If you’ve spent even five minutes in an Indian music production studio—or scrolled through a producer WhatsApp group—you’ve definitely heard the sacred mantra: “Bhai, just load a VST.” Apparently, every plugin under the sun is a VST. That rich, cinematic string library? Obviously a VST. The cavernous reverb that makes your bathroom vocals sound like Abbey Road Studio One? VST, of course. That 20GB piano patch that brings your laptop to its knees? Oh yeah, totally a VST, bro.
Except… it’s not.
Welcome to the world of plugin ignorance, where every sample-based instrument and audio effect is mashed under the all-knowing, all-encompassing term: “VST.” If you’re a bedroom producer in India—or frankly anywhere on the planet—you’ve probably made this mistake. It’s okay. We were all there once. But now it’s time to grow up, put on your big-boy monitoring headphones, and get it right.
VST: The Buzzword That Refuses to Die
Let’s start with a reality check. VST stands for Virtual Studio Technology—a plugin format created by Steinberg (those nice folks behind Cubase and Nuendo) way back in the 90s. It revolutionized digital music production. Props to them.
But here’s where it gets wild: VST is just one plugin format. It’s not the only format. It’s not the universal format. And no, your Logic Pro AU plugin is not secretly a VST in disguise. Stop trying to make “fetch” happen.
AU: Because Apple Likes Being Different
Enter AU, or Audio Units. This one is brought to you by our friends at Apple. It’s their proprietary plugin format, because of course they had to make their own. If you’re using Logic Pro or GarageBand, congratulations—you’re not using VSTs. Not even a little.
But don’t worry. You can still say VST loudly in conversations so people think you know what you’re talking about. Just don’t be surprised when your AU-only plugin refuses to load in a DAW that only speaks VST.
AAX: Pro Tools Playing in Its Own Sandbox
Now let’s talk about the godfather of professional studios: Pro Tools. If you thought Apple was special, wait till you meet AAX—Avid Audio eXtensions. This is Pro Tools’ exclusive plugin format. Why? Because Avid likes to remind you that if you’re not paying for an HDX system and a yearly subscription, you’re doing it wrong.
Pro Tools won’t touch your VSTs or your AUs. It doesn’t care. It’s above that. You want to use that nice VST plugin you downloaded from a dodgy forum? Not in Pro Tools, you don’t. You better hope there’s an AAX version, or you’re out of luck—and possibly out of budget, too.
Some DAWs are Bi-Format—And We Love Them For It
Thankfully, there are a few DAWs that are less snobbish. Ableton Live, Reaper, Studio One, and others are more open-minded, supporting both VST and AU (at least on macOS). These are the chill guys at the party who just want to make music, not argue about plugin formats.
Still, even in these DAWs, using the wrong format can result in weird bugs, GUI issues, or the sudden disappearance of your meticulously crafted sound. (Cue panic attack.)
Why You Should Care (Even If You Don’t Want To)
Because eventually, you’ll collaborate. And when your Logic session full of AU plugins is opened on a friend’s PC with Cubase, prepare for the inevitable flood of “missing plugin” errors. It’ll be fun explaining why nothing plays back properly.
Also, there’s that moment when you buy an expensive plugin, only to realize it doesn’t come in AAX, and you’re knee-deep in a Pro Tools session. That’s when you’ll remember this article—and cry.
The Final Word: Let’s Retire the “Everything’s a VST” Mentality
Look, calling every plugin a “VST” is like calling every car a “Honda.” Sure, it moves, but if you show up at a Ferrari dealership asking for the latest Civic, you’re going to get some looks. It’s time for producers—especially in the growing Indian music scene—to stop using “VST” as a blanket term and start understanding plugin formats.
VST. AU. AAX. They’re all part of the toolbox. Know them. Respect them. And for the love of decibels, stop calling everything a “VST”.
The post Its all VST, Bro! appeared first on SAundCheck – a blog by Sudeep Audio for the Indian music industry.
Source:https://www.sudeepaudio.com/saundcheck/bedroom-studio-myths/