Reaper and top Linux samplers as plugins: how to even set up?

[pigeonw]

I don't get why documentation is so bad with Linux audio stuff. Where should you put stuff and where do the installers put stuff?

1) Sfizz: Only thing I got actually working. First of all, the DEB installer puts the SO files in "/usr/lib/lv2/sfizz.lv2/Contents/Binary", not ".lv2". I copy the SO files in ".lv2" I made (wasn't made by Reaper itself, btw). Reaper scans and finds nothing. Then copy the whole ""/usr/lib/lv2/sfizz.lv2/" folder into ".lv2" and it finally works.

2) Fluidsynth, install using "sudo apt-get install fluidsynth". Where did it actually install?. Googling some more, no info, still not clear if it installed any LV2, VST3, other plugin files or just the standalone Qt program.

3) LinuxSampler: last version is for distros from 2009?? https://download.linuxsampler.org/packages/ubuntu/

And again, no mention of plugin versions of the samplers, not standalone, on the site.

4) Carla: Installing from the distro's package manager installs the standalone version only. Downloading the tar.xz from the site: README file in the archive has no mention how to set up: if you only want to use the LV2 or VST files, do you just copy the SO files, or everything in the archive? Copying everything into .lv2 and .vst folders, and only the "Carla Rack" and "Carla Patchbay" are detected in the list in Reaper:

And when opening:

What am I even seeing? It looks nothing like the standalone Carla UI:

This frustrating. I've used Linux for 15 years for other types of professional work (2d art, 3d, video editing, programming) and used LMMS, FL Studio and Ableton Live on Windows previously. Setting up few of the top sampler plugins for your DAW does not have to be this needlessly complicated, cryptic and nonsensical. Even LMMS, with all of its limitations and missing features, gets it right and includes a SF2 soundfont player that works out-of-the-box.

Rant over.

Question:

Anyone know how to set up any of these samplers as plugins in Reaper: Fluidsynth, Carla, Linuxsampler? I can't get any of them to work as plugins rather than standalone: either can't find the plugin files, or they look broken (as with Carla).

[Kott]

I don't get why documentation is so bad with Linux audio stuff.

Maybe you didn't wrote it?

1) Sfizz: Only thing I got actually working. First of all, the DEB installer puts the SO files in "/usr/lib/lv2/sfizz.lv2/Contents/Binary", not ".lv2". I copy the SO files in ".lv2" I made (wasn't made by Reaper itself, btw). Reaper scans and finds nothing. Then copy the whole ""/usr/lib/lv2/sfizz.lv2/" folder into ".lv2" and it finally works.

deb installer won't and never did installing any in the user's home directory, only system-wide. Reaper shouldn't create anything beside it's stuff. So you just need to point Reaper to /usr/lib/lv2 in the settings "Plug-ins->LV2/CLAP->Edit paths"

2) Fluidsynth, install using "sudo apt-get install fluidsynth". Where did it actually install?. Googling some more, no info, still not clear if it installed any LV2, VST3, other plugin files or just the standalone Qt program.

Fluidsynth is not a plugin, it's a library and standalone synth. For plugin there is https://github.com/Birch-san/juicysfplugin for example.

3) LinuxSampler: last version is for distros from 2009?? https://download.linuxsampler.org/packages/ubuntu/

And again, no mention of plugin versions of the samplers, not standalone, on the site.

linuxsampler is an engine(like fluidsynth), you need to install frontend to use it, like qsampler or JSampler then add vst or lv2 plugin (search for it your distro repositories or build them) to interact with it.

4) Carla: Installing from the distro's package manager installs the standalone version only. Downloading the tar.xz from the site: README file in the archive has no mention how to set up: if you only want to use the LV2 or VST files, do you just copy the SO files, or everything in the archive? Copying everything into .lv2 and .vst folders, and only the "Carla Rack" and "Carla Patchbay" are detected in the list in Reaper:

No information what is your distro. For Debian/Ubuntu there is kxstudio repo with Carla https://kx.studio/Repositories and brief documentation how to use it https://kx.studio/Applications:Carla

[Impostor]

If you install plugins by running a .deb or with your distro's package manager, they will be installed in various system locations, like /usr/lib/lv2.

