kushview / element

Element Audio Plugin Host

Element

ADVANCED AUDIO PLUGIN HOST

This is the community version of Element, a modular AU/LV2/VST/VST3 audio plugin host. Create powerful effects, racks and instruments by connecting nodes to one another. Integrates with your existing hardware via standard protocols such as MIDI. See kushview.net for more information and pre-built binaries.

See also: Element User Manual

Compatibility

Element currently loads most major plugin formats.

OS	Version	Formats
Linux*	-	LADSPA/LV2/VST3
Mac OSX	10.8 and up	AU/VST/VST3/LV2
Windows	XP and up	VST/VST3/LV2

*Ubuntu is the most tested, but should run on any major distribution

Features

• Runs standalone or as a plugin in your DAW**
• Route Audio and MIDI from anywhere to anywhere
• Play virtual instruments and effects live
• Create re-usable instruments and effect graphs
• External Sync with MIDI Clock
• Sub Graphing – Nest Graphs within each other
• Custom Keyboard Shortcuts
• Placeholder Nodes
• Built In Virtual Keyboard
• Multiple Undo/Redo
• Scripting - Custom DSP and DSP UI's
• Embed plugin UIs directly in Graphs
• And more...

Building

See building.md for instructions and dependency details.

Contributing

If you'd like to contribute code please review the code style and contributor notes before submitting pull requests. You may also want to join the #element channel on the Kushview Discord server.

Issue Reporting

Please report bugs and feature requests on Gitlab. Element issue tracker.

element's Issues

Problems With Korg Gadget

A few reports on this one.

• UI displays black
• Doesn't Receive MIDI

'''
While trying to figure out if Element would be a good workaround for an audio issue that only happens when Reason is hosting Korg's Gadget, I ended up bumping into an even worse problem: Element isn't able to send MIDI into Gadget. Audio out of Gadget works, when clicking on Gadget's GUI keyboard.

Tried with v0.31.0 Standalone and VTS2 64bit versions.
This is exactly the same issue I found happening in Cherry Audio's Voltage Modular (already reported to them) and just today (while trying to cross check with other hosts) also on IL Minihost Modular and VSTHost64 but haven't seen it on any of the other VST hosts I tried like Reason 10 or Live 10.
'''

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Hot-Swapped Graphs Don't Show Up In Recents

E.g. when you drag from the Data Path panel and drop to the graph editor, the dropped graph file should be added to the recent files list.

Element FX - Cubase 9.5.3 Render In Place Not Working

If anybody can verify this please drop a comment.

Reported on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SkmlHtkukc&lc=UgwVs20bDbfIz2dK4HR4AaABAg

works really nice overall, but when i tried to use render in place in cubase 9.5.3 on an audio track with element fx on windows it didn't render the whole sequence. for some perculiar reason it did render everything at the actual export so it's not too bad but maybe i'd look into it, because render in place is just much more convenient usually.

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Run as a MIDI Effect

Some hosts need the plugin to expose itself as a "MIDI Effect" to use it as such. e.g. Logic PRO. Probably will need another plugin variety to pull this off.

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LV2 Plugin Hosting Support

Host and run LV2 plugins and instruments.

Run As LV2 Plugin

Element should also run as an LV2 plugin. Will either use instance-access or external UI (or both?) for the GUI. Communication with atom ports could also work but will take an eternity to code properly.

The implementation for LV2 should use lvtk and be included in Element/libs as a submodule.

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Source Distribution Tarball

Just realizing that zip downloads from github won't populate submodules. Need to use/customize waf dist to create the code releases.

Avoid Displaying Duplicate Plugins in PluginManager

from HelpScout:

Thank you! One other question, or I guess feature request if possible. Certain plugins, like those by AAS, install themselves in several common locations. Most DAW software only shows one copy in that case, most likely the last one it found. However Element just shows duplicate plugins. And in that case, there seems to be no way to actually tell them apart because there's no path information shown in the Plugin Manager.

Any chance for a better way to handle this in the future? Allowing a user to add a Path column to the Plugin Manager would be one way to help the situation, or filtering out duplicate plugins would possibly be even better.

However the other feature request for being able to hide plugins would be a decent workaround as well.

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Docking Windows Basics

For this issue to complete there can be no layout bugs. e.g. panels always dock in the correct placement and items and areas don't disappear... and of course any other oddity which may pop-up.

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Plugin Collection Organizer With Folders

Users would like a way to organize plugins with folders.

