Requirements and setup

Hella! Pads 1.0.0 is the initial macOS release. Windows support is coming soon.

Requirements

Requirement	Details
Computer	Apple Silicon Mac
Operating system	macOS 13 or later
Installation	Administrator account
Plugin formats	AU (Audio Unit) and VST3
Without a DAW	Standalone app
New sample generation	Internet access, a Stability API key, and credits on that account

This build does not support Intel Macs. Saved kits and samples can be played without an internet connection.

Install on macOS

The installer is Hella-Pads-1.0.0-macOS-arm64.pkg. It is signed by Dave Sebek and notarized by Apple.

1. Save your work and quit your DAW and the Hella! Pads standalone app.
2. If you received the .zip bundle, double-click it to extract the files. Open Hella-Pads-1.0.0-macOS-arm64.pkg.
3. Choose Audio Unit, VST3, and/or the standalone application. All three are selected initially; you can install only the formats you use.
4. Follow the installer prompts and authorize installation with an administrator account.
5. Open your DAW or launch Hella! Pads from Applications. If your DAW does not list the plugin, refresh its plugin scan.

Installation locations

Format	Installed location
Audio Unit	/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/Hella! Pads.component
VST3	/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/Hella! Pads.vst3
Standalone	/Applications/Hella! Pads.app

These are system-wide locations. Your saved kits, samples, and settings are stored separately in your user account.

Open the installed instrument

Hella! Pads is an instrument. In a DAW, load it on a software instrument or MIDI track.

Audio Unit / Logic Pro

1. Create a software instrument track in Logic Pro.
2. Open the track’s instrument slot and choose AU Instruments → Eastechs → Hella! Pads → Stereo.
3. Open the plugin window. Load a saved kit with the folder button, or connect Stability to generate a sample.

If the instrument is missing, open Logic’s Plug-in Manager and scan Hella! Pads again. See plugin detection troubleshooting.

VST3

After installation, refresh your DAW’s plugin list if needed. Create an instrument track and select Hella! Pads from its VST3 instruments. Enable that track’s MIDI input or monitoring to play it from a controller.

Plugin scanning and track setup vary by host. Use your DAW’s instructions for loading VST3 instruments.

Standalone

Open Hella! Pads from Applications. Use its audio/MIDI device settings to select your audio output and enable your MIDI input. Load a kit or generate a sample, then click a pad to check playback.

The standalone app does not need a DAW running.

Check playback

A new, empty kit has no audio to play. Load a saved kit or generate and save a sample first, then click its pad. If the meters move but you hear nothing, check the track’s output, mute state, and audio device.

Once pad clicks produce sound, assign your controller or draw MIDI notes in the DAW.

Updating or reinstalling

Quit your DAW and the standalone app, then run the installer again. It replaces the selected app and plugin bundles while keeping your presets, exported samples, outtakes, settings, and saved Stability credentials.

Unchecking a format leaves any existing installation of that format in place; it does not uninstall it. If your DAW still opens an older development build, see older-version troubleshooting.

Uninstalling

Quit your DAW and the standalone app. In Finder, remove the app or plugin bundles you no longer need from the installation locations above, then rescan your DAW if you removed a plugin.

Removing those bundles keeps your personal files in ~/Library/Application Support/Hella Pads/ and your saved Keychain credential. To remove the saved Stability key too, use Disconnect in Hella! Pads Settings before uninstalling. See settings and storage for your sample and preset folders.