Lists of VSTi with "Velocity Sensitivity" and "Program Compatibility"

In this thread I intend to create 2 lists of VST plugins of instruments that meet these premises:

  • They must be VST2 (for the moment) of 64bit, specifically with .dll extension for Windows 10 (there will usually be a version for others OS).
  • The first list should be plugins compatible with velocity sensitivity. The plugin must have a wheel or something similar to be able to increase or decrease the sensitivity to the pulsation velocity, or at least set to accept the maximum velocity range (0 to 127).
  • The second list must be compatible with the programs that Renoise can display on the Plugins tab (drop-down list on the left called “Program”).

Generally, the best plugins for Renoise are the 64bit plugins that are in the 2 lists.

If anyone knows any VSTi that meets both properties, name it in the thread and I will add it to the 2 lists below. These listings can help you find better the complements for instruments that best fit Renoise.

I will also add the 32-bit ones that are still interesting to me (with the hope that Renoise will work well again with the 32bit plugins). There are still many very interesting 32bit VSTi plugins, but I will not add them to the lists.

Those that are not marked are 64bit. It doesn’t matter if they are paid or free, but they must have a minimum quality.

1. List of VSTi with “Velocity Sensitivity”

  • Pigments [Arturia]
  • Massive X [Native Instruments]
  • Spire [Reveal Sounds]
  • Predator / Predator 2 [Rob Papen]
  • Punch / Punch Multi [Rob Papen]
  • Gladiator [Tone2]
  • Thorn [Dmitry Sches]
  • Diva [u-he]
  • Hive 1 [u-he]
  • Diversion [Dmitry Sches]
  • Sawer [Image-Line]
  • Xpand!2 [Air Music Technology]
  • Philharmonik 2 [IK Multimedia]
  • OrchestralCompanion Strings/Brass/Woodwinds (and others) [SONiVOX]
  • BassLine-101 [TAL]
  • NoiseMaker [TAL]
  • Olga [schwa] (32bit)
  • Tunefish4 [Brain Control]
  • ModulAir [Full Bucket Music]
  • Pianoteq 6 [Modartt]**

2. List of VSTi with “Program Compatibility”

  • Abakos [HERCs Music Systems] (32bit)
  • Sylenth1 [LennarDigital] (32bit)
  • TranceDrive (32bit)
  • ANA2 [Sonic Academy]
  • Carbon Electra [Plugin Boutique]
  • Dexed [Digital Suburban]
  • Predator [Rob Papen]
  • Punch / Punch Multi [Rob Papen]
  • BIGROOMKIXSYNTH [Alan Hinton] (32bit)
  • AvatarST [HGFortunex2] (32bit)
  • Ragnarok [Hans Peter Willems + Bjoern Arlt]
  • OrchestralCompanion Strings/Brass/Woodwinds (and others) [SONiVOX]
  • Elek7ro-II [TAL]
  • NoiseMaker [TAL]
  • Olga [schwa] (32bit)
  • Tunefish4 [Brain Control]
  • ModulAir [Full Bucket Music]
  • Pianoteq 6 [Modartt]**

List of VSTi of doubts with Velocity Sensitivity

  • Dune 3 [Synapse Audio]
  • Serum [Xfer Records]
  • Kontakt Player [Native Instruments]

List of VSTi not recommended (various problems with Renoise 3.2.0/3.2.1)

  • Helm [Matt Tylet] (GUI problem)

Do you know any plugin that is not in the lists, to add it?

3 Likes

You can add Pianoteq 6 [Modartt] to the list of both Velocity Sensitivity and Program Compatibility.

But I’m confused why you want this list? Are you finding many VSTi plugins that don’t use the programmed velocity? (Or are you looking specifically for plugins where you can customize how it interprets the velocity curve - Pianoteq does do this.) As for Program Compatibility, I didn’t even know Renoise had that preset function until reading this post. Are there some plugins that don’t work if you save a preset using the built-in Renoise method, or do you want plugins that already come with a list of presets pre-populated in the drop-down list?

