Basic Audio Programming

Get an introduction to music software engineering with Basic Audio Programming – a focused, 4-hour mini course developed by Dr Chris Nash from pointblank Music School, in association with The Audio Programmer, exclusively for Plugin Boutique.

Whether you're a music producer curious about coding or a developer exploring digital signal processing, this course offers a practical, hands-on introduction to building audio plug-ins in C++ – no previous experience required!

Learn digital basic audio and programming concepts in the creation of your first plugin, a simple gain effect, before learning about conditional statements to create a clipping distortion effect, code objects to build a subtractive synthesiser, and finally arrays and loops to craft a JP8000-inspired SuperSaw synth, capable of classic trance sounds.

Throughout the course, you’ll be supported by the bespoke virtual learning environment (VLE) developed specifically to learn audio programming, featuring interactive online exercises exploring coding and basic maths concepts, over 60 animations explaining audio and computing concepts visually, and video demonstrations for every practical task – plus integration with Klang Studio, a C++ IDE that enables you to code plugins inside the DAW.

The first module of the course is available to try for free - click here to add it to your account.

Sample Module / Video Preview

What You’ll Learn

A taster version of pointblank’s BSc (Hons) Music Production and Software Engineering degree, you’ll build four real-time audio plug-ins while learning core concepts in digital signal processing (DSP) and programming, structured into 12 bite-size lessons over 4 modules:

• DSP Basics – Discover how audio is represented as data and build your first plug-in
• Distortion – Learn about clipping and signal shaping to create a distortion effect
• Synthesis – Explore synthesis, envelopes, and filters to create a subtractive synth
• SuperSaw – Mix and phase signals to build a SuperSaw trance synth

In these modules, you’ll learn about the following audio and coding concepts:

Enter the world of audio programming and leave with plug-ins you've built from scratch – or take the next step in your education towards a career in professional audio software development, with pointblank's BSc (Hons) Music Production & Software Engineering (MuSE) degree (also available as a 1-year CertHE or 2-year DipHE).

Features

• 12 lessons over 4 modules, developing four audio plugins (Gain, Distortion, Subtractive Synthesis, and SuperSaw)
• Live C++ plug-in development using Klang Studio (for Mac/PC)
• Bespoke digital learning platform designed for audio programming
• Video demonstrations for every practical step, plus audio commentary
• Over 60 animations explaining audio and coding concepts
• Interactive online coding exercises to explore DSP in the browser

System Requirements

• MacOS (10.15 Catalina or higher) or Windows (10 or higher) computer.
• Audio interface (soundcard) and speakers/headphones.
• Modern browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari).