Reason Won't Recognize SWAM Plugin

[BradfordMoeller]

I just bought & installed a SWAM plugin, and have tried restarting, re-installing, and double-checking my VST paths in Reason, does anyone have any insights?

[joeyluck]

Are you on macOS?

SWAM plugins use polymorphism—AU/VST/AAX all in the same component.

So inside the VST folder is a symlink that points to the plugin in the Components folder. This works and is recognized in other DAWs, but not in Reason. I wish it did work, and I wish more plugins did this to save space. Although the SWAM plugins, because they are modeled and not sample-based, are very small in size (like 12 MB each).

The workaround is this:

- Remove the symlink from the VST folder
- Copy the plugin from the Components folder
- Paste it into the VST folder
- Change the extension to ".vst"

[BradfordMoeller]

Are you on macOS?

SWAM plugins use polymorphism—AU/VST/AAX all in the same component.

So inside the VST folder is a symlink that points to the plugin in the Components folder. This works and is recognized in other DAWs, but not in Reason. I wish it did work, and I wish more plugins did this to save space. Although the SWAM plugins, because they are modeled and not sample-based, are very small in size (like 12 MB each).

The workaround is this:

- Remove the symlink from the VST folder
- Copy the plugin from the Components folder
- Paste it into the VST folder
- Change the extension to ".vst"

I am on Mac, thank you for the quick response!- I cannot seem to identify what the symlink is- I'll attach what my Components folder and VST folder looks like, am I deleting the SWAM files currently in the VST folder, then copying the components into the VST folder/ renaming the components to VST?

[joeyluck]

Are you on macOS?

SWAM plugins use polymorphism—AU/VST/AAX all in the same component.

So inside the VST folder is a symlink that points to the plugin in the Components folder. This works and is recognized in other DAWs, but not in Reason. I wish it did work, and I wish more plugins did this to save space. Although the SWAM plugins, because they are modeled and not sample-based, are very small in size (like 12 MB each).

The workaround is this:

- Remove the symlink from the VST folder
- Copy the plugin from the Components folder
- Paste it into the VST folder
- Change the extension to ".vst"

I am on Mac, thank you for the quick response!- I cannot seem to identify what the symlink is- I'll attach what my Components folder and VST folder looks like, am I deleting the SWAM files currently in the VST folder, then copying the components into the VST folder/ renaming the components to VST?

Yup! That's it exactly! Those .vsts you see now are symlinks that are pointing to the plugins in the Components folder. Reason is one of the only DAWs that doesn't like that.

[BradfordMoeller]

I am on Mac, thank you for the quick response!- I cannot seem to identify what the symlink is- I'll attach what my Components folder and VST folder looks like, am I deleting the SWAM files currently in the VST folder, then copying the components into the VST folder/ renaming the components to VST?

Yup! That's it exactly! Those .vsts you see now are symlinks that are pointing to the plugins in the Components folder. Reason is one of the only DAWs that doesn't like that.

You just saved my night, I was having possibly the worst buyer's remorse until you helped me haha.

It's working perfectly now! Thank you so much, and it's good to know about this strange difference in Reason's recognition of VSTs in general.

You rock.

[joeyluck]

No prob!

I'm actually not sure if Audio Modeling is moving away from this type of installation. It's a cool concept to have all formats in one plugin, and just point to it from each folder. But I don't believe their new brass plugins take this approach.

[joeyluck]

How are you liking the SWAM saxes? What are you using to control them?

[BradfordMoeller]

How are you liking the SWAM saxes? What are you using to control them?

They sound excellent! They also seem like they'll take really well to reverbs/ processing in general, which I can't say the same about a lot of other acoustic instrument VSTi I've used. It seems easy to use, but at the same time there's also a lot of features I feel the need to familiarize myself with in order to feel like I'm using it properly. Just using my MIDI controller and expression pedal for now.

For reference, I have a demo version of a VSL Kontakt Player sax that you cannot buy the full version of anymore, which sounds nearly as good as the SWAM ones; both SWAM and the VSL demo sax I was using are both exponentially better than any vst or refill I've tried getting usable sax sounds from.

[joeyluck]

Yeah the saxophones are really great. They use a few samples, but it mostly uses modeling, which makes them so expressive and great to play. I only have the lite versions of the saxophones via Roli Noise on iPad.

I'm curious if they will update the SWAM-W engine in the future to not use samples at all. It's the only one in their line of products that does. SWAM-S (strings) and SWAM-B (brass) which was just released, both use no samples.

I really enjoy playing all the SWAM instruments with my Seaboard Block. It's so awesome to be able to pitch bend and glide between notes and have it sound natural without weird phasing and stretching artifacts you get with samples.

[Boombastix]

The controller often used with SWAM is
https://www.tecontrol.se/products/usb-m ... ntroller-2

[platzangst]

Not really apropos of the original question (which has been solved, I see), but listening to some of the demo videos I'm pretty impressed with the quality of the sax. I've been kind of keeping my eyes out for a realistic-sounding sax substitute, one that can do the stereotypical rock 'n' roll "scream" sounds (or, well, some free jazz does it too).

Do these ever go on sale? Kinda pricey for something for which I only have one or two prospective songs that call for that particular sound, especially when I'm not 100% sure it gets quite as screamy as I want.

[BradfordMoeller]

I'm curious if they will update the SWAM-W engine in the future to not use samples at all. It's the only one in their line of products that does. SWAM-S (strings) and SWAM-B (brass) which was just released, both use no samples.

So crazy. I never thought I'd hear a plugin like this without crazy hyper-sampling!

The controller often used with SWAM is
https://www.tecontrol.se/products/usb-m ... ntroller-2

I was looking for these last night out of curiosity! Pricier than I'd expect, but very cool.

Do these ever go on sale? Kinda pricey for something for which I only have one or two prospective songs that call for that particular sound, especially when I'm not 100% sure it gets quite as screamy as I want.

Not sure, maybe one of the others here with more experience with SWAM will know!

[joeyluck]

I got the strings bundle during a holiday sale a couple years ago.