# A good VST host **URL:** \ **Category:** Audio Plugins\ **Created:** [March 26, 2007, 9:47pm UTC](https://forum.juce.com/t/a-good-vst-host/1583 "2007-03-26T21:47:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![petey-g](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9c0ed/32.png) [@petey-g](https://forum.juce.com/u/petey-g)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 9:47pm UTC](https://forum.juce.com/t/a-good-vst-host/1583/1 "2007-03-26T21:47:41Z")
Hello, I am starting on a VST instrument and I wanted to find a good VST host that would allow me to debug quickly. I have many programs that I could use (Tracktion, Live, Orion etc.) but I am specifically looking at something that is quick to load and is to the point. I was using Minihost (from TobyBear) which is almost perfect… except that it has a MIDI bug (on my system, at least). No matter what plug-in I start, it is always generating 1 looping bar of MIDI code (the example juce VST plugin stays on and keeps looping, no matter what I press). I will send a message to TobyBear as well in case to inform him of this; has anyone seen this type of behaviour in this program? I haven’t really tested the time it takes other larger, commercial hosts to reload when debugging, but I will do so and keep everyone posted if interested… Ideally, it would be nice to have a small juce-based VST host to help in the development of VSTs (stepping into the host would be a nice thing to be able to do). Something that I can say start, stop, loop for a given number of measures and set the tempo. This would be a trivial project for some. For me, not so trivial since I am just starting out. Any suggestions? I am assuming there may be alternatives to a VST host already in juce (i.e. an application that will allow me to develop a non-platform-specific plugin and then target VST when I need to test it) but I am new to the code-base and unaware of this functionality… Thanks!! Peter ---
**Author:** ![kunitoki](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.juce.com/kunitoki/32/15_2.png) [@kunitoki](https://forum.juce.com/u/kunitoki)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 9:54pm UTC](https://forum.juce.com/t/a-good-vst-host/1583/2 "2007-03-26T21:54:04Z")
you can check out [Jost](http://www.anticore.org/jucetice/?page_id=4): it’s a VST2 host, actually for linux only but can be tweaked to make it works under win and mac, and it uses only a little part of specific underlying OS code. ah it is made with JUCE and is open source 🙂 (also it shows some good examples on how to use ViewPort class, application commands, drag and drop and model-view paradigm in the JUCE manner of thinking applications… :D) ---
**Author:** ![jules](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/41988e/32.png) [@jules](https://forum.juce.com/u/jules)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 10:25am UTC](https://forum.juce.com/t/a-good-vst-host/1583/3 "2007-03-27T10:25:20Z")
I think what you’re after is the stuff in wrapper/formats/standalone, which lets you build an app that hosts your plugin. Makes it very quick to test and debug, and then you can do a VST later when it’s all working. ---
**Author:** ![haydxn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5fc32e/32.png) [@haydxn](https://forum.juce.com/u/haydxn)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 12:20pm UTC](https://forum.juce.com/t/a-good-vst-host/1583/4 "2007-03-27T12:20:12Z")
i always use energyXT as my ‘quick test host’, as it loads quickly, and you can simply drag the DLL onto the window to load it without needing to do a scan or anything. ultimately though, remember that you need to test your plugin in all hosts. i can basically guarantee at least one host will cause strange things to happen! and all of them are used by someone! ---
**Author:** ![petey-g](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9c0ed/32.png) [@petey-g](https://forum.juce.com/u/petey-g)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 6:08pm UTC](https://forum.juce.com/t/a-good-vst-host/1583/5 "2007-03-27T18:08:39Z")
Awesome, and thank you for all of the responses! Cheers, Peter ---
**Author:** ![ShareCommunity](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.juce.com/sharecommunity/32/1748_2.png) [@ShareCommunity](https://forum.juce.com/u/ShareCommunity)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 2:48am UTC](https://forum.juce.com/t/a-good-vst-host/1583/6 "2007-04-06T02:48:10Z")
Bit late, I know - but for PC I can recommend Hermann Seib’s VSTHost [http://www.hermannseib.com/english/vsthost.htm](http://www.hermannseib.com/english/vsthost.htm). He’s got a few - one’s a very sawn-off host. ---
**Author:** ![jules](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/41988e/32.png) [@jules](https://forum.juce.com/u/jules)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2017, 8:57pm UTC](https://forum.juce.com/t/a-good-vst-host/1583/7 "2017-05-12T20:57:15Z")