How exactly is a VST used?

[RiffLearner]

So I have a couple of VST's from Line 6, Gearbox plug in and now POD Farm. I can launch them from Riffworks, but when I play around with them, I really hear no differences to the Riffworks layers I'm playing at the time. In addition, I seem to get some "popping" and "skipping" sounds when they're activated.

Isn't the idea that I can record a dry guitar and then use POD Farm or Gearbox Plug in to color that riff? Here's what I'm doing:

1. click the "hardware" button so the light turns off;
2. Click the "Effects" button right below it (which is different from the "Riff Effects" button and the "Effects" button on each riff).

Then from the "Amp" button I choose "POD Farm," and it opens. But as I play a layer, I can click all kinds of distortions, delays, etc in POD Farm, and I hear no difference in the layer playing.

Is the VST effect applied just to the layer in question, or maybe it applies to the whole song assembled at the top of the window? I just don't know.

Any tips/insight?

Thanks!

[RiffLearner]

OK, I've experimented a bit more, and I think I've answered some of my own questions. What it looks like I'm able to do is use the POD Farm (or any VST for that matter) to color and flavor input *as I'm recording*, not after the tone is already recorded.

So if i'm understanding the use correctly, I can use the VST (Gearbox, POD Farm, or some other) to color and present sound as I'm recording, and then use the built in effects in Riffworks to alter the sound *after* it's recorded.

Is that correct? Or is there some way to use the VST stuff after one has recorded?

Thanks!

[trikloretylen]

no thats right you can only use vst when you record! not after

[RiffLearner]

no thats right you can only use vst when you record! not after

Awesome, thanks for the confirmation!