Blue Cat's Plug'n Script

Name: Blue Cat's Plug'n Script
Price: 93.13 USD
Author: Blue Cat Audio

by Blue Cat Audio · Utility · Scripting plugin for custom effects

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Blue Cat's Plug'n Script by Blue Cat Audio

Plug'n Script lets you write your own audio and MIDI effects or virtual instruments inside the DAW, in AngelScript or compiled C/C++.

It includes dozens of example scripts and several instruments; it costs $99.

Best for: Sound Design. Genres: all genres.

Keywords: utility, AAX, beginner-friendly, open source, preset-driven, sidechain input, sound design.

What it does

Plug'n Script is a development tool in plugin form: a blank plugin you program yourself to "craft your own effects and instruments" without leaving the DAW. Beginners can modify the included scripts, while experienced programmers use it to prototype and even ship plugins.

AngelScript with JIT: a scripting language with syntax close to C++, Java or JavaScript, compiled to machine code rather than interpreted.
it also loads pre-compiled scripts written in C, C++ or any language that exports C functions.
Included content: 57 scripts with source code and 267 presets, covering synthesis, MIDI effects, compressor, gate, tremolo, echo, filters, a looper, file playback and utilities.
Custom interfaces: a GUI is generated from the script's parameters, or built in Blue Cat's KUIML layout language.
I/O: up to 48 input parameters and 32 outputs (more via a configuration file), side-chain input, auxiliary outputs and up to 8 audio channels.
Plugin export: export a script as its own VST, VST3, AU or AAX plugin, with optional encryption of the DSP code.
Coding workflow: edit in an external IDE and reload without quitting the DAW; scripts can be shared through a repository.

The developer's page lists version 3.34; KVR lists 3.61. The demo is limited to 5 instances, bypasses the effect for half a second every minute, and exported demo plugins stop after 10 minutes.

Source: Blue Cat Audio product page

When to use it

Plug'n Script is the better pick when you want to try a DSP idea inside your DAW in minutes rather than set up a full plugin project. Unlike finished utilities such as Insight 2 or Metric AB, it does nothing until you script it or load one of its scripts. Compared with JUCE it is much faster to start with and exports to several formats without extra build machines, but it lacks JUCE's ready-made FFT, filter and oversampling modules and has a smaller community. Compared with Max, it is text code rather than visual patching.

Best for: prototyping DSP, learning audio programming, and building custom audio or MIDI tools you can export as plugins.
Genres: any.
Look elsewhere if: you don't want to write code (use a finished effect), or you need a large framework for commercial plugins (JUCE).

What producers say

Developers on the JUCE forum value it as a fast prototyping tool, with reservations about its smaller toolset and community.

JUCE forum thread (2022) one developer praised a "lightning fast workflow" for testing DSP ideas and said you can build something without touching GUI code.
Criticisms: fewer built-in DSP building blocks than JUCE, exported plugins that tend to look alike unless you learn KUIML, and "the community is not big".

JUCE forum thread

Where to buy

Tutorials and reviews

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