Designing

Audio
Effect
Plug-Ins
in C++
With
Digital
Audio
Signal Processing Theory
Will Pirkle
Focal Press
Taylor
& Francis
Croup
NEW YORK AND LONDON
Introduction xv
Chapter
1:
Digital
Audio
Signal Processing Principles
1.1
Acquisition
of
Samples
1.2 Reconstruction of the
Signal
1.3
Signal Processing Systems
1.4
Synchronization
and
Interrupts
1.5
Signal Processing
Flow
1.6
Numerical
Representation
of Audio Data
1.7
Using
Floating-Point
Data
1.8 Basic DSP Test
Signals
1
1.8.1 DC and
Step
1.8.2
Nyquist
1.8.3 Vi
Nyquist
1.8.4 lA
Nyquist
1.8.5
Impulse
1.9
Signal
Processing Algorithms
1.10
Bookkeeping
1.11 The
One-Sample Delay
1.12
Multiplication
1.13 Addition and Subtraction
1.14
Algorithm Examples
and the Difference
Equation
1.15 Gain, Attenuation,
and Phase Inversion
1.16
Practical
Mixing Algorithm
Bibliography
Chapter
2:
Anatomy of
a
Plug-In
2.1 Static and
Dynamic
Linking
2.2 Virtual Address
Space
and DLL Access
2.3 C and C++
Style
DLLs
2.4
Maintaining
the User Interface
2.5 The
Applications
Programming
Interface
2.6
Typical Required
API Functions
2.7 The RackAFX
Philosophy
and API
2.7.1 stdcall
Bibliography
VII
viii Contents
Chapter
3:
Writing Plug-Ins
with RackAFX 35
3.1
Building
the DLL
35
3.2 Creation
36
3.3 The GUI 36
3.4
Processing
Audio 37
3.5 Destruction 38
3.6 Your First
Plug-Ins
38
3.6.1
Project: Yourplugin
39
3.6.2
Yourplugin
GUI 39
3.6.3
Yourplugin.h
File 39
3.6.4
Yourplugin.cpp
File 40
3.6.5
Building
and
Testing
40
3.6.6
Creating
and
Saving
Presets 40
3.6.7 GUI
Designer
40
3.7
Design
a Volume
Control
Plug-In
40
3.8 Set
Up
RackAFX for Use 41
3.9
Setup
Preferences 43
3.9.1
Project:
Volume 44
3.9.2 Volume GUI 45
3.9.3
Configure
a Slider Control 46
3.9.4 Volume.h File
48
3.9.5
Volume.cpp
File
50
3.10
Design
a Volume-in-dB
Plug-In
54
3.10.1
Project:
VolumedB 56
3.10.2 VolumedB GUI 56
3.10.3 VolumedB.h File 56
3.10.4
VolumedB.cpp
File 57
3.11
Design
a
High-Frequency
Tone Control
Plug-In
58
3.11.1
Project: SimpleHPF
60
3.11.2
SimpleHPF
GUI 60
3.11.3
SimpleHPF.h
File
60
3.11.4
SimpleHPF.cpp
File 62
3.12
Design
a
High-Frequency
Tone Control with Volume
Plug-In
66
3.12.1
Project: SimpleHPF
66
3.12.2
SimpleHPF
GUI 66
3.12.3
SimpleHPF.h
File 66
3.12.4
SimpleHPF.cpp
File
67
3.13 The User
Plug-In
Menu in RackAFX
69
Chapter
4:
How
DSP
Filters Work 71
4.1
First-Order Feed-Forward Filter 74
4.2
Design
a General First-Order Feed-Forward Filter 84
4.3 First-Order Feed-Back Filter
88
4.4
Design
a General First-Order Feed-Back Filter
89
Contents ix
4.4.1
Project
FeedBackFilter 89
4.4.2 FeedBackFilter GUI 89
4.4.3 FeedBackFilter.h File 89
4.4.4
FeedBaclcFilter.cpp
File 90
4.5 Observations
94
4.5.1 General 94
4.5.2 Feed-Forward Filters 95
4.5.3 Feed-Back Filters 95
Bibliography
95
Chapter
5: Basic DSP
