so as a user of both Mac and Windows, i was wondering how you guys who use Windows organize your plugin installations?
it seems that every company/installer wants to install the plugin in a different location, whether on mac - all the audio plugins have their folder for VST/VST3/AU

It makes organizing and dealing with plugins on Windows a big mess some plugins are in Program Files/VSTplugins, and some are in Steinberg/VST and some are in Common Files and on and on it goes..
Why plugin manufacturers dont use a specific folder for plugins on Windows? why some companies install their plugins in a certain location and others too?

 

In windows you can edit your registry to place all your vst 2 elsewhere than the default folder, vst installers follow that by default, and the vst3 also have a default location which unfortunately you can't change or they won't work .That's personaly what I do. Then at installation I have subfolders in this global vst 2 folder (eq, comp, limiter, spacialzer, master, vox, etc), and so I put each vst where they belong.
Many daws now allow you to organize your vsts in categories the way you wish independantly of your folder structures. Bitwig, ableton, FLS, reaper, etc.

 

huh thats interesting, do i need to change it in reg edit? do you have a tutorial by any chance?

 

I use a soft called "set vst path", can't seem to find it online anymore.
Anyway it's simple enough to do manually, just edit this line in your registry :

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VST]
"VSTPluginsPath"="C:\\Program Files\\Steinberg\\VstPlugins\\" and chose the one that suits you.

That's for win 64.

 

damn this is a gem, will def try it out!

 

I copy all the plugins in a custom folder (not in C) and create sub folders also.
And Reaper can see all that stuff.
Here's some pics :

 

The best way is what works best for you. I have to special folders in C: They are aptly named 1 VST Plugins 64 and the other 1 VST Plugins 32 (for my Jbridge dlls). I placed the "1" in front of each folders name so they show up on top. I also keep them all by manufacturer. Easier to remember and to chose where to pIace them. I used to organized them by category but many plugins fall into into two or more categories which defeats the whole purpose. Indeed,some DAWs will not "defer" to your categorization at all. Also, you can organize them by category within your DAW and some DAW's will do so automatically, regardless of the folder structure. As I stated, there is not best way but the one that you feel comfortable with.

***Keeping the vst folders outside the program files hive helps avoid security/uac issues

 

Last edited: Jan 3, 2019

Some tools
https://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Audio/Audio-Plugins/UltimatePluginTool.shtml
http://auganizer.com/#gallery-scroll
https://ultimatepluginmanager.com/

 

So, on a fresh copy of Windows 10, my OS would go on a 1TB SSD :
C:\

I'll install all VST2 64-bit plugin (and a few 32bit) *.dlls, and all associated VST program data to a 3TB 7200rpm HDD :
D:\v\%name of company%\%name of plugin%

Incidental 32bit installs go here (but this folder gets deleted when all plugins have been installed) :
D:\32

For vst dlls that have sample data associated (~200MB to 1GB), or have huge expansion libraries (e.g. Superior Drummer, Omnisphere, BFD, Addivtive Drummer, SSD, etc... etc...) I install them here :
D:\v\- HUGE\%name of plugin%

Any huge expansion packs are installed on yet a different SSD 1TB drive :
E:\%name of plugin%\%name of expansion pack%

Audio recording drive is a 500GB NVME
F:\

After I install each plugin, I'll move that installer package folder into a temporary folder e.g. \VST FX; \VSTi; \VSTi Huge; and expansions.

I'll then take a snapshot of each folder with snap2HTML and then convert it to a *.XLS (excel) document, so that I can see a list of everything that's installed. In the future, if I install new plugins to the VST folder, I'll just amend the excel document as needed.
https://www.rlvision.com/snap2html/about.php

*BONUS* :
HQ MP3 and FLAC reference audio will go on D:\- REFERENCE

MIDI file library will go on D:\- MIDI

PRESETS library will go on D:\-PRESETS

*DOUBLE BONUS*
I use a Logitech G602 mouse to install all plugins. It has 8 assignable buttons that I assign the following commands :

Button #1 : 12345678 (for keygen user name)
Button #2 : [email protected] (for keygen email)
Button #3 : ctrl+a (select all)
Button #4 : ctrl+c (copy)
Button #5 : ctrl+v (paste)
Button #6 : D:\v\ (64bit vst location)
Button #7 : D:\32 (32bit vst location - to delete later)
Button #8 : BkSpc (backspace)

For assigning text to buttons (e.g. [email protected]), I use TYPERTASK in conjuction with the G602 software :
https://www.softpedia.com/get/Office-tools/Other-Office-Tools/TyperTask.shtml

This makes the grueling install process soooo much faster.

btw, I just let the installer install VST3 plugins to the C:\Common Files folder.

Logitech G602 here:
https://www.logitechg.com/en-us/products/gaming-mice/g602-wireless-gaming-mouse.html

 

Last edited: Jan 4, 2019

I install to usual folder at first and then move to labelled folders eg FX1, FX2, Synths 1, 2, by order of preference and also subfolders in those. This usually works, just make sure you copy any presets or other stuff from previous folder...

 

for Typertask. https://www.portablefreeware.com/index.php?id=1854

 

On win, hard drive organized by brands, but using Reaper, I use special folders to put my fav of each in them:
Eq
Distortions
Guitar amps
Drums
etc ...

These are Reaper virtual folders, but very usable for organization.

 

No vst3, so I can do this:

Audio\Plugins\FX\
Channelstrip
Delay
Distortion
.
.
.

Audio\Plugins\Instruments\
Bass
Drums
Guitar
.
.
.

Sadly, sometimes this is not possible due to 'assholic' developers so I have to use their names. But sometimes it's possible to move the plugs afterwards to where they belong.

 

saves a tone of time if raising new system

vst3 fck ff

with vst 3 you get such a mess
---------------------------------------

this is old and from surf laptop...today it looks better and more adult and much more smarter
the main thing is to have only the one plugins u use in there , and not 777 reverbs idiotlike e.g.

 

Last edited: Jan 3, 2019

do you guys ever had any situation where you actually needed/preferred the VST3 over VST2?

 

VST3 gives itself a location, which is shit if you ask me.
VST2 i deal with myself, by pointing all hosts to the same folder and installing all plugins in the same folder.

the folders i use are like this:
32 bit:
program files (x86)>VST Plugins>[company name]>[plugin]
64 bit:
program files>VST Plugins>[company name]>[plugin]

if you cant change a plugins location you can add a shortcut to the real location in the folder named above to redirect the host.

 

i prefer VST3 overall. but there are bad points to it, file location is just one.

 

That looks almost like i organize my plugins but i have even more subfolders and very few vendor folders

 

That's similar to how my folders are Pirate...
1 VST 32
1 VST 64
1 VSTI 32
1 VSTI 64
2 VST 32 Bridged 64
2 VSTI 32 Bridged 64

 

Yeah! I hated scrolling down. We lazy like that