S3E08 – Should You Use VST2 or VST3 Plugins

Updated: Jul 22, 2024

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Episode Resources:

• A Specific Music Production Folder [Podcast Episode]
• VST2 vs. VST3 Video
• How to Buy Good Plugins as a Producer

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Should you use VST3 or VST2 Plugins? Will one give you a better sound?

In short, use VST3 for best future-proofing of your music projects…

If your software does not support VST3, that’s where you’ll have to fallback to the VST2 version of that plugin.

As an end user, we really don’t see too many benefits of VST2 vs. VST3, as it’s mainly developers who gain access to new features and functionality that we end users get to use when making our music.

(The main benefits of VST3 would be usually a resizable GUI, and in FL Studio, we can often right-click in VST3 third-party plugins!)

Bonus: Should you buy subscription plugins?

I also talk to you about the dangers of subscription VST plugins in this episode.. be very careful because these companies are holding your music hostage if you don’t keep paying!

I have tons of experience paying for subscription plugins each year to manage this website you’re currently reading.. some costing hundreds each year!

The difference?

These website plugins still allow you to use the plugin, but you just don’t get new updates or bugs fixes.. (which is pretty fair).

In the audio world, I think if you stop paying, you stop “playing”.. (correct me if I’m wrong here!).. In other words, if you stop paying for your VST plugin subscription, you will not be able to open your projects and use those VSTs.. this is very bad, and I would not recommend supporting this type of business behavior.

As always, feel free to browse the website for tons of FL Studio Training!

About Author: GratuiTous

GratuiTous discovered FL Studio around 2009 when a friend introduced him to the DAW.. he then began making FL Studio tutorials in 2011 which lead to creating his Beatmaker Training Platform. He also authors music production books, and hosts the "Music Production Made Simple Podcast". Fun Fact: He was an electrician in Canada for 10 Years!

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