Subject: huge todo-list (was: Re: [ecasound] MISC: Of dump-commands)
From: Kai Vehmanen (k@eca.cx)
Date: Fri Oct 27 2000 - 02:12:19 EEST
Answering to my own mail...
On Fri, 27 Oct 2000, Kai Vehmanen wrote:
> to get more people involved in ecasound development (either ecasound
> itself, or apps using ecasound/libecasound). There are so many things I'd
> like to try, but I just don't have the time. I've tried to make the C++
Little food for thought, ie. projects that I'd like to get started (feel
free to forward this to linux developers that might be interested):
1. A more versatile console-mode interface
This is the ncurses-based interface we've already talked about. Much
potential here.
2. Metronome
This is another familiar todo item. Would definitely be an useful
addition.
3. Preset editor
Once I manage to implement support for preset parameters, we have quite a
nice system in our hands. I know many apps provide ways to combine
effects, but there are some fundamental differences when compared to
ecasound. First of all, many of these apps tend to be quite complex.
Another problem is storing the setups and difficulties in reusing them.
Like in many areas, ecasound takes a very simple approach. The current
preset system is based on a very simple syntax (basicly the same format as
with iactive-mode), and allows complex setups to be stored as a few lines
of ascii. And once you've written a preset, you can use it in all
ecasound-based apps. And now that we have LADSPA support, you have a good
selection of "ingredients". Mix ecasound and LADSPA effects, add a few
controllers, use parallel chains, etc, etc ... By using libecasound (and
possibly libqtecasound), you'd have quite a good start in writing a
graphical preset editor. This would allow interactive modification-preview
functionality (+ load/save/etc).
4. Realtime fx-box
The fx-dialog used in ecawave is from libqtecasound (comes with
qtecasound). Using this component, writing some additional GUI code,
you'd have realtime fx-box (samples from /dev/dsp -> processes ->
/dev/dsp). Combined with the previous item (preset editor), this might be
fun to play with. The code is mostly there, it only has to be put
together.
5. Dedicated mixdown app
An interactive environment for doing mixdowns. Something like MixMagic,
but implemented using the existing ecasound functionality. This is
something I could really use myself. I usually spent very little time
fiddling with the computer when I'm recording. I just record lots of raw
material and don't spend much time doing sub-mixes. After this phase is
ready, I leave my recording gear alone and start putting the recorded
material together with ecasound. I guess this bare-bones approach to
recording was the key thing that motivated me to design ecasound's
console-mode interface as it is now.
I usually separate apps made for multitrack recording (Heteca, Ardour) and
mixdown apps (MixMagic, various digital-dj tools). But most of the time
these are combined. So it might be that Heteca will at some point move to
this direction. But I guess Janne is the right person to comment on this.;)
6. Ecaduplex and other tools
There's definite need for simple testing tools: full-duplex recording
test, streaming test for finding out how many tracks the hw can handle,
etc ... at the moment, soundcard and driver problems are very common,
and in most cases, difficult to track down and analyze.
7. Ecasound daemon
It's been a while since this was last discussed. Jeremy Hall had
some interesting ideas on how ecasound could be used as a daemon for
serving a constant audio stream.
8. Effects
There's still lots of effects (even a few simple ones), I'd definitely
like to have in ecasound. For instance, a simple distortion effect (not
just digital clipping) would be fun. A more practical EQ, ring modulator,
time-stretch, "intelligent" normalizer, etc, etc.
Huh, quite a list. :)
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