if something fails. (I still have a "normal" keyboard, that is connected to the (analog) pre mixer and an backup guitar amp). So if the computer fail I still can play something (of cause not with that sound - but the important part is that the show goes on...)

b) get a feeling for the things that can go wrong and have a strategy how to repair this.

c) I you have a pro team, check that strategy with your stagehands before you go on stage and tell them what to do.

d) keep it as simple as possible

e) Think exactly over what you want to do when and why - and then check that it works in the rehearsal room first. I know that can be tricky I also played jobs where we had only one or two rehearsals before the gig.