• Mark plugins as favorite
• More sorting / filtering options
• Replace KnownPluginList with SQL backend

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Build currently fails on Arch Linux

Describe the bug

Build currently fails on Arch Linux;

~/src/element master* ± ./waf configure
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/milk/src/element/.waf3-2.0.4-91d6a4e5781350f87eb0a75b95b84884/waflib/Node.py", line 342, in ant_iter
    raise StopIteration
StopIteration

The above exception was the direct cause of the following exception:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/milk/src/element/.waf3-2.0.4-91d6a4e5781350f87eb0a75b95b84884/waflib/Scripting.py", line 118, in waf_entry_point
    run_commands()
  File "/home/milk/src/element/.waf3-2.0.4-91d6a4e5781350f87eb0a75b95b84884/waflib/Scripting.py", line 174, in run_commands
    parse_options()
  File "/home/milk/src/element/.waf3-2.0.4-91d6a4e5781350f87eb0a75b95b84884/waflib/Scripting.py", line 157, in parse_options
    ctx.execute()
  File "/home/milk/src/element/.waf3-2.0.4-91d6a4e5781350f87eb0a75b95b84884/waflib/Options.py", line 198, in execute
    super(OptionsContext,self).execute()
  File "/home/milk/src/element/.waf3-2.0.4-91d6a4e5781350f87eb0a75b95b84884/waflib/Context.py", line 84, in execute
    self.recurse([os.path.dirname(g_module.root_path)])
  File "/home/milk/src/element/.waf3-2.0.4-91d6a4e5781350f87eb0a75b95b84884/waflib/Context.py", line 125, in recurse
    user_function(self)
  File "/home/milk/src/element/wscript", line 14, in options
    opt.load ("compiler_c compiler_cxx cross juce")
  File "/home/milk/src/element/.waf3-2.0.4-91d6a4e5781350f87eb0a75b95b84884/waflib/Context.py", line 82, in load
    fun(self)
  File "/home/milk/src/element/.waf3-2.0.4-91d6a4e5781350f87eb0a75b95b84884/waflib/Tools/compiler_c.py", line 40, in options
    opt.load_special_tools('c_*.py',ban=['c_dumbpreproc.py'])
  File "/home/milk/src/element/.waf3-2.0.4-91d6a4e5781350f87eb0a75b95b84884/waflib/Context.py", line 326, in load_special_tools
    lst=self.root.find_node(waf_dir).find_node('waflib/extras').ant_glob(var)
  File "/home/milk/src/element/.waf3-2.0.4-91d6a4e5781350f87eb0a75b95b84884/waflib/Node.py", line 358, in ant_glob
    return list(it)
RuntimeError: generator raised StopIteration

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Download Arch VM
2. Upgrade
3. Try to build Element
4. See error

More Undoable Actions

Need to get as many actions undoable as possible.

• Add to this list as necessary.

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Plugin Scan Dialog on First Run

This should only happen in the standalone: Show a dialog (see logic pro or LIVE for example) that scans plugins (with cancel) on first run of the application.

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Auto Rewind - Audio File Player

Somehow Auto Rewind with a Button or when File Finishes

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Clean Up Waf Scripts + Generated Code + Docs

Fresh clones of Element should be able to compile with waf and not worry about generating JUCE code with Projucer. All dependencies should be checked in configure...

• Check for all required dependencies
• Add generated jucer code to git so fresh clones can compile
• Write up generic build instructions for waf

Tap Tempo Feature With User Input or MIDI

Your typical tap tempo, but can also be calibrated with MIDI messages like note and CC events

• Tap Tempo Button
• Tap Tempo with MIDI

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Windows: Crash Reported When Changing Sample Rate

When changing the sampling rate from 48kHz back to 41kHz. It is not possible. The program Element crashes v0.40.0

• Windows 10 Pro
• Behringer FCA1394

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Python3 + Waf Build Broken

Workaround: specify python 2 e.g. python2 waf configure and so on...

Describe the bug
can't parse wscript

To Reproduce
run waf anything with python3

Expected behavior
that the wscripts can be read

Screenshots
If applicable, add screenshots to help explain your problem.

Desktop (please complete the following information):

• OS: Arch Linux

Support Oversampling of Plugins

I believe this to be running the engine at a higher sample rate than the sound card permits. This could be implemented at a session, graph, or node level, or all three.

See
https://audiosex.pro/threads/what-exactly-is-oversampling-and-do-i-need-to-use-it.20157/

Single Plugin Window Mode

Add optional plugin window behavior where there can be a single window that cycles UI's for plugins when opened (instead of having multiple windows for each plugin)

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Plugin List Visibility Options

Essentially this is Show/Hide scanned plugins. Depends on DB backend.

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Non-Blocking Session Loading

Sessions with slow loading plugins block the UI when loading. Should get background loading of sessions smoothed out before 1.0

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Customized Macros | Graph Parameters

One thing would be really handy and help during designing FX chains, a customized macro section. Meaning whatever parameter I want to control I assign it to a macro control so it's available instantly. Or might this be available already?

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Input/Output Gains Should be Mappable

Like normal plugin parameters, a Node's Input/Output gain controls should be MIDI mappable.

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Create All Factory Workspaces

These will be presets that are always available. such "Classic", "Mixing", and so on....

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Default Panel DockPlacement

Workspace panels need a way to specify their default placement. e.g. is floating when first opened, etc etc...

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Application Bindings

This is an extension to MIDI mapping. This gives users the ability to control application properties perform actions with hardware devices. For example, an application binding could be showing/hiding preferences, or switching graphs, changing workspaces, triggering events, etc etc.

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OSX AU/VST Plugins Not Scanning in 0.40.0

This could have to do with required Xcode version and it disallowing building of 32bit binaries. Previous versions of element are Universal binaries. If this is the case, then two variations need packaged 1 for catalina and up and another for less than catalina and restore the universal binary configuration.