Theory
97
5.1 The
Complex
Sinusoid 97
5.2
Complex
Math Review 100
5.3 Time
Delay
as a Math
Operator
102
5.4 First-Order Feed-Forward
Filter
Revisited 103
5.4.1
Negative Frequencies
104
5.4.2
Frequencies
Above and Below
Nyquist
106
5.5
Evaluating
the Transfer Function
H(o>)
106
5.5.1
DC(OHz)
107
5.5.2
Nyquist 0)
108
5.5.3 >/2
Nyquist (tt/2)
109
5.5.4 V*
Nyquist (ir/4)
109
5.6
Evaluating
112
5.7 The
z
Substitution 114
5.8 The
z
Transform 114
5.9 The
z
Transform of
Signals
116
5.10 The
z
Transform of Difference
Equations
117
5.11 The
z
Transform of an
Impulse Response
118
5.12 The Zeros of the Transfer Function 119
5.13
Estimating
the
Frequency Response:
Zeros 121
5.14 Filter Gain Control 122
5.15 First-Order Feed-Back Filter Revisited 123
5.16 The Poles of the Transfer Function 124
5.16.1
DC(OHz)
128
5.16.2
Nyquist (it)
128
5.16.3 Vi
Nyquist
(tt/2)
129
5.16.4 Va
Nyquist
(ir/4)
130
5.17 Second-Order Feed-Forward
Filter
132
5.17.1
DC(OHz)
139
5.17.2
Nyquist
(it)
139
5.17.3 V%
Nyquist
(tt/2)
140
5.17.4 V*
Nyquist (tt/4)
140
5.18 Second-Order Feed-Back Filter 142
5.18.1
DC(OHz)
148
5.18.2
Challenge
149
x Contents
5.19 First-Order Pole-Zero Filter: The
Shelving
Filter 149
5.19.1
DC(OHz)
155
5.19.2
Challenge
155
5.20 The
Bi-Quadratic
Filter 157
Bibliography
162
Chapter
6: Audio Filter
Designs:
IIR Filters
163
6.1 Direct
z-Plane
Design
163
6.2
Single
Pole Filters
164
6.2.1 First-Order LPF and HPF
164
6.3 Resonators
165
6.3.1
Simple
Resonator
165
6.3.2
Smith-Angell
Improved
Resonator 168
6.4
Analog
Filter to
Digital
Filter Conversion 170
6.4.1
Challenge
178
6.5 Effect of Poles or Zeros at
Infinity
178
6.6 Generic
Bi-Quad Designs
181
6.6.1 First-Order LPF and
HPF 182
6.6.2 Second-Order
LPF and HPF 183
6.6.3
Second-Order BPF and BSF 184
6.6.4 Second-Order Butterworth LPF and HPF 184
6.6.5 Second-Order Butterworth BPF and BSF 185
6.6.6 Second-Order
Linkwitz-Riley
LPF
and HPF 186
6.6.7 First- and Second-Order
APF 188
6.7 Audio
Specific
Filters
188
6.7.1
Modified
Bi-Quad
189
6.7.2 First-Order
Shelving
Filters 189
6.7.3 Second-Order
Parametric/Peaking
Filter:
Non-Constant-Q
191
6.7.4 Second-Order
Parametric/Peaking
Filter:
Constant-Q
192
6.7.5 Cascaded
Graphic EQ:
Non-Constant-Q
194
6.7.6 Cascaded
Graphic
EQ: Constant-Q
195
6.8
Design
a Resonant
LPF
Plug-In
196
6.8.1
Project:
ResonantLPF 197
6.8.2 ResonantLPF GUI 197
6.8.3 ResonantLPF.h File 198
6.8.4
ResonantLPF.cpp
File 199
6.9 The
Massberg Analog-Matched
Low-Pass Filter
201
6.9.1 First-Order
Massberg
LPF
201
6.9.2 Second-Order
Massberg
LPF 203
Bibliography
204
References
205
Chapter
7:
Delay
Effects
and Circular
Buffers
207
7.1 The Basic
Digital Delay
209
7.2
Digital Delay
with
Wet/Dry
Mix 214
Contents xi
7.2.1
Frequency
and
Impulse Responses 214
7.2.2 The
