VST Settings
VST (Virtual Studio Technology) plug-ins provide instruments and effects that expand Sonar's capabilities. The VST Settings page lets you manage where plug-ins are located, how they're scanned, and how Sonar handles VST2 and VST3 plug-ins.
You can access these settings by going to Edit > Preferences > File > VST Settings.
In this article
Manage VST Scan Paths
Sonar scans the folders listed in the VST Scan Paths section to detect installed VST plug-ins.
Use the following options to manage scan locations:
- Add – Add a new folder containing VST plug-ins.
- Remove – Remove a folder from the scan list.
Tip
If a newly installed plug-in doesn't appear in Sonar, make sure its installation folder is included in the VST Scan Paths list.
Scan Options
Choose when and how Sonar scans for plug-ins.
- Automatic Background Scan
Automatically scans your VST folders in the background whenever plug-ins are added, removed, or updated.
- Scan on Startup
Scans for new plug-ins each time Sonar starts.
- Manual Scan
Scans only when you click Scan.
- Rescan Failed Plug-ins
Attempts to scan only plug-ins that previously failed.
- Rescan All Plug-ins
Forces Sonar to rescan every installed plug-in. This is useful after changing scan settings or troubleshooting plug-in issues.
- Scan in Sandbox
Scans each plug-in in its own isolated process to improve reliability and prevent a faulty plug-in from interrupting the scan.
- Generate Scan Log
Creates a scan log at
%APPDATA%\Cakewalk\Logs\VstScan.log. Enable this only when requested by Cakewalk Support for troubleshooting.- Scan
Immediately starts a manual VST scan.
- Reset
Removes all VST scan records and settings, allowing Sonar to rebuild its plug-in database from scratch.
Important
Use Reset only when troubleshooting plug-in detection issues.
VST2 and VST3 Migration
If both VST2 and VST3 versions of the same plug-in are installed, Sonar can help simplify plugin management.
- Hide Related VST2 Plug-ins
Hides duplicate VST2 versions from plug-in menus when an equivalent VST3 version exists.
- Replace If Possible on Project Load
Automatically replaces supported VST2 plug-ins with their VST3 equivalents when opening older projects.
Note
VST3 plug-ins remain VST3. VST2 plug-ins are only replaced if a compatible VST3 version is available.
BitBridge (32-bit Plug-ins)
BitBridge allows the 64-bit version of Sonar to load older 32-bit VST plug-ins.
By default, Sonar automatically manages BitBridge memory and creates additional servers only when needed.
Advanced users can manually assign plug-ins to specific BitBridge servers, which can help isolate memory-intensive 32-bit plug-ins.
Note
BitBridge is only required for legacy 32-bit VST plug-ins.
General Plug-in Options
- Recycle Plug-in Windows
By default, opening a new plug-in closes the previously opened plug-in window to reduce screen clutter. Disable this option if you prefer every plug-in to open in its own window. You can also pin individual plug-in windows to keep them open while working with other plug-ins.
- Send All Notes Off Messages on Stop
Sends an All Notes Off message to virtual instruments when playback stops. Enable this only if you experience stuck MIDI notes after stopping playback, as it may slightly increase stop time in projects with many virtual instruments.
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