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Mac plug-in .VST files not recognized


mrjamiam

Question

Because I don't have enough to do, I am investigating some DAW stuff.  I have downloaded some recommended free software synthesizer plug-ins, but I am having no luck in getting either GarageBand or Audacity to recognize the .vst files.  It seems that my OS X is seeing them as bundle type files, even a couple of them as specifically Microsoft PowerPoint bundle files.  The DAWs seem to be looking at that and refusing to incorporate them.  It turns out that changing the kind or type of file - not the extension - in OS X is not for the casual user.  I don't mind going deeper, but I am not making any progress.

Does anyone else use .VST files on a Mac?  How does your system recognize them?

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Newer versions of GarageBand are 64 bit. Not sure about abelton. They will install but won’t load in the 64 bit DAW.  What version of GarageBand?

 

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Do you know if the vst’s are 64 bit?  That version of GarageBand is 64 bit and 32 bit vst won’t load.

 

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I haven't been able to tell thus far.  However, I suspect that they're probably not 64-bit, based on the age.  I was downloading free stuff, and the ages of the user manuals included looks to range from 2008 to 2016.  The user manuals don't say the relevant info.  Software has been out there a while.  That's probably what I should expect to get when I look for freebies.  Thanks for the tip.

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Audio units were not available for most.

Still no joy with GarageBand - I can't even get it to give me a plug-ins list from within the application.

Audacity, on the other hand (not Ableton - mistake on my part originally, I had been reading too many web posts about similar trouble other people were having) now sees pretty much everything that I've installed.  However, when I go to the Manage Plug-ins screen, it allows me to change them from New to Enabled... as long as I'm on that screen.  Then when I go to the Effects pull-down to use it, it's not there.  And when I go back to Manage Plug-ins, it's Groundhog Day - all my downloaded and installed software synth plug-ins are New again, not Enabled.  But that's not the topic of this post.

I'll try for something with Audio Units tomorrow.  But many attractive plug-ins are only VST, and Apple products usually begrudgingly allow interchange with the unwashed, if you try hard enough.  They make it really easy to go to the app store and buy something, though.

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Hmmm.  It isn't available on apples download site anymore.  I have it on a backup drive somewhere. If I can find it later today, I share it.

 

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I'm seeing 4 of them in GarageBand now.  I'm not sure what has changed, since I've been flailing around unscientifically.  I'm just glad for progress.  Something's still strange - some of the flailing was due to OS X claiming no longer to see the PreSonus FireStudio that I use to drive the monitors.  Finally last evening I had sound again out of the monitors, and the interface is showing a solid blue light meaning that it is synched, but OS X still claims that Firewire is not connected.  I really didn't want to become a Linux/OS X expert, but it may become necessary.

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I looked and their requirements list 10.7 or newer, which to me says 10.7-10.9.  Even in their FAQ, they're talking about 10.5, which is 9 versions old at this point.  Also, he has some work around for newer OS, but that was like 2 or 3 versions ago when the stuff he's talking about was implemented, so either he has no intent of re-working it for the newer OS or just expects you to do this for everything.  BTW, what OS are you on?

 

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On 5/10/2019 at 11:50 AM, scottcald said:

I looked and their requirements list 10.7 or newer, which to me says 10.7-10.9.  Even in their FAQ, they're talking about 10.5, which is 9 versions old at this point.  Also, he has some work around for newer OS, but that was like 2 or 3 versions ago when the stuff he's talking about was implemented, so either he has no intent of re-working it for the newer OS or just expects you to do this for everything.  BTW, what OS are you on?

 

I'm on 10.11.4 El Capitan on that machine (Mac Pro from that era, purchased used especially to be a music workstation).  Which "they" and "he" are you talking about?

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57 minutes ago, mrjamiam said:

I'm on 10.11.4 El Capitan on that machine (Mac Pro from that era, purchased used especially to be a music workstation).  Which "they" and "he" are you talking about?

Oh, man, sorry, I must've been really beat when I was looking at that.  I thought they were all from the same developer.   

So, you've sort of got it working now?  For the firewire, if you go to the Applications folder then to Utilities and open Audio MIDI setup, does the Presonus show up?  Does it disappear and re-appear?   If so, try a different cable or port to see if it's more stable.  Switch to the front or back FW ports.  

 

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8 hours ago, scottcald said:

So, you've sort of got it working now?  For the firewire, if you go to the Applications folder then to Utilities and open Audio MIDI setup, does the Presonus show up?  Does it disappear and re-appear?   If so, try a different cable or port to see if it's more stable.  Switch to the front or back FW ports.  

 

I have 4 of them now.  If I think that what I was after was a software synth to twiddle knobs on while I decide whether I want an analog hardware synth, I have that now.  If I think that something is not working right on my Mac, there are some others to track down.

Thanks for the Firewire tips.  I only have the one cable, and I should get another one or two just on general principles.  The Presonus does appear and disappear.  Stuff like that bugs me.  If it works, it should keep working unless I change something.  The randomness is unsatisfactory.

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The other thing is that the Firewire port might not be getting enough power.  You can reset the power manager by shutting down, unplug the power cord from the back of the machine (not the wall).  Wait 15 seconds, put the plug back in.  Wait 5 seconds, then restart.  That may help as well.  

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20 hours ago, scottcald said:

The other thing is that the Firewire port might not be getting enough power.  You can reset the power manager by shutting down, unplug the power cord from the back of the machine (not the wall).  Wait 15 seconds, put the plug back in.  Wait 5 seconds, then restart.  That may help as well.  

Thanks again.  That's easy enough to try.

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Thanks, Jamie.  It will probably be next week before I can check the FireControl version.  Something definitely isn’t right yet, though.  I was pretty sure that I should be able to run the .VST files.

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