Blue Cat PlugNScript

Description

A scripting environment for creating custom audio effects and instruments.

Blue Cat’s Plug’n Script is an audio and MIDI scripting plug-in and application that can be programmed to build custom effects or virtual instruments, without quitting your favorite DAW software.

With this plug-in, you can write your own plug-in with very little knowledge about programming. If you do not care about programming, Blue Cat’s Plug’n Script can also be used as a regular multi-effects processor with existing scripts or to get someone else to write this very particular utility you have been searching for for years and cannot find anywhere.

If you are an experienced programmer, you will find in Plug’n Script a powerful development environment for audio plug-ins: prototype algorithms quickly, generate a state of the art graphical user interface (GUI) without a single line of code, and export a VST, VST3, AAX, or Audio Unit plug-in, right from within your favorite DAW! Creating a plug-in has never been so fast!

This plug-in has been in our lab for several years and has been used to prototype lots of our existing plug-ins. It supports both scripts distributed as source code and pre-compiled binary scripts.

For source scripts, it uses the high-performance AngelScript scripting engine, originally developed for video games, with a JIT compiler that helps to compile scripts into machine code for optimal performance. Starting with version 2, the plug-in also supports native (compiled) code and can load binary scripts built from C or C++ (or any language that can export C functions, such as Delphi, Fortran, Net…), using the same interface as the angel script version.

The syntax of the AngelScript language is close to Java, C#, C++, or JavaScript, making it very easy to learn. It is also convenient to reuse your scripts into native code or integrate code snippets found on the web into your script. Also, switching between the angel script and binary versions of the same script is very easy, requiring very few changes.

The plug-in includes dozens of audio and MIDI processing scripts as well as several virtual instruments and utilities to enhance your workflow. They can be used as-is, or as examples to get started to write your own scripts. User scripts can be shared in the scripts repository, which also includes the factory scripts and native projects for reference.

To build complex effects chains using multiple scripts, you might be interested in Blue Cat’s PatchWork, which can host multiple instances of this plug-in in series or parallel. While writing scripts, you might also want to use our analysis tools to check their effect on the signal.

Blue Cat Audio Standards:

• Available as a standalone application and in most plug-in formats for Mac and Windows.
• Full MIDI control and automation support, MIDI Learn.
• No CPU load on idle: processing shuts down when fed with silence (optimal CPU usage).
• Customizable user interface with transparency & zoom.
• Automation and MIDI output: record output parameters as automation curves or send MIDI CC messages to other plug-ins for powerful side chain effects.
• Smooth Bypass: noiseless plug-in activation / deactivation.
• Undo/Redo.
• Full featured integrated presets manager.
• Copy/paste the state of the plug-in between instances.
• Any sample rate supported.

Version 3.5

• Projects can now be exported as standalone audio/MIDI applications.
• SysEx MIDI events support (RAW Sysex data stream uses series of 4 bytes MIDI events).
• Updated MIDI library scripts for SysEx support.
• New MIDI Timecode and MIDI Clock generation scripts.
• Updated MIDI log script with SysEx support.
• Enlarged text fields in export window.
• App can now receive and send MIDI even when no audio interface is selected.
• App: it is now possible to adjust compression settings and activate UpnP for the Connector Slave network Audio Device.
• Plug-in and App can now send Bank Select and Program Change messages upon changes in the user interface to keep in sync with external controller.
• Find currently selected preset easily in the menu (folders containing the preset now display a check mark).
• Added an option to cycle next/previous preset in current bank.
• Improved performance of VST3 plug-in when receiving program change messages.
• Fixed display issue with large output strings.
• Fixed plug-in windows not resized upon zoom when statically set in the root SKIN tag.
• Fixed application sometimes dropping local MIDI events when using the Network Audio Device.
• Mac: fixed text edit box in the wrong position when closing / re-opening the user interface of the plug-in.
• Fixed text edit boxes and buttons in export window not properly scaled when zooming UI.
• Fixed system widgets with default size not properly scaled when using zoom in exported plug-ins.
• Fixed CPU meter display sometimes off by one pixel.

Features:

• Audio and MIDI scripting plug-in.
• Build your own Audio and MIDI effects or virtual instruments.
• Export your effect or instrument as an independent VST, VST3, Audio Unit or AAX plug-in.
• Simple scripting syntax, using either the AngelScript language (similar to C++, Java or javascript) or C/C++ for native code.
• Native binary scripts support (compiled C, C++ or Delphi, Fortran…).
• Fully customizable user interface that adapts to scripts automatically. Build your own using Blue Cat’s KUIML language.
• Up to 48 input parameters and 32 outputs, with full MIDI and automation control.
• Use your favorite Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for editing.
• Integrated JIT (Just In Time) compiler for optimal performance (scripts are not interpreted but compiled).
• Includes 57 scripts with source code and 267 presets for sound synthesis, MIDI FX, audio FX (comp, gate, tremolo echo, filters, looper…), waveform generation, file playback/recording and more.
• Side chain input and auxiliary outputs support.
• Surround support (up to 8 audio channels).
• Download free scripts from our audio & MIDI scripts repository.

Requirements:

• os: mac
• version: Mac OS 10.9 or newer.
• notes: An Intel or Apple Silicon processor.
• additional requirements: For the standalone application, a Core Audio compatible audio interface.
• audio card: For the standalone application, a Core Audio compatible audio interface.

• os: windows
• version: Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows 7, 8 or 10.
• notes: An SSE2-enabled processor (Pentium 4 or newer).
• additional requirements: For the standalone application, an ASIO, MME, or WASAPI compatible audio interface (ASIO recommended).
• audio card: For the standalone application, an ASIO, MME or WASAPI compatible audio interface (ASIO recommended).