Designing Software Synthesizer Plug-Ins in C++

Will Pirkle is an Assistant Professor of Music Engineering Technology at the University of Miami Frost School of Music and is the author of Designing Audio Effects Plug-Ins in C++. He teaches classes in C++ Audio Programming, Signal Processing and Audio Synthesis Theory, and Mobile App Programming. In addition to ten years of teaching at the University of Miami, Mr. Pirkle has twenty years of experience in the audio industry working and consulting for such names as Korg Research and Development, SiriusXM Radio, Diamond Multimedia, Gibson Musical Instruments, and National Semiconductor Corporation. An avid guitarist and studio owner, Mr. Pirkle still seeks projects that combine all his skills. www.willpirkle.com

1 Synthesizer Fundamentals

1.1 Synth Components

1.2 Oscillators

1.3 Filters

1.4 Amplifiers

1.5 Envelope Generators

1.6 Basic Synth Architecture

1.7 Fundamental Goals of Synth Patch Design

1.8 Audio Data Formats for Plug-Ins

1.9 Signal Processing Review

1.10 Continuous Signals

1.11 Discretized Signals

1.12 The LaPlace and z-Transforms

1.13 Aliasing

2 Writing Plug-Ins

2.1 Dynamic Link Libraries

2.2 C and C++ Style DLLs

2.3 The Application Programming Interface (API)

2.4 API Function Comparisons

2.5 The RackAFXTM Philosophy and API

2.6 Writing RackAFX Plug-Ins

2.7 Setting Up RackAFX

2.8 Designing the User Interface in Prototype Phase

2.9 Setting Up Continuous Controls

2.10 Setting Up Indexed Controls: Radio Buttons

2.11 Setting Up Indexed Controls: Sliders

2.12 Placing Controls Inside the LCD Control

2.13 Using the RackAFX GUI Designer

2.14 The RackAFX Plug-In Object

2.15 Writing VST3 Plug-Ins

2.16 VST3: Processor and Controller

2.17 The Common Object Model: COM

2.18 VST3 Synth Plug-In Architecture

2.19 Processor and Controller Declarations

2.20 The Class Factory

2.21 VST3 Conventions

2.22 Implementing a VST3 Plug-In: Controller

2.23 VST3 Controller Initialization

2.24 VST3 Controller Serialization

2.25 VST3 Controller MIDI Mapping

2.26 Implementing a VST3 Plug-In: Processor

2.27 VST3 Processor Initialization

2.28 VST3 Processor Serialization

2.29 VST3 Note Events, Control Changes and Rendering

2.30 Implementing a VST3 Plug-In: GUI Design

2.31 Using the VSTGUI® Drag and Drop Interface

2.32 VSTGUI Design Example

2.33 Implementing a VST3 Plug-In: Debugging

2.34 Writing Audio Unit (AU) Plug-Ins

2.35 AU XCode Projects

2.36 The Info.plist File

2.37 Managing AU Parameters

2.38: AU Conventions

2.39 AUSynth and AUInstrument Base Class

2.40 Implementing the AUSynth Object

2.41 Implementing the Cocoa View Objects

2.42 WPRotaryKnob

2.43 WPOptionMenuGroup

2.44 The View Factory and CocoaSynthView.plist

2.45 The View Event Listeners

2.46 The View Interface and Initialization

2.47 Implementing an AU Plug-In: Debugging

3 MIDI

3.1 MIDI Messages

3.2 Channel Voice Messages

3.3 Project: NanoSynth

3.4 NanoSynth: RackAFX

3.5 RackAFX Status Window

3.6 NanoSynth: VST3

3.7 MIDI Events in VST3

3.8 MIDI Controllers in VST3

3.9 NanoSynth: AU

4 Analog and Digital Signal Processing

4.1 Analog and Digital Building Blocks

4.2 Analog and Digital Transfer Functions

