about~

this site was founded to file and preserve legacy/abandoned/freeware/other audio software resources for DSP (digital signal processing) on macintosh/pc/linux systems. the programs listed below offer tools for the composition, editing, synthesis and complex processing of digital audio, principally outside of the typical DAW realm.

in the instance of freeware/abandonware applications, original links are augmented by mirrors [mac only] for archiving & preservation purposes. you may have to access some URLs via archive.org, otherwise 404.

please note that several of these applications are written in 32bit/PowerPC architecture, and therefore may not function under modern operating systems. however, some Mac OS 9/X programs listed below may be successfully emulated in a virtual machine. you could always pick up an old powerbook, too.

contact~

report dead links, send new ones, help, etc.: dsparchive [at] icloud [dot] com

software~

440 Audio
freeware application trove

Ajax Sound Studio
home of Cecilia and SoundGrain

Amazing Maze
Infinite and Interactive Realtime Composition for Sampled Sound Particles
[mirror]

Amber-X
granular synthesis application
[mirror]

Amoeba
experimental patch by Sineqube
[mirror]

Argeïphontes Lyre
esoteric DSP tools by Akira Rabelais

AudioMulch
node-based environment

BallDroppings
audio-visual performance instrument
[mirror]

Bangor Audio Toolkit
multichannel processing tools for max

beaunz
harsh digital feedback machine
[mirror]

Bertuf
various max patches, more here

Brad Garton
various experimental wares

Burnt Toast
live looper

CellSynth 1.7.0
esoteric softsynth

ChucK
programming language for real-time sound synthesis

Composer's Desktop
archaic sound design software

Cracked
Bill Orcutt's live coding environment

Csound
classic programming language

DataDada
data bender/mosher by August Black
[mirror]

Density Granular
granular synthesizer
[mirror]

Destroy FX
creative, destructive plugins

drool string ukelele
looping/granular environment by twerk
[mirror]

EineKleine
gamelan music for in max standalone
[mirror]

Electro-Acoustic Music Primer
synthesis tutorials aimed at young students
[mirror]

ernst
input processor by Ruipenha
[mirror]

Flexibeatz
easy-peasy step sequencer

FScape
module-based non-realtime environment

fLOW
ambient generator by Karlheinz Essl

FoxDot
live coding language for supercollider

Giorgio Sancristoforo
noiseboxes, etc.

GrainWave
real-time PPC software synthesizer

GranuLab
real-time granular synthesizer

GRM Tools
electroacoustic plugin suite

Hipno
discontinued by Cycling '74

IanniX
graphical open-source sequencer

i am the mighty jungulator
live looper/granular application by Matthew Olden
[mirror]

Intersymmetric
browser-based sequenced by James Bradbury, Mark Fell and Rian Treanor

ivy
real time loop player by Sineqube
[mirror]

ixiAudio
home of ixiQuarks and other classic, esoteric SuperCollider wares

JPMC Kids Digital Movement & Sound Project
the kids are alright

Katsuhiro Chiba
algorithmic generators & more for max

KinkyBeep
mac system alert sound synth

Kluppe
linux looper designed for live performance by dieb13

Leafcutter John
home of Forester & other works

LeSynthe
EMS synthi for max by Pierre Couprie

LiSa
live sampling environment
[mirror]

MacPOD
granular application by Third Monk

Maestro Frankenstein
have you ever wondered what climate cycles of the last million years sound like?

Mammut
unruly FFT processor

Marcohack
early convolution/DSP application

Max For Live Library
huge repository of custom ableton devices

Meditation Music
new-age woo-woo ware

MetaMix
mathematical integer sequences into new musical forms

MetaSynth
powerful sound design studio

Midifork
software MIDI controller
[mirror]

MIDIgran
granular synthesis with MIDI by John Gibson

The Mill
custom granular for max
[mirror]

MiniTAPE
randomized looper by GleetchPlug
[mirror]

Mobius
programmable looper

Movalprocess
Recreation of Markus Popp's ovaprocess system
[mirror]

Music Mouse
algorithmic musical composition software developed by Laurie Spiegel

NetPD
online collaborative network for PureData

Nobuyasu Sakonda
a classic granular max patch & more
[mirror]

NOISEPLUG
modular sound design suite for real-time performance

nuPg
recreation of Curtis Roads' pulsar generator

on;domusic
trove of max patches by Uhito Kiyosue

Orca
esoteric coding environment

oToDiDoTo
auto mp3 DJ

OUTI 2.1
live loop player

Phonogene
? / Cycling '74

PixelToy
audiovisual effects

ppooll
modular DSP network for max by Klaus Filip et al.

Pure Data
Miller Puckette's other language

RadiaL
loop-based PPC performance software by Cycling '74

RTGS
Real-Time Granular Synthesizer

SampleBrain
sample mangler by Richard D. James

Sapling
audio remixer by Sineqube
[mirror]

Seelewaschen
generative sound environment by Karlheinz Essl

sineQube
experimental patches for mac

Sonicworx
Mac OS 9 plugins

Soundfield
visual audio mixer for windows

SoundMagic Spectral
spectral processing suite by Michael Norris

SPEAR
Sinusoidal Partial Editing Analysis and Resynthesis

Spongefork
softsynth, sampler, live improvisation tool
[mirror]

SuperCollider
platform for audio synthesis and algorithmic composition

Surge
open-source softsynth

The Swarm
drone synth inspired by The Swarmatron

Th0nk
offline granular synthesis for Mac OS 9

Tidal Cycles
pattern-based live coding environment by Alex McLean

TimeToy3Extreme
time-stretcher

Virtual ANS
software simulator of unique Russian synthesizer

WAVE 2.0
softsynth by Kazushige Mukaihara

WaveBeat
drum machine by Kazushige Mukaihara

Xynthi
Bhob Rainey's SuperCollider synth. Mego approved.
[mirror]

Zynaptiq MORPH
spectral morphing