https://www.jthorborg.com/ape.html

 

Hi All,

Thought I'd chip in with my 2c worth. I initially studied music, then music technology during which time I found that I had a knack for programming. I then worked in programming (various roles using C/C++ including supercomputing) for a number of years before moving into audio post which is what I'm currently doing.

Developing audio plug-ins, like any software development, is quite complicated! In my experience there's two different things involved:

1. Audio DSP
2. Programming Tools (a) language, (b) build tools, (c) libraries, etc.

People easily spend whole careers (and lives!) becoming experts in either of the above, and even in smaller sub-areas of each. Don't forget too that DSP is maths and depending on what you're doing, the maths can be quite advanced - i.e. calculus, differential equations, complex numbers, etc.

And then there's the programming. For prototyping ideas, you can get away with using something like Python (non-real-time), but for real-time audio the code needs to run fast so you're most likely going to be looking at C or C++. I would tend to use C for anything that needs to run fast, whereas C++ is more useful an organisational tool (this is a gross generalisation so take it with a grain of salt!).

Then there are your tools - as has been mentioned there are lots. Start with an IDE - I'm on macOS so Xcode is what I'd be looking at. Or you can go with a cross-platform IDE like Code Blocks or QT Creator. Another approach is to use something like CMake but then you'll need a separate editor for code development.

And then there are the various libraries and SDKs that you'll need like VST or JUCE. I would recommend sticking with something that's well-supported and has somewhere where you can ask questions. Remember that a lot of this stuff has poor documentation (or none) so you'll need to be able to look at code and error messages and figure out what's going on yourself. That's often hard! Be prepared for lots of head-scratching when projects don't build due to some obscure link error or the like.

Something that hasn't been mentioned as much is that you can learn a lot by looking at other people's source code. So find an established project and start combing through it. Even better, fork it and start improving it. (I forgot to mention that you'll most likely need to use some sort of version control software once you're underway).

And I nearly forgot about GUIs - that's a whole other world of programming, particularly if you want things to be cross-platform. GUI SDKs could have improved in the time I've been out of the programming world? Also, remember that you can develop GUI-less plug-ins like the Airwindows ones.

There are lots of programming books available and probably a lot have been released since I departed the world of programming. One that I thought was good is "Accelerated C++: Practical Programming by Example". I can explain why it's good if anyone is interested.

And I'll finish with a cursory note of warning. A while back I thought I'd volunteer to help out with bug hunting on an open-source audio project (something like Ardour or Audacity). I'm on macOS but even to get either of these two projects to build was a complete nightmare which involved downloading and building masses of third-party libraries (e.g. GTKmm). Ultimately I couldn't get either to build even with the help of senior project developers - it simply required too much time.

Anyway, that's my 2c. This is such a big topic that I've probably forgotten a lot of stuff. And I'm a bit out of the loop so some of the things I mention might be out of date.

Cheers!

 

you could say C is a subset of C++ or C++ is a superset of C.
The syntax is really close/the same.
The biggest difference is C is a function-driven language while C++ is an object-driven language (object oriented programming).
Other things that come in to my mind are c does not have Reference variables or inheritance and exception handling.

 

This is wrong, modern C and modern C++ are not the same, if you want to learn C++ learn C++ not C.

Here's a great talk about the subject

 

Hello ArticStorm, there is a desire and interest, you are also not afraid of difficult programming. So you have good basic requirements. You have already tried it, which means your brain already knows it and that's where you get confidence. The brain wants to develop further, so it wants to have a task that you have already articulated.

Now we are networked worldwide and have access to the collected Programming knowledge of the world. A we have more knowledge available B we are spoiled for choice. In contrast, only trial and error and the experience of many users worldwide can help.

I still don't have a clear idea of a product from you - should it be a software synthesizer or an effect. We have already collected a few programming languages here and software, including open source, is very promising.
A product should also represent added value, i.e. it should be able to do more than the Synthesizer X.
You can also help develop and develop today, but this assumes that you have learned the profession and people usually have no time because they have to earn money - a paradox.- Waiting for the pension to come -

You can also start something that others can then use - that would then be "Open Source" see GitHub.
You can also download some things from GitHub that you can then develop yourself, provided you have decided on a programming language.
Suggestion -> download SynthEdit - start and then say no, that's not fun or yes, that's it ...!

SynthEdit - Build your own Synth (SynthEdit 1.4 (64-bit) Build 601 [03-Jun-2021]
http://www.synthedit.com
SDK version 3 Documentation
http://www.synthedit.com/software-development-kit/sdk-version-3-documentation/
https://www.musicdsp.org/en/latest/
https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/vst-diy
...........
MF77 - FM Synthesizer with RCM (Wavetable)
Unfortunately, that's why the project was never really finished. As a preliminary end product, there is a working VSTi plug-in. Unfortunately this is so power-hungry (due to the numerous live calculations) that most PCs do not allow smooth live play of the FM synthesizer.
Since I will probably not get around to finishing the performance optimization for the synthesizer, I am making the project with all sources freely available here. Maybe there is one or the other programming enthusiast who can complete the project as a free project for the general public.
https://www.fiedler-audio.de/mf77-fm-synthesizer-mit-rcm-wavetable/

 

Last edited: Jun 6, 2021

@ITHertz wasnt C++ only an extension to C? and also some infix, postifx, etc shuffle on some things?
Thanks for your extended insight.[/QUOTE]

Yes and no!!! When I first learnt programming I learnt C. It's actually a pretty simple language in terms of keywords, and being procedural it's really just a list of instructions that the computer steps through.

