diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index cc8d2bc2..7abb4c40 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -32,6 +32,3 @@ node_modules/
 *.lock
 *.sublime-*
 *.code-*
-
-/vst/download
-/vst/external/VST_SDK
diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index 7726601d..dc6ff804 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -2,3 +2,19 @@
 	path = external/abseil-cpp
 	url = https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp
     branch = lts_2020_02_25
+[submodule "vst/external/VST_SDK/VST3_SDK/base"]
+	path = vst/external/VST_SDK/VST3_SDK/base
+	url = https://github.com/steinbergmedia/vst3_base.git
+	shallow = true
+[submodule "vst/external/VST_SDK/VST3_SDK/pluginterfaces"]
+	path = vst/external/VST_SDK/VST3_SDK/pluginterfaces
+	url = https://github.com/steinbergmedia/vst3_pluginterfaces.git
+	shallow = true
+[submodule "vst/external/VST_SDK/VST3_SDK/public.sdk"]
+	path = vst/external/VST_SDK/VST3_SDK/public.sdk
+	url = https://github.com/steinbergmedia/vst3_public_sdk.git
+	shallow = true
+[submodule "vst/external/VST_SDK/VST3_SDK/vstgui4"]
+	path = vst/external/VST_SDK/VST3_SDK/vstgui4
+	url = https://github.com/steinbergmedia/vstgui.git
+	shallow = true
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 7668af0d..6753d573 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -2,10 +2,6 @@ language: cpp
 os: linux
 dist: bionic
 
-cache:
-  directories:
-  - vst/download/
-
 jobs:
   include:
   - name: "clang-tidy checks"
diff --git a/appveyor.yml b/appveyor.yml
index 294068bb..d9dd9573 100644
--- a/appveyor.yml
+++ b/appveyor.yml
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ platform:
 - x64
 cache:
   - c:\tools\vcpkg\installed\ -> appveyor.yml
-  - vst\download
 
 install:
 - cmd: choco install -y innosetup
diff --git a/vst/CMakeLists.txt b/vst/CMakeLists.txt
index 377b7dd0..90747045 100644
--- a/vst/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/vst/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,31 +2,6 @@ set (VSTPLUGIN_PRJ_NAME "${PROJECT_NAME}_vst3")
 set (VSTPLUGIN_BUNDLE_NAME "${PROJECT_NAME}.vst3")
 
 set (VST3SDK_BASEDIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/external/VST_SDK/VST3_SDK")
-set (VST3SDK_ARCHIVE "vst-sdk_3.6.14_build-24_2019-11-29.zip")
-
-file (MAKE_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/external")
-
-if (NOT EXISTS "${VST3SDK_BASEDIR}")
-    message (STATUS "VST3 SDK is not found, downloading")
-
-    execute_process (
-        COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E make_directory "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/download")
-
-    if (NOT EXISTS "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/download/${VST3SDK_ARCHIVE}")
-        file (DOWNLOAD
-            "https://download.steinberg.net/sdk_downloads/${VST3SDK_ARCHIVE}"
-            "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/download/${VST3SDK_ARCHIVE}"
-            SHOW_PROGRESS)
-    endif()
-
-    execute_process (
-        COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E make_directory "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/external"
-        COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E tar xf "../download/${VST3SDK_ARCHIVE}"
-        WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/external")
-endif()
-
-# stop trying to include this atrocity.. build it ourselves
-#add_subdirectory("${VST3SDK_BASEDIR}" EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL)
 
 # VST plugin specific settings
 include (VSTConfig)
diff --git a/vst/external/VST_SDK/VST3_SDK/base b/vst/external/VST_SDK/VST3_SDK/base
new file mode 160000
index 00000000..4f6a7184
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vst/external/VST_SDK/VST3_SDK/base
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 4f6a7184f20f40a7c940a6717e6e0d8b35eeea63
diff --git a/vst/external/VST_SDK/VST3_SDK/pluginterfaces b/vst/external/VST_SDK/VST3_SDK/pluginterfaces
new file mode 160000
index 00000000..227ea1d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vst/external/VST_SDK/VST3_SDK/pluginterfaces
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 227ea1d8f749c6a66dd591582061d58682b4aa9f
diff --git a/vst/external/VST_SDK/VST3_SDK/public.sdk b/vst/external/VST_SDK/VST3_SDK/public.sdk
new file mode 160000
index 00000000..c04e9bd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vst/external/VST_SDK/VST3_SDK/public.sdk
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit c04e9bd690f50893742e2a082abab47af2c3efc8
diff --git a/vst/external/VST_SDK/VST3_SDK/vstgui4 b/vst/external/VST_SDK/VST3_SDK/vstgui4
new file mode 160000
index 00000000..f326bb48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vst/external/VST_SDK/VST3_SDK/vstgui4
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit f326bb4853f4cc30283cdb5377a7e996c7df1df0