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DSP_PLAYGROUNDS.md

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DSP Playgrounds

A list of software tools that are useful for quickly and easily prototyping DSP. These can be a great start for learning and experimenting with DSP for those with little or no programming experience.

Codeless

  • Alpha Forever
    • A Reaktor-like environment for creating DSP without code.
    • Commercial software that is $80 USD at the time of this writing. Although the free demo lets you use all the features, just without the ability to save.
    • Windows only.
  • Reaktor 6 by Native Instruments
    • A popular modular environment for creating DSP without code.
    • Has a sizeable community.
    • Full version is expensive at $200 USD at the time of this writing. Free version is limited in functionality.
    • Mac and Windows only. Although some have had success running it in Linux using Wine.
  • The Grid by Bitwig Studio
    • A built-in Reaktor-like plugin environment tightly integrated with the highly modular Bitwig Studio DAW.
    • Highly intuitive to use.
    • Requires Bitwig Studio, which is a whopping $400 USD at the time of this writing. However, the demo version lets you use all the features, just without the ability to save.
    • Sound quality is not the greatest.
    • Runs on Linux, Mac, and Windows.
  • VCV Rack
    • A fully modular software environment that simulates the analogue Eurorack environment.
    • Popular with a sizeable community.
    • Arguably more "plugin"-like than actual DSP, but concepts still translate to DSP skills.
    • Free and open source.
    • Runs on Linux, Mac, and Windows.

Easy Code

  • Cmajor
    • A JIT (just in time) compiled language specifically designed for DSP. It aims to have performance similar to C/C++.
    • Easier to learn than C/C++. However it is very similar to C, so it can be a bit harder for those who are beginners to coding.
    • Relatively new and experimental project.
    • Free and open-source.
  • CSound
    • A custom scripting language that is easy to learn and use.
    • Well-known and long standing in the industry.
    • Free and open-source.
  • Faust
    • A powerful functional programming language.
    • Can be transpiled into many different languages such as C++, C, Rust, and WebAssembly.
    • Free and open-source.
    • Faust IDE - An online IDE than can edit, compile, and run Faust code in the browser.
    • nih-faust-jit - A plugin that hot-reloads Faust dsp files and JIT-compiles them.
  • FunDSP
    • A neat project for learning and prototyping DSP.
    • Uses the Rust programming language, so it is not for those who are beginners to coding. However, the library itself does not require advance Rust skills.
    • Relatively new and experimental project.
    • Free and open-source.
  • Maximilian.js
    • Javascript bindings to the Maximilian DSP library.
    • Javascript can be great for those who are just learning to code, and it can be ran inside a web browser.
    • Free and open source.
  • py-modular
    • A modular and experimental programming environment with basic DSP routines.
    • Uses the very popular Python programming language, which is a great those who are learning to code.
    • Relatively new and experimental project.
    • Free and open-source.
  • SuperCollider
    • A platform for audio synthesis and algorithmic composition.
    • Free and open-source.
  • Tidal Cycles
    • A platform for audio synthesis and algorithmic composition, built on top of SuperCollider.
    • Free and open-source.

Visual Code

  • Max
    • Another popular visual programming language.
    • Originally developed in the 1980s at IRCAM by Miller Puckette.
    • Proprietary.
  • Pure Data
    • Another popular visual programming language.
    • Also developed by Miller Puckette in the 1990s as an open-source project.
    • Early on, some parts were ported to Max which became Max/MSP.
    • Free and open source under BSD-3-Clause.
    • plugdata - A wrapper plugin with a much nicer looking GUI.
    • HVCC - A tool to convert Pure Data graphs to C/C++ code.