Preinstalled VST instruments?

[kol12]

Does Pro Tools not include any preinstalled VST instruments? I'm running a 30 day trial. I have access to the Avid complete plugin bundle and have installed Xpand2 but so far that is the only VST instrument I have...

[dominicperry]

ProTools does not support VST. The PT plugin format is called AAX. There are two kinds - AAX and AAX-DSP. The latter is used on HDX systems and Carbon.

If you want to use VST format plugins, you need something like Blue Cat's Patchwork.

Dominic

[Darryl Ramm]

What instructions are you following to install Pro Tools? There are multiple installers for all you need to install, hopefully clear in whatever instructions Avid provides for the trial.

But lets use correct terminology. I assume you mean VI aka Virtual Instruments not a VST. Avid and most folks here will not refer to these as VST(s).

VST is a plugin format from Steinberg. VIs may or may not be in VST or other formats.

Pro Tools only works directly with AAX plugins, including AAX VIs.

Pro Tools virtual instruments provided with the product are packaged in separate installer(s) that should have been made available to you as a part of the trial. Like "First AIR Instrument Bundle". You need to install that, you might or might not have more bundles of VIs and other plugins.

Pro Tools really does not come with a lot of VIs, it has no full-on drum VI for example, many other DAWs offer a better range/are more focused on composition. Pro Tools may not be the best choice for you there if you want a composition focused DAW. OTOH almost all third party VIs are available in AAX format. (and third party solutions do exist for hosting VST and other format plugins so you can run them with Pro Tools). And for many instruments (e.g. drums) I would argue you are better off with best in class third party VIs than VIs build into any DAW. All depends on what you want to do. and how critical the quality and flexibility of that VI is for you.

[kol12]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

What instructions are you following to install Pro Tools? There are multiple installers for all you need to install, hopefully clear in whatever instructions Avid provides for the trial.

But lets use correct terminology. I assume you mean VI aka Virtual Instruments not a VST. Avid and most folks here will not refer to these as VST(s).

VST is a plugin format from Steinberg. VIs may or may not be in VST or other formats.

Pro Tools only works directly with AAX plugins, including AAX VIs.

Pro Tools virtual instruments provided with the product are packaged in separate installer(s) that should have been made available to you as a part of the trial. Like "First AIR Instrument Bundle". You need to install that, you might or might not have more bundles of VIs and other plugins.

Pro Tools really does not come with a lot of VIs, it has no full-on drum VI for example, many other DAWs offer a better range/are more focused on composition. Pro Tools may not be the best choice for you there if you want a composition focused DAW. OTOH almost all third party VIs are available in AAX format. (and third party solutions do exist for hosting VST and other format plugins so you can run them with Pro Tools). And for many instruments (e.g. drums) I would argue you are better off with best in class third party VIs than VIs build into any DAW. All depends on what you want to do. and how critical the quality and flexibility of that VI is for you.

I already have Pro Tools installed. I was just watching this video where they talk about inserting the Mini Grand which is the "default piano that comes with Pro Tools". I was wondering why I didn't have any default instruments like the Mini Grand...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-OUktp2-Qk

I will go back and look at the official instructions and plugin guide in the installation directory.

[kol12]

Having looked at the audio plugins guide.pdf it clearly states what plugins are included with Pro Tools. Were plugins like Mini Grand originally an included plugin? Thanks for the clarification between VST and VI also.

[dominicperry]

Originally Posted by kol12

Having looked at the audio plugins guide.pdf it clearly states what plugins are included with Pro Tools. Were plugins like Mini Grand originally an included plugin? Thanks for the clarification between VST and VI also.

I think MiniGrand is part of one of the FirstAIR instrument bundles (there are two) which come with ProTools. They should be on your download page.

Dominic

[junkgear]

Like others have said, look for and install the First AIR instrument bundle from the downloads section of your account. This will give you Mini Grand, a sample player and some others to get you started.

[Obsidian Dragon]

Originally Posted by kol12

Does Pro Tools not include any preinstalled VST instruments? I'm running a 30 day trial. I have access to the Avid complete plugin bundle and have installed Xpand2 but so far that is the only VST instrument I have...

As others have alluded to, Protools uses it's own proprietary format for plugins and virtual instruments. The use of the term "VST" is grossly misused. So many people use this term to refer to virtual instruments due to the proximity that the letters appear, however VST dos not mean virtual instruments. VST is a Steinberg format for plugins and VSTI is Steinberg's format for their virtual instruments. Again, Protools does not work with VST or VSTI unless a wrapper utility is used such as Blue Cat as mentioned above. I explain this so that readers of your post don't get confused and others can also refrain from making this mistake.

[gthm]

Can the title of the thread be changed to:

Preinstalled AAX instruments?

Thank you.