Mac beta

Hook Forge for Mac

An early tester build of the Hook Forge plugin (AU and VST3) plus the standalone app, for Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. The download is free to try. Hook Forge Full is $49.95, one time, and your license key unlocks it on Mac and Windows alike: paste the same key in each.

Download the Mac beta
Back to Hook Forge

Install it (about 2 minutes)

This beta isn't signed by Apple yet, so macOS needs one extra step the first time. That's normal for early builds from small makers.

  1. Open the zip you downloaded. You get a folder called Hook Forge Plugin (Safari may have already unzipped it for you in Downloads).
  2. In Finder press Shift + Cmd + G, go to /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components and copy Hook Forge.component in there (your Mac may ask for your password).
  3. Do the same for /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3 and copy Hook Forge.vst3 in there.
  4. Open Terminal, paste this line and press Return. It asks for your Mac password and tells macOS the plugin is OK to load (nothing shows while you type the password, that's normal; if you skipped one of the two plugins, a "No such file" line is harmless):
    sudo xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine "/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/Hook Forge.component" "/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/Hook Forge.vst3"
  5. Logic Pro: Logic Pro > Settings > Plug-in Manager, find Hook Forge and click Reset & Rescan Selection. Add it on a Software Instrument track (AU Instruments > Compass HQ Labs > Hook Forge). Other programs: restart them and look for Hook Forge under Compass HQ Labs. FL Studio needs a scan first (Options > Manage plugins > Find plugins).
  6. To run the standalone app, drag Hook Forge.app into Applications, and open it. If macOS says it can't check it, click Done (not Move to Trash), then open System Settings > Privacy & Security, scroll down and click Open Anyway. You only do this the first time.

Good to know

  1. Logic doesn't let plugins send MIDI out, so the My tracks feature won't work inside Logic. Drag-and-drop MIDI and everything else does.
  2. It's a beta. If something doesn't load or looks off, tell us with the Send a suggestion button in the plugin or here.

Questions? Email support@compasshqlabs.com. Terms · Privacy · Refund policy

COMPASS HQ LABS LLC