absolute beginer - - where to start - any books?

[waverider]

Hi,

Which languages?
Which development tools?
What books for novices and beginers?

Whats the best way into learning how to design code and compile VST plug ins?
How long does it take?
Are there any courses or Guides or code libraries?

How good at programming do you have to be?
From scratch - how long do you think it would take to be able to know enough to code and compile VST applications ?

Where does a virgin begin with all this?

The digital fishphones plug ins are fabulous - this is the sort of thing I want to be able to do eventually....

but I need a good way in one step at a time.

Any advice ?

Thanks.

W.

[quincy]

Hi waverider.

I have to be totally blunt here - if you are not even a programmer then you will need to spend quite a long time just learning to be a decent programmer first. The other problem is that DSP coding is generally VERY heavy on the maths, so if maths is not your strong card don't even think about it.

I don't want to put you off for no reason, its just that its a very specialised area of coding, and mathematics.

But if you want to startm i think the 2 best languages are C++ and Delphi, althought the majority of plugins use C++.

To be honest, if you cannot program much/at all, just download synthedit www.synthedit.com, it enables you to design plugins using components of sound design, its a much better option for us non-maths genius's!!

[vurt]

Hi,


Where does a virgin begin with all this?

.

just jump straight in get wet
then lie back and think "did i do it right?"

[Ian Ainslie]

You might want to PM Tobybear on this subject.
He's a very generous kinda fella and has squeezed out tonnes of original VSTs.
Ian

[waverider]

Thanks for the Low down.

That Toby Bear Chap - all his plug ins sound Bizarre !

I was playing Shania Twain's 'Up' Album last night in Steinberg's Wavelab V 4.0 and I tried one of Toby bears' VST's and it instantly changed it from being Shania Twain into the sound of running water coming out from a fully open tap!

I couldnt stop laughing but then when I tried to 'control' it - the sound really started to really 'get away' from me...

I wasnt sure if I was controlling it or it was controlling me.....

I looked again for the public health warning but ...

I'm sure this chaps been on the disco biscuits.

One step beyond !

Yours still recovering - Waverider

p.s. Never heard Shania Twain sound so good before.

[cbit]

SynthMaker is a 'high level' vst/i creation system you should take a look at. It's possible to work at much 'lower levels' than synthedit.. eg you can create your own filters within SM if you like so you're unlikely to outgrow it quickly.

http://www.synthmaker.com

(At the moment Synthmaker requires a processor with SSE instructions and it runs on Windows 2000 or Windows XP)