An audio plug-in, in computer software, is a
plug-in
Plug-in, plug in or plugin may refer to:
* Plug-in (computing) is a software component that adds a specific feature to an existing computer program.
** Audio plug-in, adds audio signal processing features
** Photoshop plugin, a piece of softwar ...
that can add or enhance audio-related functionality in a
computer program
A computer program is a sequence or set of instructions in a programming language for a computer to execute. Computer programs are one component of software, which also includes documentation and other intangible components.
A computer progra ...
. Such functionality may include
digital signal processing
Digital signal processing (DSP) is the use of digital processing, such as by computers or more specialized digital signal processors, to perform a wide variety of signal processing operations. The digital signals processed in this manner ar ...
or
sound synthesis. Audio plug-ins usually provide their own
user interface
In the industrial design field of human–computer interaction, a user interface (UI) is the space where interactions between humans and machines occur. The goal of this interaction is to allow effective operation and control of the machine f ...
, which often contains
GUI widget
A graphical widget (also graphical control element or control) in a graphical user interface is an element of interaction, such as a button or a scroll bar. Controls are software components that a computer user interacts with through di ...
s that can be used to control and visualise the plug-in's audio parameters.
Types
There are three broad classes of audio plug-in: those which transform existing
audio samples
In sound and music, sampling is the reuse of a portion (or sample) of a sound recording in another recording. Samples may comprise elements such as rhythm, melody, speech, sounds or entire bars of music, and may be layered, equalized, sped up or ...
, those which generate new audio samples through
sound synthesis and those which analyze existing
audio samples
In sound and music, sampling is the reuse of a portion (or sample) of a sound recording in another recording. Samples may comprise elements such as rhythm, melody, speech, sounds or entire bars of music, and may be layered, equalized, sped up or ...
.
Although all plug-in types can technically perform audio analysis, only specific formats provide a mechanism for analysis data to be returned to the host.
Instances
The program used to
dynamically load audio plug-ins is called a plug-in host. Example hosts include
Bidule
Bidule is a commercial software application for the creation of interactive computer music and multimedia produced by the Canadian company Plogue Arts and Technology. It runs on both Windows and Mac computers.
Bidule uses a modular struct ...
,
Gig Performer,
Mainstage,
REAPER and
Sonic Visualiser. Plug-ins can also be used to host other plug-ins. Communication between host and plug-in(s) is determined by a plug-in
API. The API declares
functions and
data structure
In computer science, a data structure is a data organization, management, and storage format that is usually chosen for Efficiency, efficient Data access, access to data. More precisely, a data structure is a collection of data values, the rel ...
s that the plug-in must define in order to be usable by a plug-in host. Additionally, a
functional specification may be provided, which defines how the plug-in should respond to function calls, and how the host should expect to handle function calls to the plug-in. The specification may also include documentation about the meaning of variables and data structures declared in the API. The API
header files, specification,
shared libraries
In computer science, a library is a collection of non-volatile resources used by computer programs, often for software development. These may include configuration data, documentation, help data, message templates, pre-written code and su ...
,
license
A license (or licence) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit).
A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another party (licensee) as an element of an agreeme ...
and documentation are sometimes bundled together in an
SDK.
Reason Studios Rack Extension SDK
/ref>
List of plug-in architectures
See also
* Effects unit
An effects unit or effects pedal is an electronic device that alters the sound of a musical instrument or other audio source through audio signal processing.
Common effects include distortion/overdrive, often used with electric guitar in e ...
References
{{reflist
Software add-ons