Jeskola Buzz
Encyclopedia
Jeskola Buzz is a freeware
modular software music studio
environment designed to run on Microsoft Windows via Microsoft .NET. It is centered around a modular plugin-based machine view and a multiple pattern sequencer tracker (as opposed to a single pattern sequencer tracker).
Buzz consists of a plugin architecture that allows the audio to be routed from one plugin to another in many ways, similar to how cables carry an audio signal between physical pieces of hardware. All aspects of signal synthesis and manipulation are handled entirely by the plugin system. Signal synthesis is performed by "Generators" such as synthesizer
s, noise generator functions, samplers
, and trackers. The signal can then be manipulated further by "Effects" such as distortions, filters, delays, and mastering plugins. Buzz also provides support through adapters to use VST/VSTi
, DirectX/DXi
, and DirectX Media Objects as Generators and Effects.
A few new classes of plugins do not fall under the normal Generator and Effect types. These include Peer Machines (signal and event automated controllers), Recorders, Wavetable editors, Scripting engines, etc. Buzz signal output also uses a plugin system; the most practical drivers include ASIO
, DirectSound
, and MME. Buzz supports MIDI both internally and through several enhancements. Some midi features are limited or hacked together such as MIDI clock sync.
The program has created a large community of musicians, and hundreds of machines made by several plugin developers. Some of these developers have gone on to create DirectX
and VST
plugins. Other developers, who have released commercial DirectX
and VST
plugins, have released Buzz versions of their plugins. Some developers have been inspired by the application to create "Buzz clones".
Jeskola, hence the name.
Oskari has recently restarted development on Buzz with builds being released regularly from June till recent.
The development of the core program, buzz.exe, was halted on October 5, 2000, when the developer lost the source code to the program. It was announced in June 2008 that development would begin again, and the several subsequent releases have regained much of the functionality of the last 2000 software release, and have included some modernised features and graphics.
During the period when the source was considered lost and development on the core of buzz was stalled, many new and unique ideas were developed using the existing plugin interface and binary "hacks".
Buzz was originally known as the first "3rd Generation Tracker" in 1997-98. Since then, through the help of programmers and addons like CyanPhase Overloader and BTDSys Peer machines which modify and transmit control data to other machines, Buzz has evolved beyond the traditional tracker model and become a unique and powerful piece of audio software, often drawing comparisons to features found in similar applications like Max/MSP
, Pure Data
, Reaktor
, Bidule
and Usine
.
The header files used to compile new plugins (known as the Buzzlib) contain a small notice that they are only to be used for making freeware plugins and Buzz file music players. In the case of entire software suites, Buzz clones, or sequencers that want to use the Buzz plugin system, the author asks for a fee. In 2001, Image-Line Software
paid to add Buzz support to their commercial program, FL Studio
. This created a controversy within the community because Image Line redistributed many Buzz machines without obtaining the authors permission, while the commercial aspect of the application did not sit well with several freeware plugin developers. A truce was reached when Image-Line Software gave time for the developers to opt-out of the deal.
, IDM
, click-house, and other modern electronic genres. Famous users of the tracker include:
Freeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
modular software music studio
Modular software music studio
A modular software music studio consists of a plugin architecture that allows the audio to be routed from one plugin to another in many ways, similar to how cables carry an audio signal between physical pieces of hardware....
environment designed to run on Microsoft Windows via Microsoft .NET. It is centered around a modular plugin-based machine view and a multiple pattern sequencer tracker (as opposed to a single pattern sequencer tracker).
Buzz consists of a plugin architecture that allows the audio to be routed from one plugin to another in many ways, similar to how cables carry an audio signal between physical pieces of hardware. All aspects of signal synthesis and manipulation are handled entirely by the plugin system. Signal synthesis is performed by "Generators" such as synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s, noise generator functions, samplers
Sampler (musical instrument)
A sampler is an electronic musical instrument similar in some respects to a synthesizer but, instead of generating sounds, it uses recordings of sounds that are loaded or recorded into it by the user and then played back by means of a keyboard, sequencer or other triggering device to perform or...
, and trackers. The signal can then be manipulated further by "Effects" such as distortions, filters, delays, and mastering plugins. Buzz also provides support through adapters to use VST/VSTi
Virtual Studio Technology
Steinberg's Virtual Studio Technology is an interface for integrating software audio synthesizer and effect plugins with audio editors and hard-disk recording systems. VST and similar technologies use digital signal processing to simulate traditional recording studio hardware with software...
, DirectX/DXi
DirectX
Microsoft DirectX is a collection of application programming interfaces for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft platforms. Originally, the names of these APIs all began with Direct, such as Direct3D, DirectDraw, DirectMusic, DirectPlay,...
, and DirectX Media Objects as Generators and Effects.