C++ is different in that it's based on objects. In some ways, I think that learning C first means that I always tend to think in procedural terms - I see computing problems through the lens of C. C++, with its inheritance and encapsulation, means that in order to take advantage of its capabilities, you need to think in a different way. To really understand this problem you need to look into why C++ was created, and what problems it was trying to solve that were difficult or impossible in C. Having said that, you can write C-style code in C++, but if the "code police" find out you'll be arrested

If you just want to do audio plug-in programming then it's mostly going to be about the audio processing algorithm. Most of the object-oriented stuff will be taken care automagically by the API you use (like VST or JUCE). The GUI (if you choose to have one) will also be pretty straightforward if you can find some boilerplate code for the widgets you need (knobs, buttons, etc.).

 

Forgot to mention too, that what I'd recommend is to download one of the free SDKs like VST or JUCE and build the examples that come with them. Then find an example that's close to what you want, study it and start modifying it. If you're lucky things will build straight out of the box. When you start adding stuff you're almost sure to run into errors - that's when the fun starts!

 

Well mate I am an "Ingenieur für Softwaretechnik" - yes a real German engineer before they change the education to B.sc and M.sc.
C/C++ and python are my daily business . But thanks for that informative video.

 

This is probably the best tutorial if you really wanna get hands-on from zero:

 

5:03:46 part 1 intro

 

Yes Howard, I see it the same way you do, I would rather make music. Just how much time is involved and for the brain that means stress to the power of ten ... either you are born as a programmer or as a musician? When the two come together, you are either a genius or an alien.

Simple programming languages for beginners

What is the easiest programming language for beginners? Which programming language should you use to learn programming? In the following article you will find specific recommendations and helpful tips on the most important selection criteria.
Learning to program is a difficult and long journey. If you go hundreds of kilometers in the wrong direction, you will most likely break off the difficult journey and just sit on your couch. For this reason, you should calmly consider which programming language you want to start with.

Are you looking for a programming language that is easy to learn?

Two well-known programming languages are clear winners here, if you look, for example, at which programming courses are predominantly offered at American universities: Here the programming languages Python and Java are far ahead. This is followed by the programming language Matlab (best suited for mathematical matters), C and C ++. The latter two are increasingly being replaced by the Java programming language. Java, Python and JavaScript appear in almost all areas.

While JavaScript is primarily aimed at web developers, Python and Java are suitable for almost any purpose. This allows the choice for beginners to be narrowed down significantly. Nevertheless, there are many other programming languages: If you are interested in web development, for example, you should first start with the important basics of CSS and HTML. To complete our overview, we will briefly introduce you to all the important programming languages:
https://lerneprogrammieren.com/einfache-programmiersprachen-fuer-anfaenger/

 

Only 5:03? Just a quick teaser intro to watch while you're having your morning coffee
Wait, is that HOURS?!?!?!?!

Edited: I was sarcasti-joking

 

Last edited: Jun 7, 2021

Part 1 Intro is about 2 minutes 30 seconds if you look carefully. Yes, it's one long video, but it's partioned into multiple lessons. I would love to do the course, but I guess even if I would take it one lesson at a time, it's still too much for my attention span. So let's appreciate the people who do actually have the mental traits that allow them to code audio plugins. That's exactly why I like to support developers if I have the means available.

 

Open-Source Audio Plugins & Apps
https://github.com/webprofusion/OpenAudio

Odin2 - Polyphonic Synth - Instrument - JUCE
OwlBass - Additive bass synth - Instrument - JUCE
OB-Xd - Based on the Oberheim OB-X - Instrument - JUCE
Surge - Subtractive wavetable synth - Instrument - VSTGUI
Vital - Spectral warping wavetable synthesizer - Instrument - JUCE

 

I agree. I was joking but didn't make it clear enough. My bad
Definitely takes hours if you're not into C++/VST SDK/JUCE
The other reference I was gonna add is the YT channel "The Audio Programmer" which has a lot of videos about JUCE and progresses even more slowly.
Now has gone commercial but the videos are from 2018-2021 very roughly, so still very fresh and good shit.

 

Say how much time it takes to learn that.
And how many hours do you have to spend to program a synthesizer like the Vital, for example?

 

Did you work with programming audio software or just software in general? If so, is there any known plug-in/audio software developer you have worked for? Sorry for asking if you don't want to discuss it on this forum, I'm just curious

 

Maach nee uff line vital version fueers erstee