Effect of
Feedback
218
7.3
Design
a DDL
Module
Plug-In 224
7.3.1
Project:
DDLModule
225
7.3.2 DDLModule GUI
225
7.3.3 DDLModule.h File
226
7.3.4
DDLModule.cpp
File
226
7.3.5 Declare
and Initialize the
Delay
Line
Components 228
7.3.6
DDLModule.h File
230
7.3.7
DDLModule.cpp
File
230
7.4
Modifying
the Module to Be Used
by
a Parent
Plug-In 233
7.4.1 DDLModule.h File
233
7.4.2
DDLModule.cpp
File
234
7.5
Modifying
the
Module to
Implement
Fractional
Delay
235
7.5.1
DDLModule.cpp
File
238
7.6
Design
a Stereo
Digital
Delay Plug-In 239
7.6.1
Project:
StereoDelay 239
7.6.2
StereoDelay
GUI
241
7.6.3
StereoDelay.h
File
241
7.6.4
StereoDelay.cpp
File
242
7.7
Design
a Stereo Crossed-Feedback
Delay Plug-In 244
7.8 Enumerated Slider
Variables
245
7.8.1 Constructor
246
7.8.2
PrepareForPlayO 246
7.8.3
UserInterfaceChange() 246
7.8.4
ProcessAudioFrameQ 247
7.9 More
Delay Algorithms 248
7.9.1
Advanced DDL Module
248
7.9.2
Delay
with LPF in Feedback
Loop
248
7.9.3
Multi-Tap Delay 249
7.9.4
Ping-Pong Delay 250
7.9.5 LCR
Delay 250
Bibliography 251
Chapter
8: Audio Filter
Designs:
FIR
Filters
253
8.1 The IR Revisited:
Convolution
253
8.2
Using
RackAFX's
Impulse
Convolver
258
8.2.1
Loading
IR Files
258
8.2.2
Creating
IR Files
259
8.2.3
The
IR File Format
261
8.3
Using
RackAFX's FIR
Designer
262
8.4 The
Frequency Sampling
Method
263
8.4.1 Linear-Phase FIR
Using
the
Frequency Sampling
Method
263
8.5
Complementary
Filter
Design
for Linear Phase FIR Filters
266
8.6
Using
RackAFX's
Frequency Sampling
Method Tool
267
xii Contents
8.7
Designing
a
Complementary
Filter
269
8.8
The
Optimal
(Parks-McClellan)
Method
270
8.9 Using
RackAFX's
Optimal
Method
Tool
271
8.10
Design
a Convolution Plug-In
273
8.10.1
Project:
Convolver
275
8.10.2
Convolver.h File
275
8.10.3
Convolver.cpp
File
276
8.11 Numerical
Method
FIR Filters
281
8.11.1
Moving
Average Interpolator
282
8.11.2
Lagrange
Interpolator
284
8.11.3
Median Filter
284
Bibliography
287
Chapter
9: Oscillators
289
9.1 Direct
Form Oscillator
289
9.1.1
Initial Conditions
290
9.2
Design
a Direct Form
Oscillator
Plug-In
292
9.2.1 Project:
DirectOscillator
292
9.2.2 DirectOscillator
GUI
292
9.2.3 DirectOscillator.h
File
294
9.2.4 DirectOscillator.cpp
File
295
9.2.5
Improving
the Oscillator Design
297
9.3 The Gordon-Smith
Oscillator
299
9.4 Wave
Table Oscillators
301
9.5
Design
a Wave Table
Oscillator
Plug-In
303
9.5.1
Project:
WTOscillator
303
9.5.2 WTOscillator
GUI
303
9.5.3
WTOscillator.h File
304
9.5.4 WTOscillator.cpp
File
305
9.6
Adding
More Wave Tables
308
9.6.1
WTOscillator.h
File
308
9.6.2
WTOscillator.cpp
File
309
9.6.3
WTOscillator
GUI
310
9.6.4 WTOscillator.h
File
310
9.6.5
WTOscillator.cpp
File
311
9.7 Band-Limited
Additive
Wave Tables
312
9.7.1
WTOscillator GUI
313
9.7.2
