This tutorial describes how to generate new random preset for a VST Plugin using the VST Preset Generator.

The VST plugin we will use in this tutorial is TDR Feedback Compressor II from Tokyo Dawn labs.

Load the Plugin

The first step is to load the plugin in the VST Preset Generator. Use the yellow box icon to import informations about your VST plugin.

Load the plugin

Select the .dll file of your plugin in the Open Dialog.

Note

On Windows operating system the plugin folder is usually C:\Program Files\Steinberg\Vstplugins

Pick the dll file

Once the plugin is loaded, the parameters are shown in the right panel.

Plugin loaded

Set Parameters' Random Method

For each parameter the random method defines the way the value will be generated in the presets.

There is 3 available methods, from no randomness to full randomness:

  • Constant method logo constant: the generated parameter’s value will be fixed.

  • Normal method logo normal: the generated parameter’s value will oscillate around a given value.

  • Uniform method logo uniform: the generated parameter’s value will be picked randomly between two values.

See the documentation for more informations about the random methods.

Constant Parameters

A good way to start is to set the obvious parameters that won’t change as constant. For instance we don’t want to randomize output volume or bypass switch.

So let’s fix these parameters as constant:

  • Click on the random mode column of the row Out Gain and change the random method to constant.

Change Out Gain Random Method
  • Click on the val 1 column of the Out Gain parameter and set the value to 1.00 as we always want full volume in the generated presets.

Change Out Gain Value
  • Repeat the operations for the Bypass parameter, and set the value to 0.00 to deactivate bypass.

Change Bypass Parameter

Parameters with Small Randomness

In our case we want to generate preset with short attack.

A good attack parameter is 0.1, and we want to generate preset with similar attack parameter. So let’s use the normal random method to oscillate around the 0.1 value:

  • Click on the random mode column of the row Attack and change the random method to normal.

Change Attack Random Method
  • Then set middle value to 0.1 and the deviation to 0.01. This will generate attack parameter values most likely between 0.99 and 0.101.

Change Attack Value

Default Random Method.

Let the other parameters to default uniform value, it will generate random parameter’s values between 0 and 1. If you don’t know what random method to set, this is the most appropriate.

Generate Presets

Once you have set the random methods, it’s time to generate presets!

Click on the big button on the bottom left to launch the generation process.

Click Generate Button

The following window ask for either a program preset file (.fxp) or a bank preset file (.fxb). A bank simply contains many programs, whether program contains only one preset.

If you choose to generate a bank you can adjust the number of program in your bank. The default value is the max number of program the plugin can handle.

Load the plugin

Click Next and select a file name for your preset.

And you’ve generated a preset. Congratulation!

The full file path is displayed in the popup. This is the file you will load in you VST host, so please remember it.

Load the plugin

Load Generated Preset in Your Favorite Host

You’ve generated a preset file, let’s open it in your host to check the new random sounds/effects you’ve created.

Note

In this tutorial the VST host is Savihost from Hermann Seib.

Once the plugin is loaded in the VST host, you can select the generated preset file (fxp or fxb).

The generated preset names begin by VPG:

Load the plugin

You can check that the volume parameter and the bypass parameter have constant values.

The attack parameter’s values are oscillating around a short value, as expected!

Load the plugin

Play with Randomness

If you like experimentation you can play with the randomness in the VST Preset Generator.

  • Use uniform random method to get full randomness on all parameters.

  • Use normal random method to create variations around a known preset. In this case the middle values must come from the originial preset.

Ultimately you can use the Yellow Exclamation Mark Button to randomly set random methods and values to your preset:

Load the plugin

A warning prevents you to erase your previous values each time you use one of these buttons.

Load the plugin

Et voilà! Random method and values for your parameters. You can now generate the preset files.

Load the plugin

Happy experimentation!

Save the VST List

When you’ve loaded many plugins, you can manage your list with the buttons just above the plugin list. This let you save the list in a .vpg file that you can re-open in the next VST Preset Generator session.

Load the plugin

Informations

Thanks for reading this short tutorial!

Feel free to share your experience with VST Preset Generator at contact@vst-preset-generator.org