4.3 Digital Delay

4.4 Digital Differentiation

4.5 Analog and Digital Integration

4.6 The Bilinear z-Transform

4.7 Virtual Analog Filters

4.8 Analog Block Diagrams

4.9 1st Order VA Lowpass Filter

4.10 1st Order VA Highpass Filter

4.11 2nd Order VA Filters

4.12 Series and Parallel VA Filters

4.13 Resolving Delay-Less Loops: Modified Härmä Method

4.14 Resolving Delay-Less Loops: Zavalishin’s Method

4.15 Analog Signal Flow Graphs

4.16 Wave Shaping

4.17 Challenges

5 Synthesizer Oscillator Design

5.1 Trivial Oscillator Algorithms

5.2 Trivial Sawtooth Oscillator

5.3 Trivial Square Wave Oscillator

5.4 Trivial Triangle Wave Oscillator

5.5 Quasi Bandlimited Oscillator Algorithms

5.6 Bandlimited Impulse Trains (BLIT)

5.7 Bandlimited Step Functions (BLEP)

5.8 Wider Window BLEP

5.9 Polynomial BLEP (PolyBLEP)

5.10 Coding the BLEP and PolyBLEP Algorithms

5.11 Wave Shaped BLEP Sawtooth Oscillator

5.12 BLEP Square Wave Oscillator

5.13 Differentiated Parabolic Waveform Oscillators

5.14 DPW Triangle Wave Oscillator

5.15 Other Non-Sinusoidal Oscillators

5.16 White Noise Oscillator

5.17 Pseudo Random Noise (PN Sequence) Oscillator

5.18 Random Sample and Hold Oscillator

5.19 Exponential Decay Oscillator

5.20 Wavetable Oscillators

5.21 Bandlimited Wavetable Oscillators

5.22 Sinusoidal Oscillators by Approximation

5.23 Pitched Oscillator Calculation

5.24 Sources of Modulation

5.25 Pitched Oscillator Starting Phase Consideration

5.26 LFO Features

5.27 Designing the Oscillator Objects

5.28 The COscillator Base Class

5.29 NanoSynth: Oscillators

5.30 NanoSynth Oscillators: RackAFX/VST3/AU

5.31 The CLFO Object

5.32 The CQBLimitedOscillator Object

5.33 The CWTOscillator Object

5.34 NanoSynth Oscillators: Processing Code

5.35 NanoSynth Oscillators: RackAFX

5.36 NanoSynth Oscillators: VST3

5.37 NanoSynth Oscillators: AU

5.38 NanoSynth: Wavetables

5.39 Challenges

6 Envelope Generators and Controlled Amplifiers

6.1 Analog Envelope Generators

6.2 Triggers, Gates and Reset to Zero

6.3 Note-On Modes

6.4 Note-Off Modes

6.5 Digital Envelope Generators

6.6 Envelope Generator Variations

6.7 Iterative Generation of the Exponential Function

6.8 Biased Envelope Generator

6.9 Envelope Generator Intensity Controls and Connections

6.10 Envelope Generator Implementation

6.11 The CEnvelopeGenerator Object

6.12 Digitally Controlled Amplifier (DCA)

6.13 The CDCA Object

6.14 NanoSynth: EG/DCA

6.15 NanoSynth EG/DCA Audio Processing

6.16 NanoSynth EG/DCA: RackAFX

6.17 NanoSynth EG/DCA: VST3

6.18 NanoSynth EG/DCA: AU

6.19 Challenges

7 Synthesizer Filter Design

7.1 Virtual Analog Filters

7.2 Oberheim SEM® State Variable Filter Model

7.3 Korg35 Sallen-Key Filter Model

7.4 Korg35 LPF Model

7.5 Korg35 HPF Model

7.6 Moog Ladder Filter Model

7.7 Moog Ladder Filter Gain Compensation

7.8 Oberheim XPander® Variations

7.9 Nonlinear Moog Ladder Filter Models

7.10 The 2nd Order Moog Half-Ladder Filter

7.11 Diode Ladder Filter Model

7.12 Designing the Filter Objects

7.13 The CFilter Base Class

7.14 The CVAOnePoleFilter Object

7.15 The CSEM Filter Object

7.16 The CKThreeFiveFilter Object

7.17 The CMoogLadderFilter Object

