GPU Audio let us know that they’ve released their long-awaited software development kit (SDK), and it’s available now as a free download.
The SDK is designed to let developers unlock Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) acceleration for audio projects. Benefits include ultra-low latencies, multiple layers of processing, cross-platform support, and direct access to high performance DSP.
“As the demand for higher-fidelity, multi-channel processing, and experiences grows, the use of GPUs for audio is a logical progression,” they note. “This SDK represents the first steps towards democratizing access to that previously untapped power.”
The GPU Audio SDK has cross-platform support for Windows and MacOS; with integration for NVIDIA and AMD GPUs as well as Apple Silicon M1 chips and above. There’s no need to write device-specific code for each platform, with each one running as low as 96 samples buffer or 96khz sample rate on all target platforms (which results in 1ms buffer).
A primary goal of this platform is to provide guarantees on backward compatibility. This enables developers, partners, and vendors to detach the update cycles of their products from the update cycles of the GPU Audio platform.
GPU Audio has supplied examples to get started with, including:
Gain Processor – simple example to get familiar with GPU Audio specific APIs and create first GPU-powered processor
IIR and FIR processor – examples of IIR filtering and FIR/convolution. These are integrated into terminal/console tests that can be used to process files and measure performance
NAM Plugin – Neural Amp Modeler with GPU acceleration of the real-time inferencing. We have provided everything to build a VST3 on Windows, with VST3 and AUv2 on MacOS.
Developer and electro producer Erik Griffioen, aka Lloyd Stellar, let us know about his latest project, a free, production-ready, browser-based TR-808 Drum Machine.
Lloyd’s Online TR-808 Drum Machine is completely browser based, and lets anyone create, edit and play 808 beats. Once you’ve created a beat that you like, you can export it as a wav file to use in your DAW or hardware sampler.
Features:
A 16-step sequencer for classic drum patterns (expandable to 32 and 64 steps)
Multiple drum variations with authentic 808 sounds
Adjustable tempo with swing
Saturation and volume controls
Easy saving, loading, and sharing of patterns
High-quality 24-bit WAV recording and MIDI export
Works best on desktop computers and laptops, but also on mobile devices with larger screens
We take sample editing for granted these days; in one form or another, it’s integrated into pretty much every DAW on the market.
Back in the early ’90s, working with samples was a time-consuming task, and bringing loops of different tempos together in a single project was even tougher. Released in 1994, Propellerhead’s ReCycle was one of the first pieces of software to tackle this problem, making it possible to time-stretch samples without changing their pitch and paving the way for developers like Ableton to incorporate advanced sample manipulation tools into modern DAWs.
More than thirty years later, the company – now rebranded as Reason Studios – is re-releasing (recycling) ReCycle as a free download and launching a beat challenge competition hosted by Def Jam’s VP of A&R Don Cannon. ‘ReCycling the Beat’ invites competitors to flip a given sample in a new production – ideally using ReCycle – and submit the results before April 16 to be in with a chance of winning a year-long subscription to Reason+.
ReCycle works by automatically detecting the transients in a sample before chopping the loop into individual slices, the number of which is set using the Sensitivity slider. This allow the sample to be played back at different tempos without altering the pitch or introducing time-stretching artifacts.
An envelope, EQ and transient shaper can be applied to each slice, while gain and pitch can be adjusted for the overall sample. ReCycle operates using its own file format, REX2, which has since become a standard for storing audio loops with slicing data and is supported by a number of software samplers and DAWs.
ReCycle remains a piece of music tech history, and it’s a decent, if somewhat limited, piece of software with an excellent transient detection algorithm that holds up against some of its contemporary counterparts three decades on.
“We’re thrilled to make ReCycle accessible to everyone. It’s a piece of music software history, and we believe it still has a lot to offer today’s creative minds,” notes Reason Studios CEO Niklas Agevik.
Find out more and download ReCycle over at Reason Studios website.
