Steinberg has announced that it will no longer continue to develop and maintain the VST 2 software interface but focus efforts entirely on the Software Development Kit (SDK) development of VST 3. All Steinberg host applications will remain VST 2 compatible.



“After introducing the SDK of version 3 to the VST community five years ago, we believe it’s time that VST 2 slowly comes to an end,” remarks Timo Wildenhain, product marketing manager at Steinberg. “VST 3 reflects today’s technological advancements and meanwhile a considerable number of VST hosts and plug-ins support VST 3.”

Initially launched in 1996, VST creates a professional studio environment on PC and Mac computers, allowing the integration of virtual effect processors and instruments into any VST host application. Being an open standard, the possibilities offered by VST continuously grow. In 1999, Steinberg introduces the second version of VST to great acclaim, witnessing new virtual effect processors and instruments developed by Steinberg and other companies. 2008 sees the release of VST 3, now featuring multiple MIDI ports, surround sound capability and side chaining. Meanwhile VST 3.5 supports Steinberg’s VST Expression for creating and editing multiple controller values on a single-note level as well as providing an intuitive way to work with instrument articulations.

While VST 3 was introduced in 2008, Steinberg’s technical support and development of the VST 2 SDK is now at a closing point. The VST 3 development kit not only generates VST 3 plug-ins, but also is capable of rendering to VST 2 and AU formats, making it the ideal choice for outputting three formats.

“Our host applications, such as Cubase, Nuendo and WaveLab, will continue to support VST 2. We are, however, planning to make the SDK for VST 2 unavailable by the end of this year,” Wildenhain continues.

More information: Steinberg


If anyone is into developing vst's, might be worth downloading Steinberg's VST2 Software Development Kit (SDK) before they remove it from their website. You need to register first (it's free) to be able to download the files.

 

VST3 kicks ass...saving me sooo much CPU right now...I can throw in plugins like this shit be cray!

 

Always handy to have the old code though, yes VST3 SDK is backwards compatible, but a lot of the small developers are still only developing VST2. Like I said if you are interested in development, maybe a good idea to get it before Steinberg remove it.

 

now, they will support

 

bs , it does not mean that steinberg stops to develope vst2 plugins ! they only stops to develope the vst2 sdk , and the vst3 sdk has also an interface to export and make vst2 plugins , but its more complicated !

 

I wish there were a list of Vst3 plugins.

 

KVR VST3 Plug-ins

 

you sure, cuz I've just recently installed Fabfilter Pro MB as a VST3 and it is working on my abletone. And I'm on 8.2 still...

 

Can't wait till Reaper supports VST3!!!!

 

Reaper supports VST3 since a year or two now, tater_one. But not the VST3 preset system, and the routing [the main upgrade in VST3] is already extremely flexible in Reaper so when you use Reaper you have no need for VST3 plugins as you can build sidechains easily. VST3 plugins are needed in hosts that don't support sidechains/more inputs/outputs per plugin. VST3 plugins use less CPU?? That can't be true HKPotential. Maybe you had something else in mind...

Even though Reaper supports VST3 plugins, Cockos developers recommend to use VST2 plugins.

 

Doesn't VST3 not allow program change messages?

 

you mean midi cc? im surez it does, in fact it supports more midi options...

 

I know it's supposed to support more options such as smart disable to save CPU but unless they've added program change support that particular area might be lacking. Anyone know if they've added this in because it wasn't there originally.