Creating a new Zynthian Synth Engine
1 Creating a Zynthian engine
1.1 Prerequirements
Before starting to build your own engine you have to satify some facts:
- You need to know how to program in Python3.
- Some ideas about Git, GitHub (including an account) and how to clone, branch, pull, creating push requests are very useful.
- You should have some experience with using Zynthian to understand the workflow.
- You should have some ideas about working with Linux/Unix.
Before you start, check if your desired software for the engine would work with Zynthian:
- You need a binary/LV2-plugin compiled for the Raspberry (ARM Cortex-A architecture - NOT i386 or AMD64 (Intel/AMD CPUs)!!!)
- If you can get the source-code: nice! You have to write an installation script for compiling and installing, so you also need knowledge about shell-programing and compiler-tools (gcc, make, ...)
- Take a look at the license!!! It makes no sense if you write lots of code and don't find a way to license the software for working with Zynthian. Perhaps you also have to think about a way to get a license-key for your software into the system.
- Your software does not need a GUI. The controlling of your software should completely done via command-line/config-files/MIDI/OSC. If there is only a GUI control it may be impossible to write an engine.
- VST instruments are currently not supported! The only plugin format you can use is currently LV2 (inside MOD-UI engine).
- If you don't use a LV2 plugin, your software has to use JACK as audio-server.
- Think about that a Raspberry Pi is not a high tuned PC! It's really markable what a Raspberry Pi 3 is able to do with Zynthians engines - but the CPU is limited - so you should try to start your software without Zynthian for a first try. Check if you get audio-drops or not. Perhaps some tweaking of the compiler options can help - but this is not the topic of this article.
Ok, if you have read until this line and you are not already shocked from the prerequirements, it's time to share your idea with the Zynthian-Forum. You are not alone - and don't forget: Don't panic!. Perhaps some more hints and spoilers from others can help for your project.
1.1.1 LV2 plugins
If you plan to integrate a software which is a LV2 plugin, you only need to copy the data into '/zynthian/zynthian-plugins/lv2' and if you like you can create a nice MODGUI.