WTOscillator.h
File
313
9.7.3 WTOscillator.cpp
File
314
9.7.4
Saw-Tooth
317
9.7.5
Square
Wave
317
9.8
Additional Oscillator
Features (LFO)
320
9.8.1 WTOscillator.h
File
320
9.8.2 WTOscillator.cpp
File
321
9.8.3
WTOscillator.h File
321
9.8.4 WTOscillator.cpp
File
322
Contents xiii
9.9
Bipolar/Unipolar Functionality
324
9.9.1 WTOscillator
GUI 324
9.9.2
WTOscillator.cpp
File 325
Bibliography
326
Chapter
10: Modulated
Delay
Effects
327
10.1 The
Flanger/Vibrato
Effect 328
10.2 The Chorus Effect 331
10.3
Design
a
Flanger/Vibrato/Chorus Plug-In
334
10.3.1
Project: ModDelayModule
335
10.3.2
ModDelayModule
GUI 336
10.3.3
ModDelayModule.h
File 336
10.3.4
ModDelayModule.cpp
File 337
10.3.5
PrepareForPlayO
340
10.3.6
Challenge
342
10.4
Design
a Stereo
Quadrature
Flanger Plug-In
342
10.4.1
Project: StereoQuadFlanger
342
10.4.2
StereoQuadFlanger
GUI
342
10.4.3
StereoQuadFlanger.h
File 342
10.4.4
StereoQuadFlanger.cpp
File 343
10.4.5
Challenges
345
10.5
Design
a Multi-Unit LCR Chorus
Plug-In
345
10.5.1
Project:
StereoLCRChorus
346
10.5.2 StereoLCRChorus
GUI
346
10.5.3 StereoLCRChorus.h File 346
10.5.4
StereoLCRChorus.cpp
File 347
10.6 More Modulated
Delay Algorithms
350
10.6.1 Stereo
Cross-Flanger/Chorus (Korg
Triton) 350
10.6.2
Multi-Flanger (Sony
DPS-M7)
350
10.6.3 Bass Chorus
350
10.6.4
Dimension-Style
(Roland
Dimension
D)
351
10.6.5 Deca-Chorus
(Sony
DPS-M7)
354
Bibliography
355
Chapter
11: Reverb
Algorithms
357
11.1
Anatomy
of a Room
Impulse Response
358
11.1.1
RT60:
The
Reverb Time 359
11.2
Echoes
and
Modes
360
11.3 The Comb Filter Reverberator
364
11.4 The
Delaying
All-Pass Filter Reverberator
368
11.5 More
Delaying
All-Pass Filter Reverberators
370
11.6 Schroeder's Reverberator
372
11.7 The Low-Pass Filter-Comb
Reverberator 373
11.8 Moorer's Reverberator
375
11.9 Stereo Reverberation
376
11.10 Gardner's Nested
APF Reverberators 377
xiv Contents
11.11 Modulated APF and Comb/APF Reverb 381
11.12 Dattorro's Plate
Reverb 382
11.13
Generalized
Feedback
Delay
Network Reverbs 385
11.14
Other FDN Reverbs 389
11.15 An
Example
Room Reverb 391
11.16 RackAFX Stock
Objects
394
11.16.1 COnePoleLPF 394
11.16.2
CDelay
395
11.16.3 CCombFilter 396
11.16.4 CLPFCombFilter 396
11.16.5
CDelay
APF 398
11.17
Design
the Room Reverb 398
11.17.1
Project:
Reverb 398
11.17.2 Reverb GUI 398
11.17.3 Reverb.h 402
11.17.4
Reverb.cpp
403
11.18
Challenge
408
Bibliography
409
References 409
Chapter
12: Modulated Filter
Effects
411
12.1
Design
a Mod Filter
Plug-In:
Part I Modulated
fc
412
12.1.1
Project:
ModFilter 413
12.1.2 ModFilter GUI 413
12.1.3 ModFilter.h File 413
12.1.4
ModFilter.cpp
File 416
12.2
Design
a Mod
Filter
Plug-In:
Part
II,
Modulated
fc, Q
419
12.2.1 ModFilter GUI
419
12.2.2 ModFilter.h File 419
12.2.3
ModFilter.cpp
