PLOGUE BIDULE : VSTs / AUs into Protools -for free

[Simon666]

OK, this comes out of another thread, but I thought it would be good to have this info on its own.

This is a guide to setting up Plogue Bidule with Protools LE , so that you can feed VST and Audio unit instruments/FX into Protools.

** I've also done a pdf for my students, download it directly from
http://people.cofa.unsw.edu.au/staff...idulev6602.pdf
(628k download)

You can't use this method to apply effects directly to your Protools audio tracks, for that you'll need to buy the FXpansion VST-RTAS adapter

But this is a way to drive VST or Audio Unit instruments in Plogue Bidule, either from MIDI from your keyboard or from Protools) , to be able to apply effects to them in Bidule, and then to send the audio back into Protools.

See the links at the bottom of this post to lists of freeware VST/AU instruments and FX.

Updated for Plogue Bidule v0.6602 (June 2, 2004)

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You want to set up Protools as the Rewire master and Bidule as the Slave.

Get the OSX version 0.6602 of Plogue Bidule from here :
http://www.plogue.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&wrap=forums&Itemid=29

If you've already got some rewire apps (Live, Reason etc, full versions or "adapted") on your computer, then you'll have a file called ReWire in Library-Application Support.

if you DON'T have this (check), then the only legal way of getting this 192kb file is to download the full 43MB demo of Reason from http://www.propellerheads.se/ . This will install that file, which you'll still have after the demo expiration.

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1. INITIAL BIDULE SETUP

* Start Plogue Bidule.
It will read all of the VST, Audio Unit and Pluggo instruments/FX on your computer.

Then :
* Plogue Bidule menu : Preferences : Click REWIRE button, make sure ReWire stereo channels is ticked.

Below that you see “ReWire MIDI ports”, which can be set from 1-4 .
Each of these represents 16 MIDI channels. If you set it to “4”, then Bidule will use up all of your 64 MIDI channels in Protools, so you won’t be able to use any other software instruments you have. I’ve got it set to “1”, which in this version is the default.

* Quit Bidule.

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2. PROTOOLS SETUP

Start Protools, make a stereo auxiliary track.
(if you're on HD/TDM, you can only use audio tracks)

Insert Plogue Rewire plugin on stereo Aux track.

Plogue will start up in Rewire mode.

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3. BIDULE SETUP

When it starts up, you will get a pop-up that says "Waiting for ReWire master application to start processing".

Click the "cancel" button.

Briefly back to Protools:
In your Aux/audio track : Choose a pair of outputs from the PlogueRewire plug-in that has popped up.

Back toBidule :

Click the processing button (looks like a Mac power button) in the top row, the small tag on it will change from red to green.

The default Bidule window will show a 16 channel "MIDI splitter" bar, and below that a "Bidule Rewire" bar with 16 outputs, which correspond to your 16 Protools channel inputs.

From there, it's simply a case of dragging/dropping VST and Audio Unit instruments/FX from the list at the left into the main Bidule window, and drawing lines between them.

Example : Drag Crystal VSTsynth into window. Draw line from 'MIDI splitter' 1 to Crystal, then two lines from Crystal audio outputs to the first two 'Bidule Rewire' outputs.
(These will match the outputs you have chosen in Protools).

If you've done all of your MIDI/audio connections on the Protools end , and set up instruments/effects in bidule as described above, click the Processing button (the "power" button) on the top strip of the Bidule window - the light will change from red to green.

In Protools, match a MIDI channel output to the number you've used on the Bidule MIDI splitter Bar (e.g. "1")

Now you can send MIDI from Protools to Bidule, and audio back from Bidule to Protools.

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FURTHER HELP

* Plogue :
http://www.plogue.com/

* Official Bidule online manual :
http://www.plogue.com/bidule/help/

* Section on ReWire support (a few terms a little out of date) :
http://www.plogue.com/bidule/help/ch05.html#d0e1824

* The Unofficial Bidule User's FAQ :
http://www.bidule-faq.tk/

* The Unofficial Bidule User's Wiki :
http://dasme.org/bidule/

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FREEWARE VST INSTRUMENTS/FX

See my kVr post regarding freeware VSTs that work with the FXpansion VST-RTAS adapter (which you don't need for the process i'm describing here, but i've got links to the instruments/FX themselves)
http://www.kvr-vst.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=479837

FREEWARE AUDIO UNITS INSTRUMENTS/FX
http://www.sfrecording.com/plugins.htm

[Simon666]

(Edit)

[mindnoise]

Hi Simon,

rest assured your work is very much appreciated!!!

BIDULE is GREAT and strange programm (to me) and this Quickstart is really necessary.

best

mindnoise

[Simon666]

This is also useful for people who DO have the FXpansion VST-RTAS adapter, as it handles the high CPU VST instruments that struggle with the adapter, such as Crystal with SF Rom banks loaded, or the CM-505 drum synth from LinPlug/Computer Music magazine (plus of course the audio unit instruments)

[mersisblue]

hi simon

or mindnoise

can you give a description of what this is

is this a rewire application ? Crystal is the only free VST I like

I jusrt want to understand what plogue does

[Simon666]

Well, it can do all sorts of things, check the links above.
But in the context i'm describing here, it's a Rewire slave to Protools into which you can drag-and-drop VST and audio unit instruments/FX.
i.e MIDI from Protools to instruments/FX in Plogue Bidule ; audio back into Protools. Good for free!

[proxy]

So, with this tool, could one theoretically use something like Emagic's EXS sampler in the Bidule environment, controlled by PT Midi, and outputting via ReWire back into ProTools as audio?

- proxy

[Simon666]

I think that particular sampler can only run within Logic ?
But you can do that with any VST / audio unit / pluggo instrument that doesn't rely on a particular host.

[proxy]

EXSP24
"Mac Minimum Requirements:
VST 2.0 Compatible host software..."

In theory, it would play then I suppose...???

I guess we'll have to wait for someone braver than I am, but it is very intriguing.

[Simon666]

I guess we'll have to wait for someone braver than I am, but it is very intriguing.

No, it's YOUR job, we just all voted for you to test it