Return to "Computer Music Links"

Programming Languages, APIs, Libraries

PLUM - Programming Languages Used for Music

Multi-Platform

• Audio File Library
• ASIO SDK - cross platform sound API from Steinberg
• Chuck - Concurrent, On-the-fly Audio Programming Language from Princeton (Mac, Win, Linux)
• CMIX - command line based synthesis and processing
• CSound  - a popular synthesis language with lots of unit generators
• COST DAFX - large source code archive for various digital audio effects
• JMSL - Java Music Specification Language
• JSyn - real-time audio synthesis API for Java
• libsndfile - 'C' lib for r/w AIFF, WAV and other file formats, by Erik de Castro Lopo
• KeyKit Download Site
• SRC - Sample Rate Conversion library in 'C' by Erik de Castro Lopo
• MPEG-4 Structured Audio Development Tools, SFront
• Nyquist - LISP based synthesis from CMU by Roger Dannenburg
• OpenAL - Open Source Audio Library
• PortAudio - open source, cross-platform audio API for 'C'
• PortMusic - open source, cross-platform music APIs
• rtAudio - open source, cross platform audio API for C++
• SuperCollider - powerful real-time synth environment for Macintosh, Linux and Windows - SourceForge
• Synthesis ToolKit (STK): C++ classes for synthesis by Perry Cook (CCRMA site)
• wxWindows - (not audio) portable C++ GUI API for Mac/PC/Unix

Java

• Fantasia MIDI App and Java MIDI Kit
• J.A.M.Synth
• Java Lecture Notes by Elliotte Rusty Harold
• Java Music Software links (originally by Tom Erbe)
• JASS (Java Audio Synthesis System) - unit generator based, pure Java.
• Java Sound API - standard audio and MIDI for Java 1.3+
  • Understanding and using Java Sound API sampled audio - article by IBM
• JMusic - API for generating and manipulating music using JavaSound
• JMSL - Java Music Specification Language
• JSyn - real-time audio synthesis API
• MRJ - Macintosh Runtime for Java
• SUN - The Source for Java Technology
• Sonicle - Java audio streaming for the web

Macintosh (also see Multi-Platform section)

• HMSL - Hierarchical Music Specification Language, Forth based for Macintosh
• JMSL - Java Music Specification Language
• JSyn - real-time audio synthesis API for Java
• MRJ - Macintosh Runtime for Java
• MusicKit - an object-oriented software system for building music, sound, signal processing, and MIDI applications. 'C' and Objective 'C'.
• MSP - softsynth for MAX
• SuperCollider - powerful real-time synth environment for Macintosh, Linux and Windows - SourceForge

Linux (also see Multi-Platform section)

• ALSA - Advanced Linux Sound Architecture, audio API
• JMSL - Java Music Specification Language
• JSyn - real-time audio synthesis API for Java
• LADSPA - Linux Audio Developer's Simple Plugin API
• Linux Audio Developers - mail list
• Linux Audio Developers - Low Latency Resources
• OSS - OpenSound - 4Front, audio API
• TaoSynth - scripting language for physical modelling
• Tritonus - Java Sound for Linux
• SuperCollider - powerful real-time synth environment for Macintosh, Linux and Windows - SourceForge

Plugins

• Direct X File - write plugins for DirectX
• DXi Plugin Standard
• LADSPA - Linux Audio Developer's Simple Plugin API
• Sonic Foundry Developers' Pit - kit for writing DirectX plugins
• VST Plugin SDK from Steinberg

Windows (also see Multi-Platform section)

• Intel(R) VTune Performance Tools Home
• JMSL - Java Music Specification Language
• JSyn - real-time audio synthesis API for Java
• SuperCollider - powerful real-time synth environment for Macintosh, Linux and Windows - SourceForge