The Ability to Add Real-Time Processing to Audio with VST Plugins in OBS Studio

In a recent update, OBS Studio has enabled the ability to use plugins called VST (Virtual Studio Technology). These allow for real-time processing of audio, usually the microphone, to make it sound better or add cool effects. This opens up a huge variety of tools that were not previously available within OBS.

The process of adding a VST plugin effect to your microphone is relatively straightforward. First, you need to have your stream setup as per the rest of the videos in this course. Then, click the gear next to your "Mic/Aux" entry in the audio mixer and click "Filters". Next, click the plus in the bottom left corner and choose "VST 2.x Plug-in." Give it a name based on what effect you're using and hit okay. However, OBS does not actually give you any VST plugins to work with. These are third-party plugins developed by other individuals or companies.

There is a huge market of both free and paid VST plugins available that can do anything from adding a nice compressor to your vocals, removing background noise, adding clean gain, or adding crazy echo or synthesizer sounds. Many of the VST plugins people recommend, such as Izotope, are actually paid plugins. However, there is one great free set that can be downloaded and used - Reaper's ReaPlugs. The actual Reaper Suite itself costs money, but the VST plugins appear to be downloadable for free from their site.

To add a VST filter to your mic, close the installer and close and relaunch OBS Studio if you had it open during the installation. Now find the audio source you wish to modify in your audio mixer. This would typically be your microphone source. Click the gear icon and click "Filters". Then, click the Plus and add a "VST 2.x Plug-in" filter. In the drop-down menu, choose your desired effect. On the Reaper website is a tour of what each one is. Some are self-explanatory, such as "ReaComp", which is a compressor, or "ReaEQ", which is an equalizer.

When choosing effects, it's generally best to set up a specific chain - EQ, then Compressor, then Noise Gate. This can make your microphone sound better by adding warmth, low end, smoothing the high end, and keeping you from peaking or clipping too much when you get too loud. If you do a lot of reaction stuff involving loud shouting or screaming, you definitely need to have a compressor. Noise Gate filters out background noise, but with ReaPlugs, you only add one at a time, so keep clicking the Plus sign to add enough to complete your chain.

You can disable individual effects without losing your settings by clicking the eye next to the filter name to disable it. Just make sure you name them properly so you know which is which. To customize what your plug-ins do, click the "Open Plug-in Interface." What this looks like will very much depend on which set of VST plugins you're using and which specific one you've applied. You have sliders and adjustment options for the various aspects of each effect.

These are similar to other audio processing software or hardware. If you're unfamiliar, do some research - that's a lot more than I can cover here. Here is a sample microphone clip with a VST chain applied so you can see how improvements can be made, along with the settings used.

There is a wide breadth of possibility of what can be done with VST plugins. They can be pretty fun! Got any other cool, free VST Plug-Ins? Share in the comments below!

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enIn a recent OBS Studio update, they’ve enabledthe ability to use a kind of plugin calledVST.These allow you to apply real time processingto your audio - usually your microphone - tomake it sound better or add cool effects.OBS had some built-in audio filters already,but VST compatibility opens the door for ahuge variety of tools.tutorial course.I have many, many more videos on the softwarein the playlist linked in the description.Check that before asking questions, and checkthe introduction video to learn how this courseworks, if you get confused.To add a VST plugin effect to your microphone,assuming you already have your stream setup as per the rest of the videos in this course,click the gear next to your “Mic/Aux”entry in the audio mixer and click “Filters”.Then click the plus in the bottom left cornerand choose “VST 2.x Plug-in.”Give it a name based on what effect you’reusing and hit okay.Then choose your VST Plug-in from the drop-downmenu.Well hold-up.A name?What plugin am I using?This may sound pretty confusing, and if youhaven’t installed any plugins yourself,that drop-down list is probably empty.So let me back up.OBS doesn’t actually give you any VST pluginsto work with.These are third-party plugins developed byother individuals or companies.There’s a huge market of both free and paidVST plugins to do anything from adding a nicecompressor to your vocals, remove backgroundnoise, add some clean gain, or add crazy echoesor synthesizer sounds.Now a lot of the VST plugins people recommend,such as Izotope are actually paid plugins.I will have links to them in the video description,but they’re not something I can set up rightnow.Instead, let’s take a look at a great freeset - Reaper’s ReaPlugs.The actual Reaper Suite itself costs money,but the VST Plugins appear to be downloadablefor free from their site.Download the installer and run it.Agree to their EULA, choose which pluginsyou want - all are selected by default andgives you the most flexibility, and tell itto install.Now it’s time to actually add a VST filterto your mic.Close the installer and close and relaunchOBS Studio if you had it open during the installation.Now find the audio source you wish to modifyin your audio mixer.This would typically be your microphone source.Click the gear icon and click “Filters.”Click the Plus and add a “VST 2.x Plug-in”filter.In the drop-down menu, choose your desiredeffect.On the Reaper website is a tour of what eachone is.Some are self-explanatory.“ReaComp” is a compressor, “ReaEQ”is an equalizer, “ReaDelay” adds a delay,“ReaGate” adds a noise gate.“ReaFir” is a dynamics processor - appliesmultiple effects at once.“ReaXComp” is a multi-band compressor.The others should be ignored for the mostpart, unless you really know what you’redoing.So typically with audio processing, you wantto set up a specific chain - EQ, then Compressor,then Noise Gate.Or sometimes the Noise Gate first.That is, if you want to make your microphonesound better.An equalizer can change the tone of your voice,adding a little warmth, low end, or smoothingthe high end.A compressor can make your voice sound a littlemore punchy and keeps you from peaking orclipping too much when you get too loud.If you do a lot of reaction stuff involvingloud shouting or screaming… you better havea compressor.Noise Gate filters out background noise.With the ReaPlugs, you only add one at a time,so keep clicking the Plus sign to add enoughto complete your chain.You can disable individual effects withoutlosing your settings by clicking the eye nextto the filter name to disable it.Just make sure you name them properly so youknow which is which.You can right click it and hit “Rename”to give it a better name than “VST Plug-in.”To customize what your plug-ins do, you clickthe “Open Plug-in Interface.”What this looks like will very much dependon which set of VST plugins you’re usingand which specific one you’ve applied.You have sliders and adjustment options forthe various aspects of each effect.These are similar to other audio processingsoftware or hardware.If you’re unfamiliar, do some research - that’sa lot more than I can cover here.Here’s a sample microphone clip with a VSTchain applied so you can see how improvementscan be made, along with the settings used.Show thisThere’s awide breadth of possibility of what can bedone with VST plugins.They can be pretty fun!Got any other cool, free VST Plug-Ins?Share in the comments below!I hope this episode of my OBS Studio tutorialcourse has been helpful for you.If it was, drop-kick that like button andsubscribe for awesome tech videos.If you like game streaming, come follow meon Twitch and drop a message in chat.Until next time, I’m EposVox, Happy Streaming!Thanks for watching this episode of my OBSStudio tutorial course.\n"