7.18 The CDiodeLadderFilter Object

7.19 Filter Key Tracking Modulation

7.20 NanoSynth: Filters

7.21 NanoSynth: Filters Audio Rendering

7.22 NanoSynth Filters: RackAFX

7.23 NanoSynth Filters: VST3

7.24 NanoSynth Filters: AU

7.25 Build and Test

7.26 Challenges

8 Modulation Matrix, Polyphony and Global Parametrization

8.1 Modulation Routings

8.2 The Modulation Matrix Object

8.3 Using and Programming the Modulation Matrix

8.4 NanoSynth MM Part 1: RackAFX

8.5 NanoSynth MM Part 1: VST3

8.6 NanoSynth MM Part 1: AU

8.7 More MIDI Modulation Routings

8.8 NanoSynth MM Part 2: RackAFX

8.9 NanoSynth MM Part 2: VST3

8.10 NanoSynth MM Part 2: AU

8.11 User Controlled Modulation Routings

8.12 NanoSynth MM Part 3: RackAFX

8.13 NanoSynth MM Part 3: VST3

8.14 NanoSynth MM Part 3: AU

8.15 Polyphony Part 1

8.16 Dynamic Voice Allocation

8.17 Poly NanoSynth: RackAFX

8.18 Poly NanoSynth: VST3

8.19 Poly NanoSynth: AU

8.20 Global Parameterization

8.21 Final NanoSynth: RackAFX

8.22 Final NanoSynth: VST3

8.23 Final NanoSynth: AU

9 MiniSynth: Analog Modeling Synth

9.1 Voice Architectures and CVoice

9.2 CVoice Initialization

9.3 Portamento

9.4 MiniSynth Specifications

9.5 CMiniSynthVoice Object

9.6 Polyphony Part 2

9.7 MiniSynth Files

9.8 MiniSynth: RackAFX

9.9 MiniSynth: VST3

9.10 MiniSynth: AU

9.11 Challenges

10 DigiSynth: Sample Playback Synthesizer

10.1 Audio Samples

10.2 WAV Files

10.3 Multi-Samples

10.4 Splits, Layers and Note Regions

10.5 The CWaveData Object

10.6 The CSampleOscillator Object

10.7 Audio File Location

10.8 DigiSynth Specifications

10.9 The CDigiSynthVoice Object

10.10 DigiSynth Files

10.11 DigiSynth: RackAFX

10.12 DigiSynth: VST3

10.13 DigiSynth: AU

10.14 Challenges

11 VectorSynth and AniSynth: Vector Synthesizers

11.1 The Vector Joystick

11.2 Vector Paths

11.3 Rotors and Orbits

11.4 Combining Paths and Orbits

11.6 The Moog AniMoog® Anisotropic Synthesizer

11.6 VectorSynth and AniSynth Path Modes

11.7 The Vector Joystick and JS Program in RackAFX

11.8 The Vector Joystick in VST3

11.9 The Vector Joystick in AU

11.10 Programming a Vector Path: VST3 and AU

11.11 Vector Synth Specifications

11.12 The CVectorSynthVoice Object

11.13 Vector Synth Files

11.14 VectorSynth: RackAFX

11.15 VectorSynth: VST3

11.16 VectorSynth: AU

11.17 AniSynth

11.18 AniSynth Secifications

11.19 The CAniSynthVoice Object

11.20 AniSynth Files

11.21 AniSynth: RackAFX, VST3 and AU

11.22 Challenges

12 DXSynth: FM Synthesizer

12.1 FM and PM Theory

12.2 FM Spectra

12.3 FM/PM Rules

12.4 Dynamic Spectra

12.5 DXSynth Specifications

12.6 FM and PM in Oscillator Objects

12.7 Yamaha DX100® vs. DXSynth

12.8 The CDXSynthVoice Object

12.9 DXSynth Files

12.10 DXSynth: RackAFX

12.11 DXSynth: VST3

12.12 DXSynth: AU

12.13 Challenges

13 Delay Effects

13.1 Circular Buffers

13.2 Delay Effect Topologies

13.3 The CDelayLine Object

13.4 The CStereoDelayFX Object

13.5 Using the CStereoDelayFX Object in your Plug-Ins

13.6 MiniSynth + FX: RackAFX

13.7 MiniSynth + FX: VST3

13.8 MiniSynth + FX: AU

13.9 Challenges

Appendix A

A.1 Converting the VST3 Template Synth (9 Steps)

A.2 Converting the AU Template Synth (10 Steps)