DSSI

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What is DSSI?

DSSI (pronounced "dizzy") is an API for audio processing plugins, particularly useful for software synthesis plugins with user interfaces.

DSSI is an open and well-documented specification developed for use in Linux audio applications, although portable to other platforms. It may be thought of as LADSPA-for-instruments, or something comparable to VSTi.

DSSI consists of a C language API for use by plugins and hosts, based on the LADSPA API, and an OSC (Open Sound Control) API for use in user interface to host communications. The DSSI specification consists of an RFC which describes the background for the proposal and defines the OSC part of the specification, and a documented header file which defines the C API.

DSSI is Free Software. The DSSI header file is provided under the GNU Lesser General Public License.

Status

The DSSI API is currently at version 1.0. Further development of the API is unlikely, and if it does occur, it is expected that backward compatibility will be preserved. A host or plugin that implements the 1.0 API can expect to be compatible with other DSSI plugins or hosts well into the future.

The current DSSI distribution, version 1.0.0, contains the most recent release of the DSSI header file, documentation, reference host, and example plugins.

Currently available hosts (as of January 2009) which provide complete or nearly-complete DSSI support include:

• jack-dssi-host, which is a reference implementation included in the DSSI 1.0.0 distribution.
• The Rosegarden MIDI and audio sequencer.
• ghostess, a host with a simple GTK+ interface, based on jack-dssi-host.
• dssi~, a Pure Data external which hosts DSSI plugins.
• Aldrin, the tracker and modular synth inspired by Buzz. (Full support for DSSI OSC/UIs is in the current Mercurial version of Armstrong; libzubb 0.2.5 did not support OSC/UIs. See also here.)
• Qtractor, an audio/MIDI multi-track sequencer.

Hosts which provide partial or specialized DSSI support include:

• cli-dssi-host, a command-line tool for producing a single note from a DSSI plugin, and saving the resulting audio to a file. Does not include OSC or user interface support.
• simplehost, a minimal host for driving a single DSSI plugin via JACK MIDI. Does not include OSC or user interface support. The included DSSI C++ classes are intended to be reusable.
• GNU Classpath. The 0.19 release added DSSI support to its Synthesizer class. Does not include OSC or user interface support.
• Jost, which can host DSSI, LADSPA, and linux-native VST plugins in a directed graph. Provides its own UI for controlling DSSI plugin parameters, but does not (as of version 0.5.4) support DSSI UIs.

Efforts are underway to add DSSI hosting to:

• The MusE sequencer. There is some support for DSSI in the SVN development version. The current stable release, version 0.9, does not include DSSI support.
• Csound5. Csound 5.09 contains some support for DSSI and LADSPA plugins.
• The Wired music production and creation system has some support for DSSI in its 0.6 release.

Currently available plugins include:

• FluidSynth-DSSI, a FluidSynth soundfont-playing plugin.
• Xsynth-DSSI, an analog-style (VCAs-VCF-VCO) synth plugin.
• dssi-vst, a wrapper plugin enabling the use of many Windows VST plugins.
• hexter, a Yamaha DX7 modeling plugin.
• ll-scope, a GTK+ oscilliscope plugin.
• Sineshaper, a waveshaping synth plugin.
• dssi_convolve, a DSSI wrapper around libconvolve, providing a friendly convolution plugin for reverb effects (among other uses).
• xy-controller-dssi, a GUI controller plugin which translates mouse input into X-Y control outputs.
• WhySynth, a synth plugin featuring four oscillators per voice, multiple oscillator, filter, and envelope modes, effects, and more.
• Wsynth-DSSI, a wavetable synth written with the PPG Wave and Prophet VS in mind.
• nekobee, a synth plugin that emulates the sound of the TB-303 Bassline.
• nekostring and nekoplunk are under development.
• The Calf audio plugin pack contains a monophonic analog-style synth and a versatile organ/pad synth.
• HOLAP contains both DSSI and standalone versions of horgand, an FM-based organ synth, and the Holharm smart harmonizer DSSI plugin. (There's also an intriguing start to another FM synth that uses FLTK for the GUI.)
• amSynth has almost-complete code for a DSSI plugin (but no DSSI GUI) in current SVN.
• Two simple example plugins, and two simple-but-useful monotimbral sampler plugins, are included in the DSSI distribution.

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