But if you prefer plugins to reside in the home folder, you must extract, not install, the plugin.lv2 folder from the plugin.deb file and copy it into ~/.lv2. This works for a lot of plugins, but not all of them. Carla for example should be installed systemwide, not simply dumped into a $HOME folder. Likewise for Zynaddsubfx.

And always, your DAW must know where to look for them. Default search locations should already be pre-specified in your DAW's settings, or maybe not in Reaper's case.

And for Carla, shouldn't you simply click on the UI button, if button it is?

[autostatic]

This works for a lot of plugins, but not all of them. Carla for example should be installed systemwide, not simply dumped into a $HOME folder. Likewise for Zynaddsubfx.

Carla And ZASFX should also work when you run them from your home directory.

And always, your DAW must know where to look for them. Default search locations should already be pre-specified in your DAW's settings, or maybe not in Reaper's case.

To my knowledge the search paths for LV2 plugins are taken care of by the LV2 Lilv library and this should also apply to Reaper. But correct me if I'm wrong here, it's been a while since I used Reaper on Linux.

[Impostor]

Carla And ZASFX should also work when you run them from your home directory.

Not by just extracting a plugin folder and dumping it in ~/.lv2
For al lot of plugins this does work, but not for zasfx and carla. Not here on my system at least.

To my knowledge the search paths for LV2 plugins are taken care of by the LV2 Lilv library and this should also apply to Reaper. But correct me if I'm wrong here, it's been a while since I used Reaper on Linux.

Oh that may very well be. My point was more that the plugin default paths, like /usr/lib/lv2 and ~/.lv2 shouldn't normally need to be manually specified by the user. I don't use Reaper either.

[sysrqer]

There is an option to set LV2 paths in reaper. I don't know if it additionally scans system set paths but it definitely has a list of paths you can manually set (I seem to remember having to set these to get some to show up).

[autostatic]

Where should you put stuff and where do the installers put stuff?

Mostly in paths that are either dictated by the software ( i.e. LV2 and VST3) or are generally agreed upon (i.e. VST2). And to make it even more complex, LV2 allows to set default LV2 paths at compile time but Debian, Ubuntu and derivatives should all look in the paths mentioned below for LV2.

LV2: ~/.lv2, /usr/lib/lv2, /lib/lv2 and /usr/local/lib/lv2
VST3: ~/.vst3 or /usr/lib/vst3 (possibly also /usr/local/lib/vst3)
VST2: ~/.local/lib/lxvst or /usr/lib/vst

Some background on paths for VST plugins: https://helpcenter.steinberg.de/hc/en-u ... on-Windows

1) Sfizz: Only thing I got actually working. First of all, the DEB installer puts the SO files in "/usr/lib/lv2/sfizz.lv2/Contents/Binary", not ".lv2". I copy the SO files in ".lv2" I made (wasn't made by Reaper itself, btw). Reaper scans and finds nothing. Then copy the whole ""/usr/lib/lv2/sfizz.lv2/" folder into ".lv2" and it finally works.

If you put stuff into ~/.lv2 then you need to copy the whole directory, also the ttl files as they are needed for the so to work. The sfizz package does not install in ~/.lv2 which is explained here: https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-polic ... ersys.html

2) Fluidsynth, install using "sudo apt-get install fluidsynth". Where did it actually install?. Googling some more, no info, still not clear if it installed any LV2, VST3, other plugin files or just the standalone Qt program.

You can check with dpkg -L fluidsynth.

3) LinuxSampler: last version is for distros from 2009??

There are issues with the current license of LinuxSampler as they include a commercial clause extending the GPLv2 license which makes it non-free: https://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2 ... 00268.html

[autostatic]

Not by just extracting a plugin folder and dumping it in ~/.lv2
For al lot of plugins this does work, but not for zasfx and carla. Not here on my system at least.

Yep you're right, checked with Carla and with the packaged version this won't work as it includes a dozen symlinks to system libs and binaries. ZASFX needs quite some external stuff too.

