Just properly installed Ardour on Linux Mint and while the VST3 version of Airwindows Consolidated works fine, I’d rather use the lv2 version since it’s lv2 isn’t owned by a specific company with licenses and whatnot. Plus I hear it’s better on resources.
Weirdly, every time I try to load it, I get this:
The plugin “Airwindows Consolidated” could not be loaded
See the Log window for more details (maybe)
There is no info in the log, and the .lv2 folder is configured like all the other lv2 plugins I have installed so I have no clue what the issue is. Any ideas?
Do you see any error related to this if you start Ardour from a terminal and try to load it?
The errors should appear in the terminal window.
I got the zip file and was able to run it in my self compiled ardour 8.12 in Ubuntu 22.04.
Are you using the official Ardour binary from this site, the one included in Mint or a self compiled one?
My mistake! I got it working my simply restarting Ardour. I guess something about the plugin didn’t initialize properly? I don’t know. Thanks for the response, regardless! I’m using the official binary.
Meh, I don’t know what I think about that… LV2 being non-proprietary and having a single part-time developer calling all (or at least most of) the shots seems both admirable in one way but also maybe not the best scenario for unlimited growth and choice across all DAWs and platforms… I personally prefer standards like VST3 that are geared to all platforms and popular DAWs. I suppose if it depends whether you want to only use tools within a given ideology or whether you want no barriers to the best tools available which of course is a personal decision.
I get what you’re saying. I do prefer open source plugins because, with some exceptions, I think it’s more about how you use the tools at your disposal, and I always prefer open source stuff.
But going off that, what do you think of the CLAP format? I know Ardour doesn’t support it right now, but it seems promising from what I’ve heard.
The VST3 SDK is GPLv3 for open source plugins, so the license difference between LV2 (vhich is licensed under ISC) and VST3 is negligible. You could even argue that VST3 is more “open source”, since it’s GPL.
I’m neither an authority on this nor do I know all of the facts in detail, like many I have thoughts, take them with a grain (or a bucket) of salt.
I personally think CLAP is a questionable wheel reinvention (an opinion only). Steinberg seemed to open licensing things up from VST2 to VST3 as far as it being more open to open source usage (Not completely open I realize). And at a glance JUCE the main framework of many Plugins also seems to have features and additions from the open source world but many FOSS Plugins use their own UI toolkits anyway. I love my FOSS OS platform, I love my FOSS DAW but I’m fine with some contained proprietary binary blobs to extend their functionality and level the playing field with other platforms and I’m also fine with it coming via VST3 so for me CLAP is not a benefit at all and I am apolitical about it’s purported open benefits.
Hmm… I’ll admit it’s a bit over my head. I’m not new to the idea of open source stuff, but I am in terms of how it relates to audio production. That said, thanks for the info, I appreciate it.
Yeah, I can understand feeling that way. I think having an open source DAW and OS is the main thing for sure, though I’ll happily have all my plugins open source one day if I can.
I’m really new to foss when it comes to audio production, so thanks for the help and info, even if some of it goes over my head haha