Reported on KVR: https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7556301#p7556301

Basic JACK Audio Driver

Add JACK audio as driver option in Audio Preferences. Note: The stock JACK in JUCE may work, but for maximum flexibility, we may want to start fresh. Initial implementation can just expose ports for the main outputs.

Ultimately we'll want to be able to specify custom jack ports as toplevel graph IO and also as a JACK node with custom ports. See #24

Panels Are Not Stabilizing When Model Layer Changes

E.g. graph data not being reset. Selected node not working in all panels. etc etc.

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Linux App Image Distribution

Offer packaged Linux version as an AppImage: https://appimage.org/

Bad Integer Iteration

Noticed this in travis-ci

../src/engine/nodes/MidiProgramMapNode.cpp:50:28: warning: iteration 127 invokes undefined behavior [-Waggressive-loop-optimizations]
             programMap [i] = -1;
             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^~~~
../src/engine/nodes/MidiProgramMapNode.cpp:49:27: note: within this loop
         for (int i = 0; i <= 127; ++i)
                         ~~^~~~~~
../src/engine/nodes/MidiProgramMapNode.cpp: In member function ‘void Element::MidiProgramMapNode::clear()’:
../src/engine/nodes/MidiProgramMapNode.cpp:40:24: warning: iteration 127 invokes undefined behavior [-Waggressive-loop-optimizations]
         programMap [i] = -1;
         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^~~~
../src/engine/nodes/MidiProgramMapNode.cpp:39:23: note: within this loop
     for (int i = 0; i <= 127; ++i)
                     ~~^~~~~~
At global scope:
cc1plus: warning: unrecognized command line option ‘-Wno-dynamic-class-memaccess’
cc1plus: warning: unrecognized command line option ‘-Wno-deprecated-register’

Define All Default Keypresses

Need to review all application commands and set the default key mapping for each one.

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Redesign The Controller Mapping Screen

This is a complete overhaul of the MIDI mapping panel in the UI. Not sure what this will look like yet, but the current interface isn't exactly the most user friendly.

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Some Panels Shouldn't Appear In The Menus

Need to decide which panels don't appear in menu and add make it code-configurable.

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Handle Additional Latency Compensation Where Needed

• Allow Manual PDC on nodes
• Ability to Ignore reported latency?

Otherwise known as Plugin Delay Compensation (PDC). Most likely will take place on Nodes themselves, but may need global offsets too.

Latency adjustments are automatic in the graphing engine, but this would be for fine grained control.

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Clear Recent Files History

The recents menu item (File -> Recents) should have an option to clear it.

Graph Mixer Options To Show/Hide Strips

Need a way to show/hide channel strips on large graphs.

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Keyboard Shortcuts for All Virtual Keyboard Triggers

Not all functions on the VC have keyboard shortcuts, and they probably should.

• Program Change
• Channel
• Hold / Sustain
• Key Width

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Advanced JACK Audio Driver

Continuation of JACK support (#2) by adding the ability to specify custom JACK ports as top-level Graph IO and also as a special JACK node with custom ports. Details aren't exact yet, and there's tons of options for jack integration.

• Ability to change number of main input/output ports
• JackNode - Node which exposes jack ports for input or output

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MIDI Router Patcher Node

This is the same as the Audio Router, except with MIDI (and LV2 atom when we have it). Need to monitor note-on-off pairs to avoid "stuck" notes.

MIDI Devices Disconnected Visual Feedback

MIDI Device nodes should somehow indicate when the Device is disconnected. Note: this applies to the MIDI device specific nodes, not the global MIDI IO.

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MIDI Keyboard F5 Key Never Gets Note Off

Describe the bug
Keys are getting stuck in the virtual keyboard.

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior: unknown

Expected behavior
Notes shouldn't get stuck

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MIDI Mapping: Min/Max Setting

This will allow parameter changes to be a proportion of the incoming CC values

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32bit Bridge Capability Native/jBridge Integration

Run 32bit plugins in 64bit Element. jBridge has an API for integration, but the end goal is to support this natively and code it out ourselves.

https://jstuff.wordpress.com/jbridge/

Questions
How to accomplish? Interprocess? ---
If interprocess, is that possible while running as plugin? ---

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Ability to Hide Ports When Plugins Have Tons of Audio Channels

Note: To start with, could just be a parameter to specify max displayed pins. Possibly specify start channel too.

Mute MIDI Notes Function

Mute incoming MIDI notes only. e.g. you toggle a button and it stops MIDI notes from being processed on a node. Need to be careful to watch for NoteOff in the event the mute gets toggled in between a complete note-on-note-off transaction.

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Some Panels Should Be Singleton

e.g. can only have one open at a time. Virtual keyboard is a good example.

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Plugin Categorization

Scanned plugins should be categorizable. Ability to query based on category. Requires DB backend.

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Waf Build With Mingw32

Minimally allow cross compiling from Mac or Linux. Could be useful to check compilation and unit tests (with wine) when a real windows computer isn't available.

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