[pigeonw]

Not by just extracting a plugin folder and dumping it in ~/.lv2
For al lot of plugins this does work, but not for zasfx and carla. Not here on my system at least.

Yep you're right, checked with Carla and with the packaged version this won't work as it includes a dozen symlinks to system libs and binaries. ZASFX needs quite some external stuff too.

So this is why I got that broken UI, seems like you need the standalone Carla installed for the VST/LV2 plugins to work, even if you never plan to use the standalone version.
It saves maybe <100MB of disk space for people who want to use both the standalone and plugin version on the same system, in 2024 that's really not necessary and can cause confusion and frustration instead, like in my case.
BTW in the official Carla site it's an archive not a deb installer, that's why I didn't have the standalone version set up.

[Impostor]

It saves maybe <100MB of disk space for people who want to use both the standalone and plugin version on the same system, in 2024 that's really not necessary and can cause confusion and frustration instead, like in my case.

For saving disk space, I'd advise you to look into unnecessarily installed desktop backgrounds, themes, icons, languages and localizations. Did that after a new install of Linux Mint 21.3 and freed around 2 GB! It's not necessary with the size of data drives nowadays, but I just hate bloat and want it gone out of principle.

[Impostor]

BTW in the official Carla site it's an archive not a deb installer, that's why I didn't have the standalone version set up.

You could add the kx.studio repo to your package manager. That's how I always install Carla, Zynaddsubfx, and the Calf Studio Gear plugin suite.

[pigeonw]

I don't get why documentation is so bad with Linux audio stuff.

Maybe you didn't wrote it?

You're putting the cart before the horse. If I knew enough to write a manual myself, why would I ask for a manual? I hear this argument often and it never makes sense.

Fluidsynth is not a plugin, it's a library and standalone synth. For plugin there is https://github.com/Birch-san/juicysfplugin for example.

I found 3, but none have premade binaries available:
(1) github.com/AZSlow3/FluidSynthVST
(2) github.com/Birch-san/juicysfplugin
(3) github.com/brummer10/Fluida.lv2
One does but for a very-very old version.

linuxsampler is an engine(like fluidsynth), you need to install frontend to use it, like qsampler or JSampler then add vst or lv2 plugin (search for it your distro repositories or build them) to interact with it.

I failed to find an LV2/VST version of LinuxSampler.

Thanks

[Audiojunkie]

I don't get why documentation is so bad with Linux audio stuff.

Maybe you didn't wrote it?

You're putting the cart before the horse. If I knew enough to write a manual myself, why would I ask for a manual? I hear this argument often and it never makes sense.

Fluidsynth is not a plugin, it's a library and standalone synth. For plugin there is https://github.com/Birch-san/juicysfplugin for example.

I found 3, but none have premade binaries available:
(1) github.com/AZSlow3/FluidSynthVST
(2) github.com/Birch-san/juicysfplugin
(3) github.com/brummer10/Fluida.lv2
One does but for a very-very old version.

linuxsampler is an engine(like fluidsynth), you need to install frontend to use it, like qsampler or JSampler then add vst or lv2 plugin (search for it your distro repositories or build them) to interact with it.

I failed to find an LV2/VST version of LinuxSampler.

Thanks

What distro are you using? I might know an easy way to get LinuxSampler.

Also, the currently best supported Soundfont player for linux does indeed have a binary. It is the third one on your list. You just didn't look for it in the "Releases" section:

https://github.com/brummer10/Fluida.lv2 ... tag/v0.9.2

[pigeonw]

Doh, I'm a dumbass, you're right, Fluida has a binary version and it works great.

I'm on Linux Mint (latest version, main DE ('Cinnamon'), pretty much all stock)

[Audiojunkie]

Doh, I'm a dumbass, you're right, Fluida has a binary version and it works great.

I'm on Linux Mint (latest version, main DE ('Cinnamon'), pretty much all stock)

OK, Mint should work. Debian and Ubuntu-based distros are able to use the following repository:

https://kx.studio/

Here are the majority of the available plugins:

https://kx.studio/Repositories:Plugins

Be sure to read all of this carefully:

https://kx.studio/Repositories:FAQ

and

https://kx.studio/Repositories

Best of luck!

