VST Plug-ins question

I've downloaded some plug-ins but have not installed them.

When I searched for my plug-ins folder, nothing was found. I would have presumed Reaper would set these folders up automatically when installed.

The default path(s) in Reaper Preferences is "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steinberg\VstPlugins" and "C:\Program Files\Steinberg\VstPlugins" and "C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3" but those folders don't exist anywhere.

Do I just create my own folder (named whatever) and then direct Reaper to it?

I searched including hidden files and subfolders and the kitchen sink, and found absolutely nothing. FWIW, I think the new file search in Win 10 is pretty crap anyway, but I'm confident there is no plug-in folders.

I found the plug-ins that are "inside" Reaper, but I know you're not supposed to put 3rd party ones in there.

TIA

- Mick

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Originally Posted by McCreed

I've downloaded some plug-ins but have not installed them.

When I searched for my plug-ins folder, nothing was found. I would have presumed Reaper would set these folders up automatically when installed.

The default path(s) in Reaper Preferences is "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steinberg\VstPlugins" and "C:\Program Files\Steinberg\VstPlugins" and "C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3" but those folders don't exist anywhere.

Do I just create my own folder (named whatever) and then direct Reaper to it?

I searched including hidden files and subfolders and the kitchen sink, and found absolutely nothing. FWIW, I think the new file search in Win 10 is pretty crap anyway, but I'm confident there is no plug-in folders.

I found the plug-ins that are "inside" Reaper, but I know you're not supposed to put 3rd party ones in there.

TIA

- Mick

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Usually when you start installing plugins, they start to populate their own folders. Usually under Steinberg as you already pointed out is their default path for PC. Once you do the first one, see where it lands and then make that the path within reaper. Or if you want to quarantine somewhere easy for you to manage prior to installing all third party plugs, then nominate it now and command all installs to go there when installing.

Thanks BD.
I wasn't sure about the self population as the "read me" with the download only mentioned putting the files in "your vst folder".

No worries though, I'll just create my own and direct the daw to the folder.

I've also read creating the plug-in folder outside of C:/Program Files is a good idea (for some reason). Do you have an opinion about that?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by McCreed

I've downloaded some plug-ins but have not installed them.

When I searched for my plug-ins folder, nothing was found. I would have presumed Reaper would set these folders up automatically when installed.

The default path(s) in Reaper Preferences is "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steinberg\VstPlugins" and "C:\Program Files\Steinberg\VstPlugins" and "C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3" but those folders don't exist anywhere.

Do I just create my own folder (named whatever) and then direct Reaper to it?

I searched including hidden files and subfolders and the kitchen sink, and found absolutely nothing. FWIW, I think the new file search in Win 10 is pretty crap anyway, but I'm confident there is no plug-in folders.

I found the plug-ins that are "inside" Reaper, but I know you're not supposed to put 3rd party ones in there.

TIA

- Mick

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On both my laptop and my studio desktop pc, there's a folder in my Program Files folder named Steinberg, inside it is a folder marked Vstplugins, that's where I normally put my vst plugins, the Steinberg folder usually gets created automatically when you install a Daw, like for example FL Studio, that supports Vst plugins, Reaper also supports Vst plugins as does Ableton Live, and Reason 10, most modern Daws should be able to support Vst plugins.

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...the Steinberg folder usually gets created automatically when you install a Daw...

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Yeah, that's been my query. I would have expected Reaper to do this, but either it didn't/doesn't, or it's somewhere that I'm missing.
As I said, I have done an exhaustive search through my entire C: drive and haven't found it.

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Reaper also supports Vst plugins as does Ableton Live, and Reason 10, most modern Daws should be able to support Vst plugins.

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Supporting VST's isn't the issue. The built-in (Reaper) plug-ins work fine.

I've found that VSTs that are executable sometimes create their own folders which is a pain but you can either move them and delete the folder or add the new path VSTi are worse with their associated sound folders which can be huge.

The easiest are the ones you uncompress and simply copy / move the .dll to your main VST folder.

Then scan for new plugins but as you have discovered Reaper and I guess other DAWs only look in folders they know, Reaper will not discover new folders because you don't install from within the app

It's the VST that decides where it's going to install itself rather than Reaper (unless you specify it), so Reaper can't know unless you tell it where to look. :)

All sorted. Thanks guys!