VSTs in Monitor Section

[dustinnr]

As I sort of hinted at in another thread, I have found a way to add VSTs to the Monitor section in such a way that doesn't affect the Master output. What I mentioned before worked, but broke Solo in Place, which is a very cool feature of the Monitor section. I have since found a way to make it work.

The basic approach is to insert a Bus between the Master Out and the Monitor In.
The assumption is you have an AI with at least two pairs of outputs (1+2 and 3+4).
The goal is to have 1+2 always be your printable final output, while 3+4 are the modified, monitored output.

Code:

- Add a stereo Bus called MonitorPlugin
- Add one or more plugins to the MonitorPlugin Bus.
     - Typically, these would be plugins that do something you wish the monitor section did, but doesn't.
     - I use it to add a Virtual Room plugin which makes mixing on headphones and checking different reproduction scenarios easier.
- Change routing (use the routing grids):
     - Add MonitorPlugin Bus to output of Master Bus
         - Leave the Master Bus outputting to 1+2 as well.
     - Change Monitor to output to 3+4
     - Disconnect output of MonitorPlugin Bus
- Turn off MSTR on MonitorPlugin Bus
- Add a pre-fader send to MonitorPlugin Bus that sends to Monitor
     - It shouldn't get the return
     - Pre-fader, after your effects
     - Leave its level at zero
     - This prevents Solo in place from muting the MonitorPlugin Bus
- Set the MonitorPlugin Bus to meter on "In", so you can see if it's getting a signal

Now, you can monitor your signal, with any desired VST included, using the Monitor section.
The output of Master will still be 1+2, and unaffected by those VSTs. You can export without resetting anything.
When you use Solo-in-place, the MonitorPlugin track will be muted, but since the send occurs before the Mute, the Mute doesn't matter.