+---
+layout: default
+title: Using Windows VST Plugins on Linux
+---
+
+<p>
+ Thanks to the combined work of Torben Hohn, Kjetil Mattheusen, Paul
+ Davis and a few other developers, it is possible to use Windows
+ <dfn><abbr title="Virtual Studio Technology">VST</abbr>
+ plugins</dfn> (that is, plugins in VST format built and distributed
+ for the Windows platforms) on Ardour running on Linux. (Note: there
+ is no VST support of any kind on OS X).
+</p>
+
+<p>However, doing so has three <em>substantial</em> downsides:</p>
+
+<ul>
+ <li>It requires a special build of Ardour that is fundamentally
+ very different from normal builds</li>
+ <li>Support depends on <a href="http://winehq.org/">Wine</a>,
+ a Windows "emulator"</li>
+ <li>As usual with plugins, a crashing plugin will take Ardour down
+ with it—and crashes in Windows VST plugins are more likely when
+ used in this way</li>
+</ul>
+
+<p>
+ The dependence on Wine makes it almost impossible for the Ardour
+ project to support this feature. Wine's functionality generally
+ improves over time, but any given release of Wine may behave worse
+ with some or all Windows VST plugins. It may even just crash Ardour
+ completely.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+ Step back and think about what "using Windows VSTs" really means:
+ taking bits of software written with only one idea in mind—running
+ on the Windows platform—and then trying to use them on an entirely
+ different platform. It is a bit of a miracle (largely thanks to the
+ incredible work done by the Wine project) that it works at all. But is
+ this the basis of a stable, reliable DAW for a non-Windows platform?
+ Getting Ardour on Linux to pretend that its really a Windows
+ application running on Windows?
+</p>
+
+<p>
+ We understand that there are many outstanding plugins available as
+ Windows VSTs and that in many cases, no equivalent is available for
+ Ardour's Linux-based users. If your workflow is so dependent on those
+ plugins, then remain on Windows (or potentially consider using an
+ actual Windows VST host running inside of Wine). If you can make the
+ effort, you will get a better environment by using a normal build of
+ Ardour and exploring the world of plugins built to run on Linux
+ natively. This covers LADSPA, LV2 and Linux VST formats, and even some
+ outstanding proprietary plugins such as those
+ from <a href="http://www.loomer.co.uk/">Loomer</a>.
+</p>
+
+<h2>A Plea To Plugin Manufacturers</h2>
+
+<p>
+ Please consider porting your plugins so that users can enjoy them on
+ Linux too. Several other commercial plugin developers have already
+ done this. You can choose between using "Linux VST" (which is what
+ Loomer and others have done)—you will find toolkits like JUCE that
+ help to make this fairly easy—or using LV2 format which is
+ ultimately more flexible but probably more work. We have users—thousands of users—on Linux who would like to use your plugins.
+</p>
+