How to Make Computer Music With VST Plugins and VSTi Instruments

VST plugins are beginning to gather a lot more interest as music buffs/computer buffs put these two interests together. What was once thought impossible by many astute computer operators is now beginning to appear as not being all that difficult.

VST plugins in its simple terminology means Virtual Studio Technology by Steinberg. Imagine being able to have your very own virtual studio. The VST is actually the interface that allows the use of software consisting of action synthesizers and effects the plugins with audio editors and recording systems.

Software is the catalyst between the VST and the simulation of a traditional recording studio. If you wee to compare the VST plugins with the actual switches and knobs on the actual hardware you would see the similarities. It would then not appear quite so foreign to you if you are familiar with the hard version of the studio equipment. The VST plugins are hosted within a workstation that is a digital audio type.

If you think that there are only a few plugins to choose from, you are mistaken. You are going to be quite surprised to learn there are thousands of various types to choose from. I bet you are thinking about your pocket book right now, but the nice thing is there are may that are freeware, and of course, there are commercial ones available as well.

Being as VST is so popular it's good to know that there are many audio applications that support them. If you are going to become involved in VST plugins then you will need a VST host. This is just simply a software or hardware application that permit's the plugins to be loaded and controlled during use. If you shop around you will find some excellent VST host providers.

One of the many cost advantages of using plugins is the fact they really help to cut down your hard based equipment costs. Plus think of the space you can save, not having to store tons of equipment.

You can get some great VST plugins that are like a package deal. For example there is a package available that includes shuffling, panning, panoramas width along with comb filters and many other inclusions as well.

Its important for you to learn that plugins are not software that stand alone. They will usually come with DLL files. This stands for dynamic link library. As we mentioned you can find lots of free software on the internet. It is not difficult to use. You simply follow the instructions for the download. Many of these will walk you through the stages of how to get the best benefits from them.

If you are totally new to the creation of music with your computer then you may want to do some research before you start. It doesn't mean that you have to do months of learning. In fact, if you start visiting some of the music blogs you will be intrigued at not only how easy it is, but what you can do and create with things like VST plugins.

As featured In Computer Music Magazine, VSTPlatinum provides a goldmine of over 1700 VST plugins and VSTi effects for home studios or professional recordings

Greg Hoffman is a former BMG sound engineer and the founder of VSTPlatinum.com - http://www.VSTPlatinum.com

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What Is a Hacker?

The Jargon File contains a bunch of definitions of the term ‘hacker’, most having to do with technical adeptness and a delight in solving problems and overcoming limits. If you want to know how to become a hacker, though, only two are really relevant.

There is a community, a shared culture, of expert programmers and networking wizards that traces its history back through decades to the first time-sharing minicomputers and the earliest ARPAnet experiments. The members of this culture originated the term ‘hacker’. Hackers built the Internet. Hackers made the Unix operating system what it is today. Hackers run Usenet. Hackers make the World Wide Web work. If you are part of this culture, if you have contributed to it and other people in it know who you are and call you a hacker, you're a hacker.

The hacker mind-set is not confined to this software-hacker culture. There are people who apply the hacker attitude to other things, like electronics or music — actually, you can find it at the highest levels of any science or art. Software hackers recognize these kindred spirits elsewhere and may call them ‘hackers’ too — and some claim that the hacker nature is really independent of the particular medium the hacker works in. But in the rest of this document we will focus on the skills and attitudes of software hackers, and the traditions of the shared culture that originated the term ‘hacker’.

There is another group of people who loudly call themselves hackers, but aren't. These are people (mainly adolescent males) who get a kick out of breaking into computers and phreaking the phone system. Real hackers call these people ‘crackers’ and want nothing to do with them. Real hackers mostly think crackers are lazy, irresponsible, and not very bright, and object that being able to break security doesn't make you a hacker any more than being able to hotwire cars makes you an automotive engineer. Unfortunately, many journalists and writers have been fooled into using the word ‘hacker’ to describe crackers; this irritates real hackers no end.
The basic difference is this: hackers build things, crackers break them.

If you want to be a hacker, keep reading. If you want to be a cracker, go read the alt.2600 newsgroup and get ready to do five to ten in the slammer after finding out you aren't as smart as you think you are. And that's all I'm going to say about crackers.