EDIT:

Just for fun, here’s my personal list of what I consider to represent the best of what Linux natively has to offer. It is far from complete, but it is a good start. I add to it as I find new plugins and tools:

Linux Pro Audio Essentials

This is a list of (what is in my opinion) the best Pro Audio tools available natively for Linux. The preference is given to those tools with the following attributes: The binaries need to be available for most distros from reliable sources such as the default distro repository or the developer’s site like GitHub. The best apps are well supported, have a HIDPI scaling, are in general problem-free, and look and sound great.

(g) = GUI-less
(x) = No HiDPI or gui scaling support

Plugin Locations:

Common directories for LV2 are:

/usr/lib/lv2
/usr/lib64/lv2
/usr/local/lib/lv2
/usr/local/lib64/lv2
~/.lv2

Common directories for VST/VST3 are:

/usr/lib/vst
/usr/lib64/vst
/usr/local/lib/vst
/usr/local/lib64/vst
~/.vst
~/.vst3

Open Source

Apps:
Ardour
Qtractor
Kwave
Polyphone
LoopAuditioneer
Giada
Mixxx
Audacity (x)
Zrhythm
Rubber Band Audio
ConvertWithMoss
OpenUTAU

Plugins:
LinuxSampler (Also needs Qsampler & Gigedit)
Odin2
Surge-XT
ShortCircuit-XT (Coming)
Airwindows (g)
Linux Studio Plugins
Yoshimi
AVL Drums ( x42-plugins.com )
Cardinal
GxPlugins.lv2 (Guitarix2)
X42-Plugins (including midi strum)
MDA-lv2 Plugins (g): (David Robillard on Gitlab)
DrumGizmo (x)
Sfizz:
LiquidSFZ (x)
Dexed
FluidSynthPlug, FluidPlug, Fluida.lv2, FluidSynthVST, ACE Fluid Synth (a-fluidsynth.lv2), SFZero-X, fluidsynth.clap (x), (g)
Monique - Bass and Lead synth
Helm
Dragonfly Reverbs
DSP56K Emulator (Requires ROM)
LibreArp
Elephant DSP Room Reverb
Mverb ( github.com/figbug/mverb )
LV2 port of the C* Audio Plugins Suite (caps-lv2) (x)
Ninjas2
ADLPlug
Fire (Distortion plugin)
Geonkick
Guitarix.vst
PaulXStretch
Ninjas2
Neural-amp-modeler-lv2
Ildaeil
Carla (as an LV2 plugin)
No Budget Orchestra Plugins
Delay Architect
Aether Reverb
Vaporizer 2
AIDA-X
B.Choppr (Sequenced Gating FX)
Oi Grandad!
gRainbow

Freeware Software

Apps:
OcenAudio

Plugins:
Xhip synth
Nil’s K1v (Kawai K1 Emulation) nilsschneider.de
Sitala 1
Tal-NoizeMaker
Vital - Basic Edition (No Patches)
Tyrell N6
Xhip effects
Hypercyclic
Decent Sampler
Speedrum Lite
Apricot
Fluctus
Tal-Filter
Tal-Reverb-4
Tal-Chorus-LX
Tal-Vocoder
Zebralette
Podolski
Triple Cheese
Beatzille
Protoverb
Crumar
K-Whooms

Commercial Software

Diva
Zebra Legacy
Hive
Repro
Bazille
ACE
Tal-Sampler
Tal-Drum
Tal-J-8
Tal-U-No-LX
Tal-Bassline
Tal-Mod
Tal-Dub-X
Tal-DAC
Bliss Sampler
Discovery
Discovery Pro
Vertigo
OPL
Speedrum
Quanta 2
Integrate
Hy-Poly
Synthesizer V
Venomode Phrasebox
Twangstrom
Colour Copy
Presswerk
Satin
Filterscape
MFM2
Uhbik
Pianoteq
Altitude (by Nakst)
AudioThing Plugins
Audio Damage Plugins
U-he Plugins
TAL Software plugins
Disco DSP
Loomer Strings
Sononym
Venomode plugins