native VST synths/other plugins for Linux ? UPDATE 4/15/2015

[StudioDave]

Greetings,

[edit 4/15/2015] I've updated the list here:

http://linux-sound.org/linux-vst-plugins.html

It includes synths and other types of plugins, so I've changed this post's original subject line. As always, please advise if you discover problems with the listed software, or if you know of other native Linux VSTs that should be added.

Best,

dp

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I'm finishing a review of Bitwig and would like to present a summary of the available VST synths and samplers for Linux (in .so format, not .dll). So far I've collected and tested the following items:

Loomer Aspect
Loomer String
Loomer Cumulus
discoDSP Discovery
discoDSP Discovery Pro
discoDSP Highlife
Tunefish3
Tunefish4
TAL Noizemaker
Extent Of The Jam Digits
LinuxSampler
Nekobi
Vex
Drumsynth
Wolpertinger
Obxd
mdaEPiano
mdaPiano
mdaDX10
mdaJX10
Modartt Pianoteq
various Cabbage-created synths
Mr Alias Pro
FooYC20

Alas, the Digits synth fails to load in BWS so I haven't been able to test it, ditto for Nekobi and Mr Alias. The Cabbage synths will load and run, but the binaries are huge compared to the other synths listed. Perhaps 8G memory is required for optimizing their use in BWS ?

So, as the question mark in the subject implies, have I left anything out ? Commercial/proprietary or free, big or small, it doesn't matter.

Best,

dp

EDIT 6/6/14: Thanks to a critical bugfix in RC1.09 Bitwig now loads Digits and Nekobi. Both synths work, but Nekobi's GUI fails to load properly (it begins to draw then stops). The FooYC20 organ loads and immediately crashes. Digits still has no way to access its presets, a fault of BW if I understand correctly. Alas, Mr Alias still fails to load at all. I've written to the mighty Piz and asked for a 64-bit binary (the source tree is foo). Four synthesizers are available from the ccern collection, they will list and load, but they crash immediately, possibly due to GUI errors (they are very old plugins).

Meanwhile I'm also testing audio/MIDI effects and dynamics processors. A much larger selection of VST plugins exists for those categories, including collections from The Piz, Paul Keller (the mda suite), and Michael Gruehn. I'll prepare a similar list for those plugins asap.

[sysrqer]

That's all I can think of. Think there wolpertinger (or whatever it's called)?

Where are the latest mda vsts held? They seem a bit unstable in renoise.

[StudioDave]

That's all I can think of. Think there wolpertinger (or whatever it's called)?

It's in the list.

Where are the latest mda vsts held? They seem a bit unstable in renoise.

Good question. Try here:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/mda-vst/

I had the set on another machine, a 64-bit build, I just copied them over to my Fedora box. They work fine in BW (so far).

Best,

dp

[sysrqer]

It's in the list.

Oops missed that!

Good question. Try here:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/mda-vst/

I had the set on another machine, a 64-bit build, I just copied them over to my Fedora box. They work fine in BW (so far).

Best,

dp

They seem to be the 32 bit ones but I will give them a try. Could you upload the 64 bit build if you still have them? I have a feeling bridging them isn't helping the stability.

[varpa]

There is Pianoteq which is not a "synth" per se, but does make synthesized piano (and some other instruments) sounds.

[StudioDave]

There is Pianoteq which is not a "synth" per se, but does make synthesized piano (and some other instruments) sounds.

Ouch, I really missed that one. The advert says its x86 only, I think BW handles 32-bit plugs. I'll give it a go if there's a demo of the plugin.

Thanks !

dp

Update: Got the 64-bit demo, plugin works fine (with limitations). Added to the list.

[stanlea]

Mr Alias pro (32 bits only)

[StudioDave]

Mr Alias pro (32 bits only)

Tried it, it wouldn't load, but I should add it. The pizmidi stuff in is unstable in BW. I can get the plugins to load but there's nothing coming from plugin outputs.

Best,

dp

[heix]

There are some interesting vst plugins (32 and 64bit) at http://www.ineardisplay.com/

[StudioDave]

linuxsampler has a vst version

Indeed it does ! Thanks for the reminder, I built and installed the LS stack (with VST support), figured out how to jump through some hoops - don't start LS before invoking the plugin, do start Fantasia after invoking the plugin - but when it was ready it worked a treat in BWS. And with GIG/SFZ/SF2 support, how nice.

I've decided to include samplers in the list.

Best,

dp

[StudioDave]

There are some interesting vst plugins (32 and 64bit) at http://www.ineardisplay.com/

I love those plugins, but alas, the collection includes no synths or samplers. Tkapik comes close, it's a sample-based effects processing module.

Did you notice that all the Linux versions are free, as in "at no cost" ? Sweet.

Tested in BWS, they work well. Many strange effects !

Best,

dp

[heix]

right... along reading the thread I forgot there is a "synths" in the subject

[danboid]

Thanks for compiling this list Dave but oh dear! Just over 20 VST synth plugins? I'm sure there are a few more than that you've missed such as VOPM:

http://www.geocities.jp/sam_kb/VOPM/

I've not tried compiling it yet but I'm interested to play with it. There are a few others missing from your list that used to be available from JUCEtice but possibly suffer bitrot now (F?):

http://www.anticore.org/jucetice/?page_id=8

I searched KVR for Windows VST plugin instruments and got over 2800 results. Hopefully the availability of Bitwig and Tracktion combined with the continued improvement of Ardour, Mixbus (come on MB3) and qtractor will at least double the length of that list by the years end.

[StudioDave]

Thanks for compiling this list Dave but oh dear! Just over 20 VST synth plugins? I'm sure there are a few more than that you've missed such as VOPM:

Thanks, Dan, but no, I didn't miss it. I was unable to verify that it could be built and run under Linux.

http://www.geocities.jp/sam_kb/VOPM/

No mention of Linux there. The VOPM page on KVR indicates that a Linux version is possible. Never seen it though.

I've not tried compiling it yet but I'm interested to play with it. There are a few others missing from your list that used to be available from JUCEtice but possibly suffer bitrot now.

Thanks again, but I also didn't miss them. If I can't verify they'll even build then they didn't make the list. I tried compiling the Peggy synth, got no joy. If falkTX has given up on those synths I see little reason to pursue them. But the codebase is there for any intrepid soul who wants to make the attempt.

Rory Walsh's Cabbage project holds enormous potential for expanding the list. And I agree, it's also possible that success of Tracktion, Bitwig, Mixbus, et al might inspire a few Win/Mac plug coders to join the Linux conga-line. But unless they're already using cross-platform toolkits they probably won't make the effort, too much trouble recoding for an uncertain market.

Colin at Loomer indicated that they'd like to put more work into Cumulus, and George Reales (discoDSP) has inferred that he might port the rest of his synths to Linux. I'd love to see a synth from linuxDSP, I can only imagine how good it could be, given Mike's proven skills.

I searched KVR for Windows VST plugin instruments and got over 2800 results.

Sobering, isn't it ? And out of that mass there are a *lot* of good instruments, even free ones.

At least the synths we have are for the most part very good instruments, blessings upon their makers.

Best,

dp

[StudioDave]

Another one, Foo YC20:
https://code.google.com/p/foo-yc20/

the linux vst doesn't have an UI, but works.
(on the kx repos as well)

Is the Linux VST-enabled makefile only available from the kx repos ?

The sources from the address above accommodate only standalone and LV2 for Linux, VST for Win32.

Best,

dp