A few new classes of plugins do not fall under the normal Generator and Effect types. These include Peer Machines (signal and event automated controllers), Recorders, Wavetable editors, Scripting engines, etc. Buzz signal output also uses a plugin system; the most practical drivers include ASIO
Audio stream input output
Audio Stream Input/Output is a computer sound card driver protocol for digital audio specified by Steinberg, providing a low-latency and high fidelity interface between a software application and a computer's sound card...
, DirectSound
DirectSound
DirectSound is a software component of the Microsoft DirectX library for the Windows operating system. DirectSound provides a low-latency interface to the sound card driver and can handle the mixing and recording of multiple audio streams....
, and MME. Buzz supports MIDI both internally and through several enhancements. Some midi features are limited or hacked together such as MIDI clock sync.
The program has created a large community of musicians, and hundreds of machines made by several plugin developers. Some of these developers have gone on to create DirectX
DirectX
Microsoft DirectX is a collection of application programming interfaces for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft platforms. Originally, the names of these APIs all began with Direct, such as Direct3D, DirectDraw, DirectMusic, DirectPlay,...
and VST
Virtual Studio Technology
Steinberg's Virtual Studio Technology is an interface for integrating software audio synthesizer and effect plugins with audio editors and hard-disk recording systems. VST and similar technologies use digital signal processing to simulate traditional recording studio hardware with software...
plugins. Other developers, who have released commercial DirectX
DirectX
Microsoft DirectX is a collection of application programming interfaces for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft platforms. Originally, the names of these APIs all began with Direct, such as Direct3D, DirectDraw, DirectMusic, DirectPlay,...
and VST
Virtual Studio Technology
Steinberg's Virtual Studio Technology is an interface for integrating software audio synthesizer and effect plugins with audio editors and hard-disk recording systems. VST and similar technologies use digital signal processing to simulate traditional recording studio hardware with software...
plugins, have released Buzz versions of their plugins. Some developers have been inspired by the application to create "Buzz clones".
Development
Buzz was created by Oskari Tammelin of the PC demogroupDemogroup
Demogroups are teams of demosceners, who make computer based audio-visual works of art known as demos. Demogroups form a subculture collectively known as the demoscene....
Jeskola, hence the name.
Oskari has recently restarted development on Buzz with builds being released regularly from June till recent.
The development of the core program, buzz.exe, was halted on October 5, 2000, when the developer lost the source code to the program. It was announced in June 2008 that development would begin again, and the several subsequent releases have regained much of the functionality of the last 2000 software release, and have included some modernised features and graphics.
During the period when the source was considered lost and development on the core of buzz was stalled, many new and unique ideas were developed using the existing plugin interface and binary "hacks".
Buzz was originally known as the first "3rd Generation Tracker" in 1997-98. Since then, through the help of programmers and addons like CyanPhase Overloader and BTDSys Peer machines which modify and transmit control data to other machines, Buzz has evolved beyond the traditional tracker model and become a unique and powerful piece of audio software, often drawing comparisons to features found in similar applications like Max/MSP
Max (software)
Max is a visual programming language for music and multimedia developed and maintained by San Francisco-based software company Cycling '74. During its 20-year history, it has been widely used by composers, performers, software designers, researchers, and artists for creating innovative recordings,...
, Pure Data
Pure Data
Pure Data is a visual programming language developed by Miller Puckette in the 1990s for creating interactive computer music and multimedia works. While Puckette is the main author of the program, Pd is an open source project with a large developer base working on new extensions to it. It is...
, Reaktor
Reaktor
Reaktor is a graphical modular software music studio of proprietary license developed by Native Instruments. It lets musicians and sound specialists design and build their own instruments, samplers, effects and sound design tools. It is supplied with many ready-to-use instruments and effects, from...
, Bidule
Bidule
Bidule is a commercial software application for the creation of interactive computer music and multimedia produced by the Canadian company Plogue Arts and Technology. It runs on both Windows and Mac computers....
and Usine
Usine
Sensomusic Usine is a Multitouch digital audio workstation used to manipulate, record and edit audio and MIDI in live situations.Usine is developed in Delphi by the French double bass player Olivier Sens, running on Microsoft Windows....
.
Plugin system
Buzz's plugin system is intended to be a (non-commercial, free-as-in-beer) freeware-only plugin format. This desire has been respected by the community, except for a certain time for Jeskola XS-1. Almost all plugins released to the Buzz scene can be found at BuzzMachines.com, a centralized webpage that provides a way for the entire community to access new plugins.The header files used to compile new plugins (known as the Buzzlib) contain a small notice that they are only to be used for making freeware plugins and Buzz file music players. In the case of entire software suites, Buzz clones, or sequencers that want to use the Buzz plugin system, the author asks for a fee. In 2001, Image-Line Software
Image-Line Software
Image-Line is a Belgian software company best known for its digital audio workstation program FL Studio and related audio plugins such as Sytrus. Founded in 1994, in 2007 Image-Line introduced Deckadance, a virtual DJ console application...
paid to add Buzz support to their commercial program, FL Studio
FL Studio
FL Studio is a digital audio workstation developed by the Belgian company Image-Line. FL Studio features a graphical user interface based on a pattern-based music sequencer...
