Mike Slinn

DAW Directories

Published 2020-03-01. Last modified 2024-02-22.
Time to read: 1 minutes.

This page is part of the av_studio collection.

Directories specific to Ableton Live are documented here.

General Windows Directories

%AppData%\Blackmagic Design\DaVinci Resolve Contains Preferences subdirectory for Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve.
%ProgramData%\Ableton\Live 11 Suite Ableton Live 11 Suite
%ProgramData%\Ableton\Live 11 Suite\Resources\Icons\set.ico Icon for Live project folders
%ProgramData%\Ableton\Live 12 Suite\Resources\Icons\set.ico Icon for Live project folders
%ProgramData%\Ableton\Live 12 Ableton Live 12 Suite
%CommonProgramFiles%\Avid\Audio\Plug‑Ins Pro Tools AAX plugins
%CommonProgramFiles%\VST3 64-bit VST3 plugins
Ableton Live does not look in this folder unless Use VST3 Plug-in System Folders is On.
These plugins will appear under the VST3 section of the Plug-ins collection.
VSTs in subdirectories will be found.
An additional VST3 directory can be added if Use VST3 Plug-In Custom Folder is enabled.
%ProgramFiles%\Native Instruments Installed Native Instruments programs, except for VSTs.
%ProgramFiles%\VSTPlugins 64-bit VST2 plugins
VSTs in subdirectories will be found.
Ableton Live does not look in this folder unless Use VST2 Plug-in Custom Folder is On.
These plugins will appear under the VST section of the Plug-ins collection, which makes no sense.
A secondary VST2 directory is not possible.
%UserProfile%\Documents\Pro Tools Pro Tools settings

General Mac Directories

Default VST2 /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST
Default VST3 /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3
AU/Component /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components

Bear-Specific Directories

Bear is the name of the desktop computer I use as a DAW.

E:\media\masters Mastered renderings
E:\media\protools Original Pro Tools recordings
E:\media\renders Rendered originals
E:\media\songs Original compositions: transcriptions, audio, video
E:\media\staging Unprocessed video and thumbnails
E:\media\templates Templates and settings
E:\music MP3s
E:\storage\DAW Music software archive (installable programs, documentation and samples)
E:\storage\DAW\proTools Pro Tools documentation and software, including third party plugins
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