element

Element is the community edition of a modular audio plugin host from Kushview. It is designed for musicians, producers and audio developers who want to combine plugins and hardware into flexible signal chains rather than being limited to a single host's routing model. Core idea The application presents a graph-based workspace. Audio and MIDI nodes are connected to one another, so signals can be routed from any source to any destination. This makes it possible to build effect racks, instrument chains and reusable graphs that can be saved and recalled. Plugin format support Element loads most major plugin formats, with availability depending on the operating system: - Linux: LADSPA, LV2, VST3, CLAP - macOS 10.13 and up: AU, VST, VST3, LV2, CLAP - Windows 10 and up: VST, VST3, LV2, CLAP Ubuntu is the most tested Linux distribution, though other major distributions are expected to work. Notable features - Runs standalone or as a plugin inside a DAW - Free routing of audio and MIDI between nodes - Live performance with virtual instruments and effects - Reusable instrument and effect graphs - External sync using MIDI Clock - Sub-graphing, allowing graphs to be nested inside one another - Custom keyboard shortcuts - Placeholder nodes - Built-in virtual keyboard - Multiple undo and redo - Scripting for custom DSP and DSP user interfaces - Embedded plugin UIs directly inside graphs Scripting and extension The project includes Lua scripting support for custom DSP and DSP UI work, and the repository has a workflow for generating Lua documentation. This makes Element interesting not only as a host but also as a platform for experimenting with custom audio processing. Building and contributing Build instructions and dependency details are documented in docs/building.md. Contributors are asked to review the C++ style guide and contributor notes before opening pull requests. There is also a Discord channel for discussion. Issue tracking Bugs and feature requests are handled on GitLab rather than GitHub, in the Element issue tracker. Who it may suit Element is relevant to users who need a cross-format plugin host with flexible routing, to live performers who want to combine software and MIDI hardware, and to developers interested in graph-based audio processing or Lua-based DSP extensions.