I know VERY little about this but I seem to recall you need a 'wrapper', guess that makes them look like DirectX plugs.

Directixer - So noone has heard of this? http://www.tonewise.com/DirectiXer/
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With DirectiXer, you can have the best of both VST and DirectX worlds: DirectX, and especially the mature DXi and emerging DXi2 standards, versatility, and greater number of VST plugins and instruments already available on the market.

DirectiXer has a unique capability of sending MIDI data originated in a VSTi plugin back to host through a virtual MIDI input port. This is an indispensable feature for Steinberg Groove Agent users, and makes things easier if you are running Midifier.
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If you take a look at the screenshot on the page mentioned above you'll see that it has SoftSynths loaded and is mentioning VEGAS in it's list of supported hosts.

I do believe there is a secret conspiracy...

I think someone is misleading you about using VST instruments with Vegas and you are misunderstanding what DirectiXer says it can do with Vegas.

There is a distinction between VST effects (VST plugins) and VST instruments (VSTi plugins). DirectiXer wraps VST effects so that they appear to a host application as DirectX effects, and also wraps VSTi instruments so that they appear to a host application as DirectX instruments (DXi2).

If a host application can use DirectX effects (as Vegas can) then DirectiXer can be used to wrap VST effects so that they can be used by that host application. If the host application can use DirectX instruments (as Vegas cannot) then DirectiXer can be used to wrap VSTi instruments to allow that host application to use them.

While Vegas can use DirectX effects it cannot (because it does not allow the use of MIDI) use DirectX instruments. So when used with Vegas DirectiXer can only allow the use of VST effects, not VSTi instruments.

DirectiXer does a fine job of turning VST things into the equivalent DirectX thing (as does its competitor, the Cakewalk VST adapter (originally developed by FXPansion)) but neither of them can add the ability to use VSTi instruments to a host application that does not have the ability to use DirectX instruments (DXi2).

Mark

MarkWWW - Thanks for the explanation. I WAS confused(as if you couldn't tell). So I guess I'll just add this to my VEGAS wishlist. I Love VEGAS as an NLE but the more I try to use it as a DAW... the more I get disapointed. I guess it can't be all things to all people. I'll focus back on what it CAN do and continue using my work arounds. I'll just hang out and wait till they add it in an upgrade or later version. It doesn' kill my overall process as I already use ACID in my workflow. Was just hoping to be able to cut out that tedious step.

Thanks for the excellent explanation. Just when I thought I was good to go... more confusion.

Now I'm confused as to why anyone would want to use Directixer with a VSTi in VEGAS as the Directixer site states. What good would a SoftSynth be as a plugin to a program that can't even play it? Is there still hope or am I just blindly wishing for a miracle here?

VST wrappers such as Directixer can be used in Vegas for VST's not VSTi's.

VSTs are effects VSTi's are VST "i"nstruments (VST softsynths).

VSTi's require MIDI to drive them, since Vegas does not support MIDI recording or playback VSTi's are of no use in Vegas.

MJ

The DirectiXer site does not say that you can use a VSTi in Vegas.

It says: "The program wraps VST plugins so that they can be used in DirectX host applications, such as Cakewalk SONAR, Sonic Foundry Vegas and SoundForge, Syntrillium CoolEdit, SEK'D Samplitude and many others" which is a perfectly true statement about its capabilities with VST effect plugins. It then goes on to say: "DirectiXer fully supports VST 2.1 instruments, exposing them as DXi2 instruments, and parameter automation recording and playback (host support is required)" which is also perfectly true, but does not apply to Vegas (as Vegas does not provide the required host support).

Mark

I understand the difference between VSTs' & VSTi's. I have the Hammond B4 VSTi (amongst others) and Directixer notices it(them) and will allow me to select it. I can't play the B4 in VEGAS, as you guys have pointed out without host support.

This makes me wonder why it would even reckognize and load the VSTi. Am I supposed to be able to do something with it, or is it just reckognizing and loading it because the VST/VSTi standard is pretty much the same so it reckognizes both?

I've been writing Directixer support about this and searching for tutorials and articles in hopes of understanding what Directixer is doing when it loads VSTi's.

Fingers crossed that VEGAS adds some type of Host Support, but till then... ACID's my tool for VSTi's and soft synths.

Some VSTi's can be used as "stand alone" instruments - others need to be loaded in a host app to work at all. Perhaps this is what you're confused about?

drbam

> This makes me wonder why it would even reckognize and load the VSTi.

It does so so that any applications you have that can support DXi2 (DirectX Instruments) will be able to use them. DirectiXer does not know what applications you have installed and doesn't care - it just wraps any VST things it finds and allows them to appear as the equivalent DirectX thing. DirectiXer doesn't know (or care) that you don't currently have anything that can use DXi2s, but if you ever do install such an application you will immediately be able to use the VSTis that DirectiXer has recognised and wrapped for you.

> Am I supposed to be able to do something with it?

You will not be able to do anything with the VSTis which DirectiXer wraps to appear as DXi2s until you install an application that supports them.

> Fingers crossed that VEGAS adds some type of Host Support

I think you will have an extremely long wait if you are expecting Vegas ever to support VSTis and/or DXi2s. That would require (amongst other things) the addition of MIDI facilities to Vegas and as I understand it SoFo/Sony have always indicated that this does not fit in with their vision of how Vegas will be developed in future.

Mark

I just use Cubase when I want to midi.