It was created for the sole purpose of automatically loading only one VSTi, is extremely quick to load, is light on system resources, is available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions to suit whichever format of soft synth you're using, and also supports ASIO drivers for low latency during performance. Mac users can download VST Lord ( ) for OS X use, while PC users have several choices, including the free Cantabile Lite ( Tobybear's donationware Minihost ( and Herman Seib's Savihost ( Savihost is probably the simplest to use of all of those listed above. Developers do get occasional complaints from users if they don't provide a standalone version of their software instruments as well as the plug-in version, but there's really no need for them to take the time, trouble and expense of creating their own stand-alone application when so many simple host utilities are also already available to let you run any VST instrument in stand-alone mode. Examples of suitable 'full-featured' hosts include Ableton Live, Cubase, GarageBand, Logic and Reaper. SOS contributor Martin Walker replies: To use a plug-in like Omnisphere without a DAW, you require a host application capable of loading VST instruments. Savihost is one of the simplest VST hosts, as well as being a valuable test tool.

This is Spectrasonic's Omnisphere running as a stand-alone soft synth inside Herman Seib's excellent Savihost utility. most idiot-proof - way of getting sound from Omnisphere on my PC that won't require too much technical ability and know-how? I really did think it would be as simple as installing the discs, connecting the keyboard by USB to my PC and then synthesizing away.I thought I didn't need anything else and that I could get to grips with DAWs at a later date, but clearly I was wrong! So my question is: what is the simplest - ie. It was mainly to learn piano, but also as a controller to use with Omnisphere.

Piano plugins for garageband