⬇ Download
SongWalker VSTi is distributed as VST3 and CLAP plugins. It comes pre-configured with the songwalker-library URL, so it works out of the box with an internet connection — presets are downloaded on demand and cached locally.
macOS
macOS 11+ · Not notarized (right-click → Open)
Or build from source:
git clone https://github.com/clevertree/songwalker-vsti.git
cd songwalker-vsti
cargo xtask bundle songwalker_vsti --release✨ Features
Multi-Timbral Rack
Up to 16 independent instrument slots, each with its own MIDI channel, volume, and pan — Kontakt-style.
Remote Preset Loading
Browse and load instruments directly from the songwalker-library. Presets are fetched on demand and cached to disk.
.sw Track Runner
Write SongWalker code snippets that execute when triggered by MIDI notes. Transpose, loop, and layer patterns.
Zero-Alloc Audio
All audio buffers are pre-allocated. SIMD-optimized mixing. No heap allocation on the real-time thread.
Catppuccin Dark UI
Beautiful egui interface matching the web editor's Catppuccin Mocha theme. Preset browser, code editor, and waveform visualizer.
Free & Open Source
GPL-3.0 licensed. No dongles, no subscriptions, no telemetry. Sustained by donations.
🚀 Quick Start
-
Install the plugin
Download and extract the archive. Copy
SongWalker.vst3and/orSongWalker.clapto your DAW's plugin folder. -
Load in your DAW
Scan for new plugins, then add "SongWalker" as an instrument on a MIDI track.
-
Browse presets
Open the plugin editor. The left panel shows the preset browser. Click any instrument to load it into the active slot — samples are fetched automatically.
-
Play!
Play MIDI notes through your DAW. Add more slots with "Add Preset Slot" or "Add Runner Slot" for
.swtrack execution.
📂 Plugin Installation Paths
Copy the plugin files to the standard locations for your platform:
Linux (VST3): ~/.vst3/
Linux (CLAP): ~/.clap/
macOS (VST3): ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/
macOS (CLAP): ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/CLAP/
Windows (VST3): C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\
Windows (CLAP): C:\Program Files\Common Files\CLAP\🎵 Runner Mode — .sw Tracks in Your DAW
Runner slots let you write SongWalker code that executes when triggered by MIDI. Each MIDI note spawns an instance of your code, transposed relative to a root note (default C4).
For example, a runner slot with this code:
track.instrument = Oscillator({ waveform: "sawtooth" })
C4 /8 D4 /8 E4 /4 G4 /2When you press C4, the pattern plays as written. Press E4, and it transposes up 4 semitones. Hold multiple keys to layer patterns. Release a key to stop that instance.
📡 Offline & Caching
SongWalker VSTi caches all downloaded presets and samples locally. Once loaded, instruments work fully offline. You can also click "Download for Offline" in the preset browser to pre-cache entire libraries for offline use.
Cache location:
Linux: ~/.cache/songwalker/
macOS: ~/Library/Caches/org.songwalker.SongWalker/
Windows: %LOCALAPPDATA%\songwalker\SongWalker\cache\