Getting an Audio Plugin Created ( was RE: [audio] Call for anupdated enhanced quicktime audio library ora small audiocomplementary library!)

stephen barncard stephenREVOLUTION2 at barncard.com
Sun May 23 13:47:28 EDT 2010


I was "humbly" stupid in my assumptions about RTAS. I should read more
before I speak.
The DAW world is littered with proprietary and security stumbling blocks
similar to what we've encountered with Apple and the iPhone.

A list of plugin formats is here (with definition links ):
http://www.kvraudio.com/wiki/?id=Plug-in+Formats



   -     APPLE ONLY
   - AU <http://www.kvraudio.com/wiki/?id=Audio+Units> (Audio Units)
   - AS <http://www.kvraudio.com/wiki/?id=AS> (Audio Suite)
   -    OTHER
   - DX <http://www.kvraudio.com/wiki/?id=DirectX> (DirectX)
   - DSSI <http://www.kvraudio.com/wiki/?id=DSSI> (Disposable Soft Synth
   Interface)
   - LADSPA <http://www.kvraudio.com/wiki/?id=LADSPA> (Linux Audio
   Developer's Simple Plugin API)
   - MAS <http://www.kvraudio.com/wiki/?id=MAS> (MOTU Audio System)
   - MFX <http://www.kvraudio.com/wiki/?id=MFX> (MIDI FX)
   - ReWire <http://www.kvraudio.com/wiki/?id=ReWire>
   -    PRO TOOLS ONLY
   - RTAS <http://www.kvraudio.com/wiki/?id=RTAS> (Real Time Audio Suite)
   - TDM <http://www.kvraudio.com/wiki/?id=TDM> (Time Domain Multiplex)
   - VST <http://www.kvraudio.com/wiki/?id=VST> (Virtual Studio Technology)



my personal and opinionated opinion:


VST is 'best' for PC users of Cubase and Nuendo. But I don't know any top
recording professionals that use PCs or Cubase for audio.   Some DP users
out there on Mac.
Granted, this is my myopic west coast view - but most of the pros are out on
the edges of this country!
As you get outside the big cities, and into the south and midwest, one will
see more PC based audio systems, often because there is less local support
for the hardware. (Good luck trying to buy a new mac at a Best Buy in
Mobile, AL. They don't stock them. But there are no major studios or post
houses there.)
 Some TV post guys use closed systems like Fairlight, Sadie and Radar and
are PC based - usually with their own plugins. Nuendo is big with the
Nashville guys, but on a Mac.

You are correct about the Pro Tools lock-in on RTAS - it's
cross-computer-platform though (Win-Mac) and Pro Tools is sorta the iPhone
of audio DAWs - I'm imagining 60-70% market share - huge. Anybody who is
into more than just recording themselves and needs to exchange files from
many clients - will always transport their project in Pro Tools format.
Finally, remember they are AVID - the god of professional video editing and
their systems are made to seamlessly exchange information among their
applications.

If we were making something aimed at professionals, this would be the format
to go for.

I don't think we should bother with these kind of plugins. Too much crap to
go through that has nothing to do with programming.

We have to think differently about plugins. Or not bother.

We small guys out here would be crushed by the complexity and expense of
1. Getting to be a licensee of RTAS or VST technology and those limitations
2. *Dealing with the extreme plugin authorization process if not installed*
3. Dealing with the iLok issues - probably a mandatory dongle
4. etc etc.

Now going back to checking on FOSS solutions for plugins
LADSPA, Rosegarden, ALSA, JACK, Audacity
and try and understand what is the plugin situation with BASS. if any.

(to be continued)


On 23 May 2010 05:26, René Micout <rene.micout at numericable.com> wrote:

> Is RTAS Pro Tools compatible only ?
> If yes, it is not a good standard.
> VST is best...
> René
>
> Le 20 mai 2010 à 20:19, stephen barncard a écrit :
>
> > I would humbly suggest that RTAS be the standard for plugins
>
>
>
-- 
-------------------------
Stephen Barncard
San Francisco



More information about the use-livecode mailing list