Reddit mentions of Designing Audio Effect Plug-Ins in C++: With Digital Audio Signal Processing Theory
Sentiment score: 10
Reddit mentions: 14
We found 14 Reddit mentions of Designing Audio Effect Plug-Ins in C++: With Digital Audio Signal Processing Theory. Here are the top ones.
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- Focal Press
Features:
Specs:
| Height | 1.1 Inches |
| Length | 9.1 Inches |
| Number of items | 1 |
| Release date | October 2012 |
| Weight | 2.1495070545 Pounds |
| Width | 7.5 Inches |
C++ for the core code, Objective-C/Swift for the UI if you need to make an audio unit or C++ for a VST.
I found these two books to be great, but they would likely be very overwhelming for somebody who doesn't have much programming experience.
https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Audio-Effect-Plug-Ins-Processing/dp/0240825152
https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Software-Synthesizer-Plug-Ins-RackAFX/dp/1138787078/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=D56EXGZ6Y9A7ENTTBEGC
For the actual programming, there's the Juce C++ library which is pretty essential. If you spend a few minutes scouring the website, he recommends some good resources (both digital and print) for learning C++.
For DSP knowledge I would start with DSP Guide because it's just bloody incredible.
As far as books go, do you mean books on audio programming or C++? I started learning C++ with C++ Primer, but for audio programming both Designing Audio Effect Plugins In C++ and The Audio Programming Book have been invaluable.
Also check out the KVR Developer Forum!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Designing-Audio-Effect-Plug-Ins-Processing/dp/0240825152/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367506075&sr=8-1&keywords=audio+programming+effects
I'd avoid anything about "improve singing, change the human brainwave, help people relax", etc. Those are all related to signal processing, but writing something that describes all those topics in detail would be nearly impossible. Just stick to the math and code to make and alter signals.
However, one you remove that stuff, you end up pretty similar to Will Pirkle's book, minus the plugin stuff. He covers all the basic DSP techniques and shows examples of coding them.
https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Audio-Effect-Plug-Ins-Processing/dp/0240825152/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481750734&sr=8-1&keywords=will+pirkle
As for using C#, you might run into performance problems. Between JIT and garbage collection, C# is definitely not the most performance-focused language for DSP, and users could run into issues where they try to program something too complex to operate in real-time, which is less fun. If you stick to C++, you'll lose some portability, but you get a better platform for writing fast code.
A friend of mine did the CCRMA masters at Stanford. They produce a ton of grads that go into audio app and HW design. For learning there is this book: http://www.amazon.com/Designing-Audio-Effect-Plug-Ins-Processing/dp/0240825152 along with some similar ones for synths. Audio code is surprisingly cross platform (vst works across win/Mac/Lin) even if it is written mainly in C/C++. Also there are big helper free libraries/tools like Faust: http://faust.grame.fr/ which make it even easier. Not to mention audio synth and sample based stuff: csound, puredata, supercollider, sonicpi, overture, tidal, chuck... (I'm partial to supercollider and tidal. supercollider is the ideological basis behind sonicpi and the engine behind overture)
I think landing the first job would be the hardest part. My friend didn't go direct to audio work from CCRMA and has since done other (very cool) jobs. My interest is just hobby level.
Java is a nonstarter since it has no good soft realtime guarantees w/ garbage collection. I would love to be proven wrong, but a lot of interesting Java based sound tools were abandoned for that reason. Now it seems like you might as well do your audio in a JavaScript event loop if you don't care about live processing. It's a lot easier and you can target modern browsers instead of wishy washy jvm installs.
Another good book is Designing Audio Effect Plug-ins in C++
FAUST is also a good programming language for DSP. But for prototyping purposes, it's usually a lot faster to build in something like Pure Data, Max/MSP, Reaktor, Supercollider, CSound or even MATLAB. Often the algorithm is developed in something like that first, then ported to C++ or FAUST or whatever to make a VST. It's a lot of work to start directly in C++ (although there are still advantages; some types of algorithms aren't easily implemented in the music-oriented languages).
Development boards are available for many different DSPs. But they don't generally have performance advantages anymore over software. I think programming for a specific processor isn't the best way to go unless you absolutely must use hardware. Just an ordinary computer is fine unless you're really stuck on the idea of developing stompboxes or whatever.
Check this books.
http://www.amazon.com/Designing-Audio-Effect-Plug-Ins-Processing/dp/0240825152/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1426658081&sr=8-2&keywords=programming+audio
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=programming+vst
Fair warning: synths can be beasts. The DSP part isn't what's going to give you the most trouble, hopefully. This book covers synth architectures and coding them in C++. I strongly recommend going through his first book on audio effect plugin design. The author is a former engineer at Korg.
I strongly recommend you start with a plugin before porting it to a hardware platform.
You want to learn the basics of C++, which can be done alone if you have enough persistence, a good book, and can reach out to people for help or just take a class in community college. Then get started on a project.
C++ Primer
Designing Software Synthesizer Plug-Ins in C++:
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Designing Audio Effect Plug-Ins in C++
I’m deeply in love with the scientist and engineers guide to dsp I’m doing audio dsp work and this was a big help, but it applies equally to shaders. It is not a how to guide but a core fundamentals book.
Along the same lines who is Fourier is a great but very quirky introduction to the fast Forier transform.
And Designing Audio Effect Plug-Ins in C++ is a good base intro to proper audio dsp development.
More links:
The Audio Programming Book - highly recommended to me
Designing Audio Effect Plugins in C++
Apple's Documentation for AU
Another thread
Some relevant stuff in this thread too
edit: I forgot an important one. Steinberg's VST SDK. Complete with example projects to get started with.
Steinberg
edit: basically people are saying Juce, WDL, Steinberg, C++. And lots of math.
Also this looks interesting coming from a java point of view: Java VST Wrapper
I recently asked something similar on /r/dsp looking for a way to program hardware to make sound. One of the posters pointed me to these two books made by a korg dev who wrote how to make VSTs and the like (You'll be most interested in the second book). All C++ and from what Ive read so far really good books. ALSO look into the Juce library for more. They started as an independent library before Roli bought them and have been improving the core tools substantially. They even have smartphone tools to make android/ios synths. Again this is C++.
(Link to the poster who showed me for credit)
Have a look at the book by Will Pirkle Designing Audio Effect Plug-Ins in C++: With Digital Audio Signal Processing Theory if you want to program in C++; or maybe you are first looking at an audio specific programming environment like csound or the like (see Comparison of audio synthesis environments).
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I wrote some (Windows) VST plugins using a development environment that my professor created.
I can't guarantee you'll like them, but if you like free stuff have at 'em.