Working with VST and VSTi

Updated 11 months ago

    Introduction to VST

    Virtual Studio Technology (VST) is an audio plug-in software interface licensed under Steinberg that integrates software synthesizers and effects units into digital audio workstations. Most VST plugins are either instruments (VSTi) or effects (VSTfx); VSTi includes software simulation emulations of well-known hardware synthesizers and samplers.

    Installing VSTs

    In MuseScore 4, any compatible VST plugins installed on a Windows or MacOS computer will automatically be made available in the Mixer, where you can easily configure playback settings for all instruments in a score. Note that Linux is not yet supported (but see Linux VST3).

    After installing new VSTs on your computer, you may have to restart Musescore 4 to make them visible in the mixer. If this doesn't work, you can force a re-scan of VSTs by deleting previous cache settings before restarting. On Windows 10 the relevant file can be found at

    C:\Users\ [your user] \AppData\Local\MuseScore\MuseScore4\known_audio_plugins.json

    MuseScore 4 directly supports VST3 plugins only (not VST1 or VST2) because of licensing restrictions. If you are using VST1 or VST2, see How to use older, non-VST3 plugins in MuseScore 4.

    Note: Sound settings in the Mixer are saved with the score, but not to the program.

    Enabling, disabling, removing and replacing VST plugins

    See Mixer: Sounds and Audio FX.

    See also

    Alternatives to VST instruments: