I recently bought a digital piano. It was mainly to learn piano, but also as a controller to use with Omnisphere. I really did think it would be as simple as installing the discs, connecting the keyboard by USB to my PC and then synthesizing away.I thought I didn't need anything else and that I could get to grips with DAWs at a later date, but clearly I was wrong! So my question is: what is the simplest — ie. most idiot-proof — way of getting sound from Omnisphere on my PC that won't require too much technical ability and know-how?
This is Spectrasonic's Omnisphere running as a stand-alone soft synth inside Herman Seib's excellent Savihost utility. Savihost is one of the simplest VST hosts, as well as being a valuable test tool.
HALion Sonic SE 3 is available for free as a plug-in for any VST3, VST2, AU and AAX compatible host and as a stand-alone application for macOS and Windows. HALion Sonic SE is also part of Steinberg 's digital audio workstations. Download for Free (New user) Download for Free (Registered user - updates) How to install HALion Sonic SE (New user). As a standalone, Minihost Modular can be used as an advanced VST or AU host with modular routing with some sequencing recording/playback capabilities. As a VST or AU plugin, Minihost Modular can be used to extend the capabilities of your existing DAW software with its powerful modular, recallable, environment.
Via SOS web site
SOS contributor Martin Walker replies: To use a plug-in like Omnisphere without a DAW, you require a host application capable of loading VST instruments. Examples of suitable 'full-featured' hosts include Ableton Live, Cubase, GarageBand, Logic and Reaper. Developers do get occasional complaints from users if they don't provide a standalone version of their software instruments as well as the plug-in version, but there's really no need for them to take the time, trouble and expense of creating their own stand-alone application when so many simple host utilities are also already available to let you run any VST instrument in stand-alone mode.
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Mac users can download VST Lord (http://arne.knup.de/?page_id=32) for OS X use, while PC users have several choices, including the free Cantabile Lite (www.cantabilesoftware.com), Tobybear's donationware Minihost (www.tobybear.de/p_minihost.html), and Herman Seib's Savihost (www.hermannseib.com/english/Savihost.htm).
Savihost is probably the simplest to use of all of those listed above. It was created for the sole purpose of automatically loading only one VSTi, is extremely quick to load, is light on system resources, is available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions to suit whichever format of soft synth you're using, and also supports ASIO drivers for low latency during performance. You just unzip the Savihost file into the same folder as the DLL file for your VST instrument (in this case Omnisphere.dll), then rename the file Savihost.exe to the name of your instrument (so, in this case, Omnisphere.exe).
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Finally, double-click on this renamed file and your instrument will appear in all its glory. Just use Savihost's Devices menu to choose your MIDI input device and audio output device and you can start playing it. Even if you don't have a keyboard controller on hand, you can download a different version of Savihost including its own software version that you can play with your mouse.
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I've used Savihost myself on quite a few occasions over the years, and not only for playing soft synths as stand-alone applications. It's also a very useful tool if you have any problems running a particular soft synth in a DAW, since you can use it to check that the synth is installed and running correctly without all the extra paraphernalia associated with sequencers, editors and so on. As before, just drop the Savihost file into the same folder as the problem synth DLL, rename it and then double-click on it. If the synth works properly in Savihost, any problem is most likely to be with your DAW. The other advantage of the renaming process is that you can have several instances of Savihost in one 'vstplugins' folder, each launching a different stand-alone synth.