Thanks for the suggestion!

For me it is essential that VSTi work correctly with Renoise, and are 100% compatible. And here Renoise also has something to say. There seems to be no standardization for all VSTi programmers to use the velocity sensitivity and the same form of program selection (even if they are deployable trees with multiple branches). VSTis there are thousands, many free and many of paid. You will find everything.

Now there is VST3 and MIDI 2.0 and we will have to deal with both.

Yes, there are many VSTi that are NOT compatible with velocity sensitivity. This feature is important, since the volume value of the sample will be valid for the velocity (0 to 127 MIDI, 1.0). If there is no velocity, that value is useless. The most comfortable way to control velocity is precisely with this value in the volume sub-column.

There are plugins that control the velocity automatically, without any control option. Others allow you to set the velocity through a knob or similar.

Something similar happens with program compatibility. Many VSTi are not compatible. They have their own program selector. This prevents, for example, changing programs through an LUA tool linked to an assignment for MIDI input. That is to say, with a LUA tool you can change the VSTi program through your MIDI controller. Therefore, if you install an unsupported VSTi, this feature is useless and you have to use the mouse.

So, if your VSTi add-ons are compatible with the program change, you can change instruments and navigate their programs through the MIDI input, all centralized.

A good example of all this is Predator 1, compatible with both features, velocity and program (it has an exclusive velocity knob). This is a very good example, because Predator 2 is not compatible with the Renoise program change.

So, really, all this is a bit messy.

Thanks for the detailed response! I guess Program Compatibility is like the ability to scroll through presets on the digital screens of those NKS-compatible MIDI controllers, so I see how that is useful!

Every VSTi I have seems to be velocity sensitive, but sometimes it depends on the specific patch you’ve loaded. Some use velocity to modify volume across the full 0-127 range, while some patches (in the same plugin) might use the velocity to modify a parameter instead (eg more distortion).

With that in mind, some more you could add to your list (the Korg ones are most relevant):

Bass Fingers [Waves]: Velocity Sensitive only
Bass Slapper [Waves]: Velocity Sensitive only
Dune CM [Synapse Audio]: Velocity Sensitive & Program Compatibility (free with Computer Music magazine)
Electric Grand 80 [Waves]: Velocity Sensitive only
Iris 2 [iZotope]: Velocity Sensitive only
Lounge Lizard Session 4 [AAS]: Velocity Sensitive only
M1 [Korg]: Velocity Sensitive & Program Compatibility
Strum Session 2 [AAS]: Velocity Sensitive only
TAL-U-NO-LX V2 [TAL]: Velocity Sensitive only NB: You must adjust “Vel Velocity” Control to 10 on the plugin for maximum velocity range
Ultra Analog Session / VA-2 / VA-3 [AAS]: Velocity Sensitive only
V Collection 7 [Arturia]: Velocity Sensitive only
Wavestation [Korg]: Velocity Sensitive & Program Compatibility

Exact. I think Kontakt Player and Dune 3 are also on the list of velocity sensitive. I will check it.

I think these lists are useful for meeting other add-ons. You yourself have named some that I have never seen. For example, Iris 2 is interesting to me. And Dune CM looks like version 1 of Dune 3.
I also have Arturia’s Analog Lab 4, which looks more like a player, I suppose it is similar to V Collection 7.

Good example! Precisely Analog Lab 4 with a compatible Arturia controller has that way of selecting instruments and programs, which is precisely what is not possible with all VSTi and Renoise, because they are not compatible with the Renoise program selection. These VSTi are not programmed to work this way, but that it have their own selector.

A general method of selection should be standardized so that all DAWs could be integrated. This is a VST problem that should be faced sometime.

For serum, I do believe Velocity Sensitivity works if you latch the Velocity modulation onto a parameter. Typically the velocity modulating envelope isn’t attached to anything.
serum_velocity

does presets selection work with serum as well?

Anyone know what’s the reason why some Plugins support this and some not? Is it lazy/wrong implementation by developers of the VST standard?