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Author Topic: Anyone here able to code audio production / musical instrument plugins?  (Read 4038 times)

solaris65

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Hi guys and girls,

First up, my apologies if I'm posting this in the wrong section of the forum..and if I am, then to the Mods and Admin..please feel free to let me know / move this post to the right section..or simply delete it..whichever you deem to be the right course of action.  :)

Basically, I've had this "dream" idea now for a few years, for a piece of software..a VST (Virtual Studio Technology) plug-in, as they're called..that you can open in a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), which for those who may not know, is a program that you could equate to a workbench upon which you place your tools you need to build something..in this case music.  There are many of them out there, but I personally use MuLab, which is made and sold by the people at MuTools.com.

There are two reasons this is still just a dream..money and the fact I'm not a coder.  I actually found this site while doing a search for coders who offered their services for free..liked what I found here and stuck around, even though..for the most part..I guess you could call me a "lurker", as even though I log in here nearly daily, I don't post that often (..don't really feel I have all that much to contribute to the community, as I'm not a coder).

Anyway, I was wondering if there's anyone on here with the abilities to help me make this dream come true..who would be willing to make a serious commitment to such a project for free and actually build this thing for me.  I'm more than happy to help with the graphics side of things, but that's about the extent of the input I could offer.

Originally, I just wanted something that I could use personally..and I guess I still do..but if one of you were willing to help me with this project, then I'm totally open to making this a commercial venture and stating a company to sell it, with us as partners and sharing the rights and profits 50/50.

For the record, this "dream" is, I'm guessing, not what the end result would actually turn out to be, as I'm sure my expectations may not be obtainable..but then again, I'm not a coder, so obviously take what I know or thing with a large pinch of salt.  That said, we would obviously need to talk about this in detail and plan what we would do if anyone of you were interested in joining me in such a project.  Obviously, I know this is perhaps only going to appeal to a few of you, if any, as the person interested would need to know or have some understanding of working with audio and midi..as well as what's entailed in making a VST to begin with.

Anyway, if anyone reading this is interested, then please let me know and we can take it from there.

Thanks for reading and all the best to each of you..

Dan (Solaris65)


Ath

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Dan,

You're not alone in having that kind of dreams... 8)

But you seem to have left out the most important piece of information: What is the goal of the plugin to be devised? What should it add to your DAW that currently doesn't exist?
It can't be the goal of just creating such a plugin, as I assume there's some kind of cookbook for that.

(And talking about commercialization of a yet non-existing product is somewhat premature, IMHO.)

I'm pretty sure there are capable enough developers here that can create such plugins, including myself, but I'm not sure I can, and want to, spend the time on such adventure. It has to be worth the effort, aside from any monetary reward(s).

solaris65

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Hi Ath,

Sure..I understand what you mean..I basically didn't want to go into too much detail before somebody replied, though I can see, with hindsight, that a little more info from me would have been helpful.

Regarding what I said about commercialization..I mentioned it just to be clear that I don't intend "using" anyone on here..and that even though I am not able to pay for the time and work needed to complete such a project, I'm open to working with the person involved as best I can..and if that means they think we have a viable product at the end of it all, then there's always the option of taking it further and entering into a more solid business venture together.

Basically, what I'm looking for is a piece of software that will enable me to do a number of things within the same program, which would require it to have a number of features built into it.  The following list is "shopping list" of sorts that should be read as merely a guide for now, as I'm guessing a lot depends more on the person doing the coding than any wish-list I could post here..


a) The ability to play/pause/stop/fast-forward/rewind/loop a number of different tracks independently at the same time, while being able to morph between each track.
b) To be able to record/mute/solo the output from each track.
c) To be able to record both independently and collectively, each track in real time to a single track in the DAW that's hosting it.
d) The program/vst should be able to auto-generate ambient music from bundled samples, as well as/or allow me to import my own samples to work with..and also record MIDI input at the same time..in effect, combining all sources into one track.
e) It should allow me to record and export finished works to a number of formats..not necessarily all of the follow, but including most in no specific order:  MP3, WAV, AIFF, FLAC, OGG (Vorbis) and AAC
f) Is should incorporate some sort of display of the sound wave being created/worked on..and allow me to move through the sound by dragging/sliding an "indicator" from side-to-side and/or up-and-down through the sound wave form in real time, similar to such features found in granular synthesis software.
g) There should be a similar graphical interface for the morphing aspect of the software..an x/y panel of sorts, that would allow me to morph through not only the sounds, but the tracks also, in real time.
h) It should also incorporate such "basic standards" A.D.S.R (Attack-Decay-Sustain-Release) and built-in LFOs / Filters
i)  Relating to (h) above, there should also be the option to control any number of tracks' A.D.S.R (Attack-Decay-Sustain-Release) and built-in LFOs / Filters by mapping them to the one set of controls.
j)  It must accept "midi in" and allow "midi out", so as to be used with hardware "out of the box" if necessary, in a live setup.
k) A built-in text notepad, that would let me keep notes for each track and have some sort of indicator that would show on a track when a note has been opened/saved/attached to it.
l) The ability to import .FXB files / preset banks
m) Perhaps the biggest wish of all: The finished software would come in standalone, vst and Native Instrument's Kontakt file format, for use in the same.