File 420
12.3
Design
a Mod Filter
Plug-In:
Part
III, Quad-Phase
LFOs 423
12.3.1 ModFilter GUI 423
12.3.2
ModFilter.cpp
File 424
12.4
Design
an
Envelope
Follower
Plug-In
425
12.5
Envelope
Detection 428
12.5.1
Project EnvelopeFollower
430
12.5.2
EnvelopeFollower
GUI 430
12.5.3
EnvelopeFollower.h
File 431
12.5.4
EnvelopeFollower.cpp
File 432
12.6
Design
a Phaser
Plug-In
436
12.6.1
Project
Phaser 440
12.6.2 Phaser GUI 440
12.6.3 Phaser.hFile 440
12.6.4
Phaser.cpp
File
441
Contents xv
12.7
Design
a Stereo Phaser with
Quad-Phase
LFOs 446
12.7.1 Phaser
GUI 446
12.7.2 Phaser.hFile
446
12.7.3
Phaser.cpp
File 447
Bibliography
451
References 451
Chapter
13:
Dynamics
Processing
453
13.1
Design
a
Compressor/Limiter Plug-In
457
13.1.1
Project: DynamicsProcessor
458
13.1.2
DynamicsProcessor:
GUI 458
13.1.3
DynamicsProcessor.h
File
459
13.1.4
DynamicsProcessor.cpp
File 460
13.1.5
DynamicsProcessor.cpp
File 465
13.2
Design
a Downward
Expander/Gate Plug-In
466
13.2.1
DynamicsProcessor.h
File 466
13.2.2
DynamicsProcessor.cpp
File
466
13.3
Design
a Look-Ahead
Compressor Plug-In
468
13.3.1
DynamicsProcessor:
GUI 469
13.3.2
DynamicsProcessor.h
File 470
13.3.3
DynamicsProcessor.cpp
File 470
13.4
Stereo-Linking
the
Dynamics
Processor 472
13.4.1
DynamicsProcessor:
GUI 472
13.4.2
DynamicsProcessor.cpp
File
473
13.5
Design
a
Spectral Compressor/Expander Plug-In
475
13.5.1
Project: SpectralDynamics
476
13.5.2
SpectralDynamics:
GUI 476
13.5.3 Additional Slider Controls 477
13.5.4
Spectral Dynamics
Buttons 477
13.5.5
Spectral Dynamics Metering
477
13.5.6
SpectralDynamics.h
File
478
13.5.7
SpectralDynamics.cpp
File
479
13.6 Alternate Side-Chain
Configurations
486
Bibliography
487
References
487
Chapter
14: Miscellaneous
Plug-Ins
489
14.1
Design
a
Tremolo/Panning Plug-In
489
14.1.1
Project:
TremoloPanner
490
14.1.2 TremoloPanner: GUI 490
14.2
Design
a
Ring
Modulator
Plug-In
494
14.2.1
Project:
RingModulator
494
14.2.2
RingModulator:
GUI
494
14.2.3
RingModulator.h
File
495
14.2.4
RingModulator.cpp
File
495
xvi
Contents
14.3
Design
a Wave
Shaper
Plug-In
497
14.3.1
Project: WaveShaper 498
14.3.2
WaveShaper:
GUI 498
Bibliography
500
Appendix
A: The VST
and AU
Plug-In
APIs 507
A. 1
Compiling
as
a VST
Plug-In
in
Windows 501
A.2
Wrapping
Your
RackAFX
Plug-In
503
A.3
Comparison
of
Objects/Methods/GUIs
505
A.4 VST
Plug-In
without
Wrapping
506
A.4.1 Default GUI
507
A.4.2
Signal Processing 509
A.5 VST
Plug-In
with RackAFX
Wrapping
512
A.5.1 Default GUI
512
A.6 AU Overview
514
A.6.1 Default GUI
515
A.6.2
Signal Processing 516
Appendix
B: More RackAFX Controls and GUI
Designer.
579
B. l The
Alpha
Wheel and LCD Control
519
B.2
The Vector
Joystick
Control
521
B.3
Using
the
sendUpdateGUI()
Method
525
B.4
Using
GUI
Designer
525
Index
537