Adding plugins

You add plugins to a channel from the plugin list, a small window you open from the chain. You type a few letters, press ↩, and the plugin is on the channel – the sound keeps playing while it loads.

The list only shows the plugins you picked yourself: Shadow Rack never scans your whole Mac and never loads a plugin you didn't ask for.

Where the list comes from#

Your plugins are in Setup > Plugins (⌘⇧P, or Plugin > My plugins...). On the left are the VST3 files installed on this Mac, on the right My plugins – the ones you want to use at shows. Only those are offered when you add a plugin. How to fill the list is on Setup > Plugins.

On the very first start, when My plugins is still empty, Shadow Rack opens that page by itself.

Opening the plugin list#

The line at the top of the list says what's going to happen: ADD TO VOX LEAD, INSERT INTO VOX LEAD AT POSITION 3, REPLACE PRO-C 2 WITH... or ADD TO THE END OF 5 CHANNELS.

1234567

1. 1+ ADD: opens the list for this channel
2. 2What will happen: here, add to Vox Lead
3. 3Search: every word is matched against name, maker and category
4. 4FAVOURITES, RECENT, ALL and the categories in use
5. 5The matching plugin; the star makes it a favourite
6. 6MANAGE PLUGINS: to Setup > Plugins
7. 7ADD (or ↩, or a double-click)

Finding a plugin#

Just start typing – the search field is active as soon as the list opens. Every word you type is matched against the plugin's name, maker and category, and plugins whose name starts with what you typed come first. ↑ / ↓ move through the results, ↩ adds the selected one. esc clears the search, and closes the list when the search is already empty.

The column on the left narrows the list:

• ★ Favourites – the plugins you starred. You click the star on a plugin's row (or pick Add to favourites in the plugin menu). The list opens on the category you used last – the first time, on your favourites, if you have any.
• Recent – the plugins you added lately; it fills itself.
• All - everything, grouped under category headings.
• Categories - EQ, DYNAMICS, REVERB, DELAY, MODULATION, SATURATION, FILTER, PITCH, STEREO, MASTERING, TOOLS, OTHER, each with a count; you only see the ones you have plugins in. The category comes from the plugin itself, or Shadow Rack picks one by the name when the plugin doesn't say (Waves plugins only call themselves "Fx").

Each row shows the name and MAKER / CATEGORY.

What happens when you add one#

1. A message says Loading Pro-C 2.... The screen waits for the plugin, but the sound keeps playing.
2. A plugin without delay comes in smoothly, without muting the channel. A plugin that delays the signal (or changes the channel from mono to stereo) mutes the channel for a moment, then it fades smoothly back in – no click, even with lookahead plugins.
3. Added Pro-C 2 to Vox Lead, with an UNDO button.

Shadow Rack picks the plugin's mono, stereo or mono-to-stereo version to match the channel. If the plugin can't be opened, a box says Could not load and why; the channel stays as it was.

Missing plugins#

A session can have a plugin this Mac doesn't have – not installed, no licence, or it won't open. Shadow Rack keeps a placeholder in its place with all its settings, so nothing is lost when you save the session. The channel plays without that plugin.

• In the chain: the name in red, a MISSING pill and the reason.
• In the mixer: a red bar and MISSING.
• On the right: (name) is not installed on this computer (or its licence is missing).

When you open a session, a box Some plugins could not be loaded lists them. Install the plugin (or fix its licence), then use Try loading again in the plugin menu - right-click the row.

Waves shells and plugin updates#

Waves puts many plugins in one file (a WaveShell). When you add such a file in Setup > Plugins:

• A file with a few plugins inside (up to four - typically the mono and stereo versions) goes straight into My plugins.
• A bigger shell gives the message (file) holds N plugins - pick the ones you want from the list; its plugins then appear in the left list to add one by one.
• Checking a big shell can take a few minutes. It happens in a separate helper, so a plugin that crashes while being checked can't take Shadow Rack down; it's marked FAILED.

When Waves (or anyone) installs a newer version next to the old one, Shadow Rack opens each plugin from the newest file that has it, and only falls back to older files if that fails. Sessions saved with the old version open with the new one, and save it from then on.