SM Pro Audio V-Machines User Manual
Page 15

V-‐Machine Operating Manual
Page 15 of 88
SM Pro Audio
Before	
  you	
  can	
  run	
  a	
  plugin	
  on	
  the	
  V-‐Machine,	
  you’ll	
  need	
  to	
  go	
  through	
  a	
  special	
  process	
  of	
  
exporting	
  it,	
  either	
  directly	
  from	
  the	
  computer	
  to	
  the	
  V-‐Machine’s	
  own	
  memory,	
  or	
  to	
  a	
  USB	
  
memory	
  device	
  that	
  you	
  can	
  then	
  plug	
  into	
  the	
  V-‐Machine.	
  (The	
  latter	
  is	
  usually	
  faster.)	
  Details	
  
on	
  how	
  to	
  export	
  plugins	
  are	
  found	
  in	
  section	
  5.11	
  Synchronization	
  or	
  Export	
  of	
  the	
  Active	
  VFX	
  
Library	
  on	
  page	
  76.	
  
VST	
  instruments	
  (known	
  as	
  VSTi’s)	
  are	
  typically	
  virtual	
  synthesizers	
  or	
  sample-‐playback	
  
modules.	
  They	
  are	
  triggered	
  by	
  notes	
  coming	
  from	
  MIDI	
  controllers	
  or	
  from	
  the	
  MIDI	
  tracks	
  in	
  
a	
  sequencer,	
  and	
  they	
  generate	
  audio	
  in	
  real	
  time.	
  The	
  voicing	
  parameters	
  of	
  a	
  VSTi	
  can	
  often	
  
be	
  assigned	
  to	
  respond	
  to	
  incoming	
  MIDI	
  controller	
  messages,	
  effectively	
  delivering	
  an	
  
experience	
  very	
  similar	
  to	
  what	
  you	
  would	
  get	
  from	
  a	
  hardware	
  synthesizer.	
  
VST instruments are available that provide the sounds of all of the commonly used instrument
types.	
  There	
  are	
  VST	
  instruments	
  that	
  specialize	
  in	
  pianos,	
  drums,	
  strings,	
  brass,	
  drawbar	
  
organs,	
  and	
  everything	
  through	
  to	
  classic	
  analog	
  synthesizers.	
  
Important	
  Note:	
  Some	
  VST	
  instruments	
  have	
  their	
  own	
  libraries	
  of	
  samples.	
  These	
  libraries	
  can	
  
be	
  quite	
  large.	
  In	
  order	
  to	
  use	
  a	
  plugin	
  that	
  has	
  a	
  sample	
  library,	
  you’ll	
  need	
  to	
  attach	
  a	
  USB	
  
hard	
  drive	
  or	
  memory	
  stick	
  containing	
  the	
  library	
  to	
  one	
  of	
  the	
  USB	
  jacks	
  on	
  the	
  rear	
  panel	
  of	
  
the V-‐Machine.
Other	
  VST	
  plugins	
  operate	
  as	
  effects	
  processors.	
  VST	
  reverbs,	
  flangers,	
  delay	
  lines,	
  and	
  
compressors	
  are	
  easy	
  to	
  find.	
  With	
  the	
  V-‐Machine,	
  you	
  can	
  use	
  both	
  instruments	
  and	
  effects	
  in	
  
VST	
  format	
  –	
  and	
  even	
  use	
  both	
  in	
  the	
  same	
  Preset.	
  For	
  instance,	
  you	
  could	
  use	
  an	
  electric	
  
piano	
  instrument	
  based	
  on	
  physical	
  modeling	
  synthesis	
  and	
  run	
  it	
  through	
  a	
  flanger	
  and	
  
reverb.	
  The	
  V-‐Machine	
  can	
  also	
  be	
  used	
  strictly	
  as	
  an	
  effects	
  processor,	
  thanks	
  to	
  its	
  rear-‐panel	
  
audio	
  input.	
  Signals	
  sent	
  to	
  this	
  input	
  can	
  be	
  processed	
  by	
  the	
  VST	
  effects	
  in	
  a	
  Preset.	
  
2.13 Getting Started: Importing & Playing a VST Plugin
If	
  you’re	
  itching	
  to	
  get	
  started	
  loading	
  your	
  plugins	
  into	
  the	
  V-‐Machine,	
  read	
  this	
  section	
  first.	
  If	
  
these	
  simple	
  steps	
  don’t	
  quite	
  work	
  for	
  you,	
  or	
  don’t	
  make	
  sense,	
  you’ll	
  need	
  to	
  turn	
  to	
  section	
  
5	
  and	
  delve	
  deeper	
  into	
  the	
  details.	
  At	
  the	
  end	
  of	
  the	
  list	
  of	
  Getting	
  Started	
  steps,	
  you’ll	
  find	
  a	
  
short	
  list	
  of	
  things	
  that	
  can	
  go	
  wrong.	
  The	
  process	
  will	
  vary	
  slightly	
  depending	
  on	
  two	
  factors:	
  
Whether	
  you’re	
  using	
  a	
  Mac	
  or	
  a	
  Windows	
  PC,	
  and	
  (on	
  the	
  PC)	
  whether	
  the	
  plugin	
  is	
  already	
  
installed.	
  Here	
  are	
  the	
  steps	
  to	
  take:	
  
1. Install and launch the VFX Application software.
2. Above the mixer section are three Slots for plugins, labelled A, B, and C. Click on the
orange triangle at the end of Slot A.
3. From the drop-‐down menu in Windows, click Import VST Plugin. On the Mac, you will
need	
  to	
  choose	
  Run	
  VST	
  plugin	
  installer	
  the	
  first	
  time	
  you	
  want	
  to	
  import	
  a	
  given	
  plugin.	
  
(For	
  instructions	
  on	
  how	
  to	
  do	
  this,	
  see	
  section	
  5.5.2	
  Installing	
  Windows	
  Plugins	
  in	
  the	
  
Macintosh on page 57).
4. The Import VST Plugin dialog box opens (see Figure 5).
