softsynth confusion

[scotty_perey]

I've never used a softsynth before in Pro Tools, and I'm experimenting with the setup. I downloaded a few freeware synths, and I can't figure out how to access them in Pro Tools. I gathered that they would show as plug-ins, under "instrument" but all I have showing there is "click."

It seems the installer placed them (the vst files) in the path Library-->Audio--->Plug-Ins-->VST, and that's the only trace of these things I can find.

I'm confused. Looking in the Digidesign folder, under "Plug-ins" I see all my other plug-ins listed there. I tried copying the vst files into there and restarting Pro Tools, but I still can't find any of the new virtual instruments from within the program.

What am I missing here?

Thanks!

Wait a second... hold the presses... now I found another path (praise be to Spotlight and Installer Logs): user-->Library-->preferences--->KeyToSound-->Remedy (the softsynth)

in this file are all the softsynth presets, along with a "k2s" file, which I've never heard of. I tried to open it, but lack the appropriate application, according to the dialog box that ensues.

One last confusion: the vst files are described (as kind) as "iDVD studio projects" ... what is up with that?

Thanks again to anyone who can help me sort all of this out. Sorry about the jumbled nature of this post. It certainly reflects how all of this is occurring to me, all just to load and try out one of these much-touted "softsynth" thingermabobs....

scotty

[scotty_perey]

I forgot to mention I'm using Pro Tools 7.1 with a d002r on OS 10.4.8

[lwilliam]

Protools uses RTAS format plugins, not VST.

You can purchase the fxpansion VST-to-RTAS wrapper and most of them will then work.