jack-tools includes a utility called "jack-lxvst", which is a host for Linux native VST plugins. For licensing reasons, the VST headers (copyright Steinberg) cannot be included in this SlackBuild. If you need jack-lxvst, you'll have to register as a developer at https://www.steinberg.net/ and download the VST developers' kit from there. You want version 2.x of the dev kit (which may no longer be available; not sure if version 3.x works with jack-lxvst). Once you've downloaded the files and extracted them, do one of these things: - Copy or symlink the files aeffect.h and aeffectx.h to the jack-tools directory (the one that contains jack-tools.SlackBuild). - Or, export VST_HEADERS= in the environment before running the SlackBuild. is the directory that contains the files aeffect.h and aeffectx.h. Example: export VST_HEADERS=/usr/local/include/VST If all went well, when you install the jack-tools package, the description will say "This package was built WITH Steinberg Linux VST support". Just to be on the safe side, do not redistribute the package. I'm not a lawyer and I'm not sure whether Steinberg's license would allow redistribution of a compiled binary using the VST headers. If you did the above but the build fails to compile, you might be using the wrong version of the VST headers. This would be a problem for upstream (the actual author of jack-tools) to fix, so report it there. The above only has to be done if you actually need jack-lxvst. If you don't know whether you need it, read this FAQ: Q: What is VST? A: If you don't know, you don't need jack-lxvst, and you can stop reading now. Q: What is a Linux native VST? A: The vast majority of VST plugins (effects and instruments) are distributed as Windows executables (or DLLs). A Linux native VST is a Linux executable (or shared library), either distributed as source and compiled by the user, or (more often) as a precompiled binary. Linux native VST plugins are pretty rare, although they do exist. Q: What is jack-lxvst? A: jack-lxvst is a standalone host for Linux native VSTs. If you don't use Linux native VSTs, you don't need jack-lxvst. Q: I want to use Linux native VST plugins in my DAW, which has Linux native VST support. Do I need jack-lxvst? A: No. If your DAW supports Linux native VST plugins, you don't need a separate host for them (such as jack-lxvst). Q: I have this Windows VST plugin I want to use on Linux, do I need jack-lxvst? A: No. jack-lxvst is only for Linux native VST plugins. For Windows VSTs, try wineasio. Ardour can also be built with Windows VST support, using WINE. Whatever solution you find for Windows VSTs on Linux will pretty much have to involve WINE somehow. Q: I have a Linux native VST I want to use with my DAW, but my DAW doesn't have VST support. Can I use jack-lxvst for this? A: Yes. This is the intended use for jack-lxvst.