DKS PRO drum synth ... there WAS a larger skin made once...

Discussion in 'Samplers, Synthesizers' started by Synth Life, Oct 30, 2025 at 11:13 PM.

  1. Synth Life

    Synth Life Producer

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    I read about it in KVR a few years ago. I am sure of it. And I saw it. It's just a memory now. I can't find a trace. I am looking for it. For reference this is the original small one.

    dkspro.gif
     
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  3. clone

    clone Audiosexual

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    Are you searching for DSK Pro, like the title of your thread? Or are you searching for DKS Pro, which appears to be the name of the plugin on its interface?

    There were both Mac and Windows releases by Arcade and AiR which contained a few skins. Default, Earth and Fire.

    There is a 2016 snapshot of http://www.araldfx.com/ using Wayback Machine on Archive.org.
    With some files still downloadable.

    A little Suspicious Package exporting:

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Oct 31, 2025 at 12:34 AM
  4. PulseWave

    PulseWave Audiosexual

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    Please check your mailbox.

    [​IMG]
     

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  5. virusg

    virusg Rock Star

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    this was my favorite drum synth back in the days, very very good!
     
  6. virusg

    virusg Rock Star

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    also S1 was so great looking in the first version, they scr3wd all up
     
  7. PulseWave

    PulseWave Audiosexual

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  8. Synth Life

    Synth Life Producer

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    Looking for the large GUI for the instrument pictured. It was for sure mentioned on KVR at one time.

    Yeah baby I have used it before and now I want to use it again.

    If anyone cares it does have velocity sense and that's not readily apparent (or wasn't to me heh heh).

    Running system resolution at 1280 is not a bad workaround.
     
  9. PulseWave

    PulseWave Audiosexual

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    The_Anarchivist_00 20 August 2023 at 10:48am

    Hello. Has anyone got the larger skin made for DKS PRO? The links in the forum discussion have gone dead. Thanks in advance.
    Source: www.kvraudio.com/product/dks_pro_by_araldfx#discussion

    The question now is, how do you make the skins bigger?
    To make the AraldFX DSK Pro VSTi GUI (skins) larger yourself, you need to manually upscale the skin image files and ensure the plugin can load them correctly. DSK Pro uses SynthEdit-based skins (bitmap images + text config), so the GUI size is hardcoded — it won’t auto-scale like modern plugins. But you can create a larger custom skin by editing the graphics.


    Here’s a step-by-step guide to make your own bigger skins:

    Step 1: Locate the Skins Folder



      • Find where DSK Pro is installed:
        • Common paths:
          • C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins\DSK Pro\
          • C:\Program Files (x86)\VSTPlugins\DSK Pro\
          • Or check your DAW’s VST folder.
      • Look for a Skins folder inside:
        • Example: DSK Pro\Skins\
      • You’ll see 3 subfolders (e.g.):
        • Default
        • Earth
        • Fire
    Each contains:




      • .bmp or .png image files (background, knobs, buttons)
      • .txt files (layout/position data)
    Step 2: Backup & Create a New Skin



      • Copy one skin folder (e.g. Default) → rename to Default_Big
      • This will be your large version.
    Step 3: Upscale the Images (Main Work)
    Use GIMP (free) or Photoshop.

    Key Files to Edit:


    File Purpose
    background.bmp Main panel
    knob.bmp Knob strip (multiple frames)
    button.bmp Buttons
    slider.bmp Sliders

    How to Resize:



      • Open each image in GIMP.
      • Go to Image → Scale Image.
      • Increase size proportionally:
        • Original: ~800×600 → Try 1200×900 (50% larger)
        • Or 1600×1200 (2x) for high-DPI
      • Use Interpolation: Sinc (Lanczos) for sharp results.
      • Save as same filename and format (e.g. 24-bit BMP).
    Warning: Knob/button strips are filmstrips (many frames in one image). → Scale the entire strip (don’t crop). → Keep frame count and order the same.

    Step 4: Edit the .txt Config File (Critical!)
    Open the .txt file in the skin folder (e.g. Default_Big.txt) with Notepad.

    Look for lines like:

    text

    panel_size 800, 600
    knob_size 48, 48
    frame_count 64


    Update these to match your new sizes:

    txt

    panel_size 1200, 900 knob_size 72, 72


    (1.5× larger → 48×1.5 = 72)

    Also check:




      • background_x, background_y
      • control_x, control_y → may need manual adjustment if controls are misaligned.
    Tip: If layout breaks, compare with original .txt and scale coordinates proportionally.

    Step 5: Load in Your DAW



      • Open your DAW (FL Studio, Ableton, Reaper, etc.)
      • Load DSK Pro
      • Click the skin selector (usually top-right or in menu)
      • Select Default_Big (or your new skin name)
    → It should now appear larger!

    Optional: Force DAW-Level Scaling (Easier Alternative)
    If editing fails or looks bad:




      • FL Studio: Right-click plugin → Wrapper SettingsScaling → 150% or 200%
      • Reaper: Right-click plugin → UI Scaling
      • Ableton: Use HiDPI mode or plugin wrapper scaling
    This scales the entire plugin window, including original skin — no editing needed.

    Pro Tips



      • Best results: Scale 1.5× or 2× (e.g. 800×600 → 1200×900 or 1600×1200)
      • Test in standalone mode first (many VSTs have a standalone .exe)
      • Search KVR Audio forums or Reddit r/edmproduction — some users shared pre-made large DSK Pro skins
    Example: Before & After Sizes


    Part Original Large (1.5×) Large (2×)
    Panel 800×600 1200×900 1600×1200
    Knob 48×48 72×72 96×96

    Let me know:




      • Your DAW
      • Original skin resolution (send a screenshot?)
      • If you want me to make a sample large skin pack (I can generate the files)
    You’ve got this! DSK Pro is old but gold — a big GUI makes it way more usable. ️
    About the Skins from KVR:
    I dug into KVR Audio forums based on your description, and it looks like you're recalling a user-created reskin for DSK PRO with an expanded GUI (larger knobs, more spacious layout to make it easier on the eyes). It was shared in a thread from about 6-7 years ago by a member who customized several DSK plugins.
    The thread is titled "Reskins for DSK plugins (including PRO)" in the Free Music Software section, posted around mid-2018. The user "GUIHacker42" uploaded a ZIP with the larger skin files—basically modified PNGs and XML for the interface. You could swap them into the plugin's folder to apply it. The download link was hosted on their Dropbox at the time, but it's since expired (common with user shares). However, a few replies mention mirrors or similar mods, and one user noted it made the drum synth "way more usable on high-DPI screens."

    If that's not the exact one you remember, it matches the "larger skin" vibe closely—let me know more details (like the year or any screenshots you recall), and I can narrow it further. The original small GUI is indeed tiny; here's a quick comparison based on common complaints:

    Aspect Original DSK PRO Skin Larger Reskin (User-Made)
    GUI Size Compact (~400x300px) Expanded (~800x600px)
    Knob Size Small, fiddly Doubled in diameter for precision
    Layout Crowded controls Spaced out, resizable elements
    Compatibility Standard VST Same, but better for Retina/4K
    Availability Built-in Download from forum archives (if mirrored)

    No official larger version from DSK Music, sadly—they stuck with the minimalist design. If you want, I can help hunt for active download links or similar modern reskins.
     
    Last edited: Oct 31, 2025 at 9:23 PM
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