OK..I know..that's a big list and perhaps my expectations are more than a little high here, but I'm hoping somebody can help me with this project.  As you can see, I'm not talking about some small application that will do just one thing, but a full-blown program that would match any of the "big boys" out there.  I have other ideas, too, that I'd like to see incorporated into this thing, but I don't really want to say any more until I have somebody to work with on this project..in fact, I think I've said more than enough already as it is.

As I said before, I'm looking for somebody who is willing to seriously commit to this project and has the abilities needed to complete the required tasks.  I understand this would take some time to do, but the person I'm looking for would already know this and be willing to put in the hours/days/weeks/months (hopefully not years!) to do this.

I know there are other programs / vst instruments out there that offer most of these features I've listed here, as well as those I haven't..I own most of them already myself..but I want one that will do what they all do, but "in one box", so to speak.

I hope this helps clarify things a bit.

Dan (Solaris65)

Ath

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Thanks for the elaborate explanation.
Quite a list indeed.

I'll pass though, as it's totally not my cup of tea.
Let's see who is interested.

40hz

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I think the scope of your requirements go several steps beyond what would interest a qualified coder without some financial consideration.

Seriously, much of what you're proposing is far from a trivial programming exercise. And several of the main functions you're including are already covered by long established music software. So even if you did decide to release it commercially, you'd be a late entry into an already saturated market with several entrenched market leaders such as Native Instruments, Ableton, Steinberg, and ProTools as your competitors. And without serious capital sources standing behind you, the chances of you gaining anywhere near enough market pentration to adequately fund ongoing development and support of your product is going to be pretty slim.

Not trying to rain on your parade or discourage you. Just trying to give you a sense of the realities of software development and sales.

Minor point: Ideas and dreams are a dime a dozen in the tech world. There probably isn't a developer anywhere who hasn't been approached by someone "with an idea" for a better mousetrap that "could make millions if I could just find someone to code it."

Unfortunately, the devil is in the details. Of which there are many. And there's a good deal of actual work that needs to be done to create software. So when you say you'd be willing to help out anyway you can, about the only thing a developer would consider as "help" is coding skills - or serious cash to hire those skills. If you can't provide either, I doubt you're going to be able to interest anybody who is actually capable of coding such a project.

Maybe Steve Jobs over at Apple got away with providing "vision" while a small group of software geniuses along with a small army of engineers did the actual work he was given the lion's share of the credit and praise for.  But those were more innocent times, and talented programmers expect a good deal more than just ideas from the people they're going to be partnering with. Ideas they can get anywhere - and for free.
« Last Edit: August 17, 2017, 05:32 PM by 40hz »

solaris65

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Thanks, guys, for your replies, impressions and advice..much appreciated.

@ 40hz:  For the record, I'm not another Steve Jobs..I merely asked if anyone on here was interested in helping me do this..and I've been totally transparent and up front in everything I've said..and more than willing to share any potential profits 50/50, including an equal share in any company formed as a direct result..the same can't be said of Steve Jobs, so, I kinda take slight offense at the comparison being made / implied..but you're entitled to your opinion and views and I understand you mean well in what you said in general..but that remark still stung a little.  :-[

While you're right in what you said about "the devil is in the details"..there's a lot more to such a project than the coding alone, such as marketing, sales, graphic design and sound design, so it's not a case of me simply providing ideas and sitting back, while others do all the work, but more a case of "each to their own".  I wasn't looking for slaves to do my bidding, but others who might see the potential in this and who might be willing to become involved as equal participants and seeing how far we could take the project.

And yes, I'm aware there are many successful companies out there..but none of them are offering what I envisage..I know..I've looked and researched it.  There is/was one program that offered a number of the things I'm looking for in one program, but that program didn't go far enough and could have been developed more I feel.

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to reply..I really do appreciate it..even if there seems to be little interest in this.   :)