V-‐Machine Operating Manual
Page 14 of 66
SM Pro Audio
5.2.1
VSTi plugins
VST instruments (known as VSTi’s) are typically virtual synthesizers or sampler units. They are
triggered by MIDI controllers or sequencer devices and generate audio in real time. Plugin
parameters can often be assigned to external controllers effectively delivering a real hardware
instrument experience.
VST instrument emulations are available for just about every known instrument. There are
instruments for pianos, drums, strings, and everything through to classic synthesizers.
5.2.2
VST plugins
A VST plugin contains computer code that provides instructions to process audio in real time.
Typically a VST plugin is inserted in a digital audio signal path to process audio as per the
specified plugin purpose.
There are many VST plugin equivalents that emulate famous audio effect hardware devices in
addition to a huge selection of interesting effects that have never before been possible.
Some common plugins offerings provide audio processing effects such as compression, reverb,
and equalization.
5.2.3
VST plugin hosts
VST instruments and effects are loaded and used within a VST Host. A VST host is usually a
software application. In this case however, the VST Host is the V-‐Machine hardware device.
5.3
Plugin considerations and limitations
Thousands of commercially developed and Freeware VST plugins are available today. As is to
be expected, the quality of plugins varies considerably from excellent to not so professional.
You will notice when testing plugins you may experience a great sounding highly featured
plugin that runs extremely efficiently on the V-‐Machine, and then wonder why a lesser featured
plugin seems to place excessive demands on the CPU. The answer usually comes down to
whether or not the developer has written quality-‐optimized code.
Only testing of each plugin will determine how suitable it may be for your creative demands on
the V-‐Machine.
The V-‐Machine is based on a custom operating system. The VST plugins that the V-‐Machine
recognizes are generally intended to run on Microsoft’s Windows operating system. As such,
some VST plugins may not function correctly or at all on the V-‐Machine.
Note
: It is our intention over time to compile and maintain a certified V-‐Machine plugin
compatibility list on the SM Pro Audio website. Please check the website for more information.
5.4
V-‐Machine additional Preset parameters
The V-‐Machine adds a few additional parameters to each plugins normal parameter list. This is
to facilitate special features tailored to the V-‐Machines hardware operation.
For more information see
section 11
V-‐Machine specific plugin parameters