. This created a controversy within the community because Image Line redistributed many Buzz machines without obtaining the authors permission, while the commercial aspect of the application did not sit well with several freeware plugin developers. A truce was reached when Image-Line Software gave time for the developers to opt-out of the deal.
Buzz clones
Jeskola Buzz was followed by a number of similar digital musical editors. Some of them are listed below.- Buzzle
- Nakalyne
- PsyclePsyclePsycle is a modular music production application to make music on Windows. Based on the tracker interface but featuring up-to-date features like VST compatibility and 96 kHz / 32bit wav rendering....
- SunvoxSunVoxSunVox is a compact cross-platform audio tracker with modular synthesizers.Features:* minimalistic scalable interface for working on any video resolution;...
Famous users
Jeskola Buzz has proven popular within a range of genres, notably, glitchGlitch (music)
Glitch is a term used to describe a genre of electronic music that emerged in the mid to late 1990s. The glitch aesthetic is characterized by a deliberate use of glitch based sonic artifacts that would normally be viewed as unwanted disturbances reducing the overall sound quality and are thus...
, IDM
IDM
IDM may refer to:Science and technology* Identity management, the management of the identity life cycle of an entity* IDM Computer Solutions* Integrated Data Management...
, click-house, and other modern electronic genres. Famous users of the tracker include:
- Andrew SegaAndrew SegaAndrew Gregory Sega , also known by the moniker Necros, is an American musician best known for tracking modules in the 1990s demoscene as well as for composing music for several well-known video games...
- HunzHunzHunz is an electronic pop music group from Brisbane, Australia. The name Hunz can refer to either the group or its composer, keyboardist and vocalist, Hans van Vliet....
- Andreas TillianderAndreas TillianderBerndt Andreas Tilliander is a Swedish producer who significantly contributed to the evolution of the 'clicks & cuts' genre with his first albums 'Cliphop' and 'Ljud' . He has recorded several albums under just as many names and worked with some of Europe's influential electronic music labels...
- James HoldenJames Holden (producer)James Holden is a British electronic music artist and DJ. Holden started his career in 1999, at age 19, when he released the trance single, "Horizons". After this he released numerous singles and remixes on different labels such as Lost Language, Perfecto Recordings, and Positiva Recordings...
, whose early work was produced entirely within Buzz. - LacklusterLacklusterLackluster is the main stage name of Esa Juhani Ruoho , who has also recorded as Esa Ruoho, Can'o'Lard, Kökö and the Köks and XLLV. Lackluster is formerly known as the chiptune musician, Distance, part of the demoscene groups Orange, Monotonik, Calodox, The Digital Artists, The Planet of Leather...
- NikmisNikmisNikmis is the musical project of William Simkin, electronic composer and synth performer. The software jeskola buzz and an MFB Kraftzwerg as well as homemade analog synth modules based around a PAIA 9700 are used to make Nikmis.-Discography:...
- Oliver LiebOliver LiebOliver Lieb is a German electronic music producer and DJ. Lieb is known to have more than a dozen aliases with over 200 productions and remixes in various electronic genres such as, trance, house, and techno. He has also produced tracks for other artists...
- The FieldThe Field (musician)Axel Willner, better known by the stage name The Field, is a techno artist based in Stockholm, Sweden.-Background:In 2005, Willner submitted a demo tape the German indie label Kompakt and was subsequently signed. He released his first 12", a demo mixtape of Annie's "Heartbeat" in 2005 as well as a...
- EthernetEthernetEthernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks commercially introduced in 1980. Standardized in IEEE 802.3, Ethernet has largely replaced competing wired LAN technologies....
See also
- BuzztardBuzztardBuzztard is a free software project to create a clone of the Buzz music composer. The driving motivation is to preserve the playability of the compositions made with Buzz. Songs are made by adding virtual sound generators and effects, connecting them, recording short musical phrases and arranging...
is an effort to recreate a Buzz-like environment under a free softwareFree softwareFree software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
license which runs under LinuxLinuxLinux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
. - Visual programming languageVisual programming languageIn computing, a visual programming language is any programming language that lets users create programs by manipulating program elements graphically rather than by specifying them textually. A VPL allows programming with visual expressions, spatial arrangements of text and graphic symbols, used...
- SynthEditSynthEditSynthEdit is a shareware Windows application which uses a modular VPL to create music synthesizers and effects units. These can then be compiled as VST plug-ins for use in audio applications....
External links
- BuzzMachines.com - The central buzz website for the last couple of years, since Oskari's own web site ceased to host Buzz distributions anymore. Several distributions of Buzz which include the core and selected plugins are distributed through this website.
- Jeskola Buzz Latest beta versions of Buzz