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| Software | Description | OS | License | File Date | Comments | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FL Studio 12 | Music production environment capable of multi-track audio recording, sequencing and mixing for the creation of professional quality songs or realistic drum loops. [Hosts VST/DX Plugin] | Windows | Demo | 2015-04-24 | 3 | 90db |
| Audacity v2.1.2 | Audacity is a Cross-platform, multi-track sound editor and DAW. | Windows | Free | 2016-05-02 | 40 | 75db |
| KRISTAL Audio Engine v1.0.1 | Multitrack recorder, audio sequencer and mixer. | Windows | Freeware | 2004-06-05 | 49 | 75db |
| Podium Free 3.2.1 | Digital audio workstation that brings together audio harddisk recording, VST plugins and external MIDI and audio gear. Works well with a USB Audio Adapter. [Hosts VST Plugins] | Windows | Free | 2014-03-12 | 2 | 75db |
| Studio One v3.2.2 | Music creation and production application that makes audio recording, MIDI sequencing, and audio mastering simple right out of the box, yet provides a wealth of professional features. [Hosts VST Plugins] | Windows | Demo | 2016-06-06 | 2 | 75db |
| Sonic Visualiser 2.5 | View and analyse the contents of music audio files. [Hosts VST Plugins] | Mac | Free | 2015-10-28 | 1 | 70db |
| Rosegarden 14.02 | audio and MIDI sequencer, score editor, and general-purpose music composition and editing environment. Hosts VST and LADSPA effects. | Linux | Free | 2014-04-28 | 1 | 70db |
| Automap 4.9 | Offers an instant controlling solution for your MIDI Hardware controllers to work with all your plug-ins. | Mac | Freeware | 2015-07-09 | 0 | 70db |
| Cakewalk Sonar X3e | Digital Audio Workstation. | Windows | Demo | 2014-03-20 | 22 | 70db |
| DarkWave Studio v5.5.5 | Modular digital audio workstation (DAW) / virtual studio for the creation of electronic music. | Windows | Free | 2016-07-15 | 23 | 70db |
| Music Studio Producer v1.25 | MIDI sequenecer, DAW which can host VST or VSTi plugins and works with a DAW Controller | Windows | Shareware | 2008-08-15 | 41 | 70db |
| Audio Evolution v5.3.3 | Easy to understand software for recording, editing and mixing audio and MIDI. Ideal for the beginner, but powerful enough for more advanced users. [Hosts VST] | Windows | Demo | 2012-06-05 | 0 | 70db |
| Sonic Visualiser v2.5 | View and analyse the contents of music audio files. [Hosts VST Plugins] | Windows | Free | 2015-10-28 | 4 | 70db |
| Cubase 8.5 | Cubase is a full featured DAW that features intuitive handling, sound quality, and a wide array of audio and MIDI tools for composition, recording, editing and mixing. [Hosts VST Plugins]. | Windows | Demo | 2015-12-07 | 7 | 70db |
| MadTracker v2.6.1 | Tracker for music composition with support for MIDI, VST and ReWire. | Windows | Freeware | 2005-08-01 | 67 | 70db |
| MusE 3.0pre1 | MIDI & audio sequencer. | Linux | Free | 2016-05-02 | 7 | 70db |
| Ableton Live 9.6.2b5 | Compose, perform, capture, remix, improvise and edit your musical ideas. [Hosts VST Plugins] | Windows | Demo | 2016-07-04 | 13 | 70db |
| VSTHost v1.53 | VST Host. | Windows | Free | 2013-01-09 | 6 | 65db |
| Renoise v3.1 | Professional music tracker and composing tool. [Hosts VST Plugins] | Mac | Demo | 2016-01-26 | 2 | 65db |
| Renoise 3.1 | Professional music tracker and composing tool. [Hosts VST Plugins] | Linux | Demo | 2016-01-26 | 0 | 65db |
| Sonic Visualiser v2.5 | View and analyse the contents of music audio files. [Hosts VST Plugins] | Linux | Free | 2015-10-28 | 0 | 65db |
| Skale Tracker v0.81 | Free music composition software. | Linux | Freeware | 2006-02-11 | 0 | 65db |
| Jamstix 3.6 | Jamstix is a virtual drummer inside of your sequencer/host [VST] | Windows | Demo | 2014-07-04 | 4 | 65db |
| Acid Pro v7.0e | Create professional, royalty-free music with this loop-based production tool. | Windows | Demo | 2010-06-15 | 0 | 65db |
| HostX v1.0.7 | Free standing VSTi Host Application | Mac | Freeware | 2006-11-15 | 1 | 65db |
| Making Waves v5.36 | Easy to use sample sequencing software package. | Windows | Shareware | 2006-08-14 | 101 | 65db |
| Reaper 5.03 | Record, arrange, edit, mix and render audio. [Hosts VST Plugins] | Mac | Demo | 2015-10-05 | 2 | 65db |
| Sound Forge Pro 11 Build 293 | Professional Digital Audio Editor for Windows. [Hosts VST Plugins] | Windows | Demo | 2014-08-08 | 1 | 65db |
| Bitwig Studio v1.3.11 | Bitwig is a multi-platform DAW software designed for both live performance and studio recording. | Linux | Demo | 2016-07-04 | 0 | 65db |
| Tracktion T7 | Clean, clutter-free audio/MIDI workstation. | Windows | Demo | 2016-03-07 | 2 | 65db |