Adding a Plugin to Protools Le 8, Win7

[ShadowZero26]

Could someone WALK me through it, step by step? I've done every tutorial out there and they all seem to be lacking.

If you could supply me with a practical plugin for demonstration, that would be nice too. I do have that wrapping program, VST to Rtas, so VSTs SHOULD work... right?

Also, this isn't my first account, I've posted here numerous times, but I keep losing account information. Thanks in advance!

[albee1952]

What's the question here. Are you looking to install plugins, or use a plugin in a session? Installation is different for different plugins and using the included instructions would be the way to go. As for using plugins in a session, its pretty simple. Click on an insert slot on a track and choose the plugin from the menu that comes up. Note that not all plugins are available in all modes(like some do not show up in AudioSuite, some ONLY showup in AudioSuite, and some are not available as stereo, but ARE available as Dual-Mono(on a stereo track). Search youtube for lots of tutorial videos.

[ShadowZero26]

I know how to use a plug in in a session, but what do I do when I have no instructions, no installer, and only a vst or plug in folder and I'm supposed to "install" it? Countless tutorials tell me that I only have to put it in the plug ins folder, but this does not work, not only that, but I have strong reason to believe that it must be some secret plugins folder that I could never find.

It might be something like installing bios in a mac, to where you need to put the bios in the library, but you never know where, and it's either the user's independent library, or the shared library, or a tertiary library that was made by the program in an unknown location.

Long explanation short: I want to use third party plugins. OFFICIAL plugins, like eastwest (which has the worst support ever) and many drum machines come with installers, but for those plugins that DONT have installers, I don't know how to install them. They won't appear in the plugins menu in protools.

[caruso7r]

While I can simply show the path of where the registered plugins are in windows which is: C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Digidesign\DAE\Plug-Ins Or take out the x86 folder if you're on XP, I haven't come across simply dropping plugins into a folder for a long time simply because they need to be registered in the system Mac or Windows for that matter. In short I have "installed" all my plugins using the included installers for that said plugin. Are you trying to copy from another computer system using the folders and plugins inside to copy into your system? Can you provide some of those tutorial links that you're talking about. I'm curious to what plugin they're talking about. And I wouldn't try dropping in any plugins to the path I showed you. If you %*&^ up your system, I'm not responsible for that what so ever. BTW that is not the only path in Windows where Plugins reside.

[caruso7r]

Originally Posted by ShadowZero26

I know how to use a plug in in a session, but what do I do when I have no instructions, no installer, and only a vst or plug in folder and I'm supposed to "install" it? Countless tutorials tell me that I only have to put it in the plug ins folder, but this does not work, not only that, but I have strong reason to believe that it must be some secret plugins folder that I could never find.

It might be something like installing bios in a mac, to where you need to put the bios in the library, but you never know where, and it's either the user's independent library, or the shared library, or a tertiary library that was made by the program in an unknown location.

Long explanation short: I want to use third party plugins. OFFICIAL plugins, like eastwest (which has the worst support ever) and many drum machines come with installers, but for those plugins that DONT have installers, I don't know how to install them. They won't appear in the plugins menu in protools.

Return them and get your money back. Third Party plugins shouldn't be sold to you without proper instructions or an installer, Period!

[TOM@METRO]

If you have VST DLL files that were offered from the actual creator of the plug-ins legitimately, you can create a file and title it "VST Plugins", then point your FXpansion VST to RTAS wrapper to that file for wrapping them. The instructions you received with the wrapper will tell you all you need to know. Be sure you have the most current version. I have seen users who tried to use plug-ins from questionable sources corrupt their systems, so beware of imposters.

[Emcha_audio]

Originally Posted by ShadowZero26

I know how to use a plug in in a session, but what do I do when I have no instructions, no installer, and only a vst or plug in folder and I'm supposed to "install" it? Countless tutorials tell me that I only have to put it in the plug ins folder, but this does not work, not only that, but I have strong reason to believe that it must be some secret plugins folder that I could never find.

It might be something like installing bios in a mac, to where you need to put the bios in the library, but you never know where, and it's either the user's independent library, or the shared library, or a tertiary library that was made by the program in an unknown location.

Long explanation short: I want to use third party plugins. OFFICIAL plugins, like eastwest (which has the worst support ever) and many drum machines come with installers, but for those plugins that DONT have installers, I don't know how to install them. They won't appear in the plugins menu in protools.

Since I use EWQL I can tell you they always have a setup Icon. I haven't heard or seen EWQL release plugins without them being included in their Play or komptact samplers. I don't want to sound accusing, but are you trying to install a pirated version of one of their samplers?

[ShadowZero26]

Thanks for the help guys. I'm going to keep on trying, though the effort of installing the plug in's is greatly outweighed by just using what I already have.

The specific plug ins that I'm trying to use are random pedal board and amplifier emulators and synth plugins. I would like to find out how I can load people's patches into a virtual instrument, but I don't think I know what I'm doing enough.
No piracy here. Just trying to see what I can do with VSTs, since they're in such abundance.

[mariozeppe]

...another useful answer from the most useful forum on pro tools.....