Master Controller App: Play Piano With a VST Host Program

Do you always need complicated DAW software just to play a piano VST? A handy solution in the form of a simple MIDI controller-like app allows anyone unfamiliar with recording technology to overcome this hurdle: Play the piano with a VST host program!

Isn’t a DAW a host program as well? That’s technically correct – a DAW is host software because it also allows you to run external programs as “plug-ins”. By now, however, the term DAW refers to MIDI/audio sequencer software for composition, music production, and sound design.

Does this sound quite complicated? Well, it sort of is, at least if all you want to do is play a software piano with your computer. It takes a bit of training to become accustomed to a recording tool as complex as a DAW. However, since software pianos simply sound great, a simpler solution would be preferable.

The Simplest Solution: Standalone VST

Why overcomplicate something when there’s an easy solution? If a standalone version of the Piano VST plug-in exists, you already have the ideal solution for playing a great piano sound. ‘Standalone’ means that you can start the piano sound as a standalone program on your computer. However, many software instruments are designed to be used as VST plug-ins and are not offered as standalone applications.

What Is a VST Host Program?

To describe a VST host program as a “DAW without a sequencer” would be inaccurate, as a host program has a different purpose than a DAW. The only feature they essentially have in common is the possibility to run audio plug-ins.

Otherwise, the primary purpose of a VST host program is to organize virtual instruments so that they can be played on one or more connected keyboards. This not only allows you to manage an entire keyboard setup for live shows, but you can also use a host program to create more complex piano sounds.

Splits and Layers with a VST Host Program

Setting keyboard ranges, assigning sounds, adjusting volume, and maybe effects – although very complicated, all this is possible with a DAW as well. From a technical point of view you’d run into no issues, but using a DAW in a master keyboard-like manner would require a lot of skill and knowledge.

With a host program, on the other hand, it’s very simple: load two different VSTs, for example, and you’ve created a layered sound. To define split zones for the software instruments, just select certain keyboard zones. While it depends on the capabilities of the host program, that’s basically all you need to do.

Saving Patches in a VST Host Program

Again, this is very different from a DAW. Of course, you’ll always find a way to organize and save your sound combinations, but this remains quite complicated. A host program not only allows you to easily save such combination setups but usually to quickly recall them as well. Loading times are not a problem when at home, but for live performances, you need one more feature: Your sounds should be available as quickly as possible.

Here, too, host programs have a clear advantage. However, you should also make sure that you have the best possible technical conditions by using an ultra-fast solid-state disk as your hard drive. Piano VSTs and sound libraries in general can contain many gigabytes of data. Compared to a conventional fast hard disk (7200 rpm), an SSD reduces loading times by a factor of about ten.

Korg Gadget as a Host Program

The Korg Gadget sequencer software, available for iOS devices as well as Windows and MacOS, is ingeniously simple yet surprisingly versatile. Gadget is a kind of “MIDI production studio” and was not originally designed as a host application. Nevertheless, it offers many possibilities.

Above all, Korg Gadget is about quickly and easily creating good-sounding beats. It comes with a wide range of modules, including a drum computer, a bass synthesizer, a sampler, sound effects, a piano module, and last but not least the “Taipei” MIDI module. This turns Korg Gadget into a sophisticated master keyboard controller that controls external MIDI instruments as well as piano apps on the iPad.

As an iOS app, Gadget is particularly affordable at just under 40 Euros. In-app purchases let you add a selection of sound modules. Click here to visit the App Store website.

Bitwig Studio as a Host Program

As a DAW, Bitwig Studio is primarily designed for music production. But the program for macOS, Windows, and Linux offers a whole range of different functions that can be extremely helpful when working with sound layers. With other DAWs, you could only wish for such functions.

Bitwig Studio integrates external hardware instruments and also offers the corresponding layer functions as an internal software instrument. As you would expect from a synthesizer workstation, you can configure as many split and layer sounds as you like, whether you are working with internal sounds or external MIDI instruments. A clever preset management system lets you save all your settings as presets for easy recall.

Host Programs – Product Recommendations

Easily combine, manage, and play a piano VST and other software instruments in your audio computer: Since it has been on the market for many years, Apple MainStage is the first host program we have to discuss. As an offshoot of Logic Pro, the similarities to Apple’s DAW are obvious. By now, there are smarter and more flexible solutions to run and work with software instruments.

Learn more about VST Host Programs

Discussion about VST Host Programs – Piano World Piano Forum

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