Plugins

Plugins are small add-ons which can process a track's data.

MIDI plugins operate on midi and drum tracks, and are found in the Midi menu.

Audio plugins can be applied to any track handling audio (that is, inputs, outputs, wave tracks, synth tracks). The effects rack section describes this. (See effects rack 2.6.1).

The audio effects rack

All audio track types (Input, Output, Group, Wave, Synth, and Aux) have an effects rack into which audio plugins can be inserted in a chain. Currently each rack can accomodate up to four plugins.

MusE currently supports LADSPA plugins and DSSI synth and effects plugins.

Plugins can be added by double-clicking on an entry in the effect rack in the track info pane (which is shown at the left side of the arranger when the according track is selected). Right-clicking the rack items offers a self-explanatory popup menu.

All plugin controls can be automated. (See audio automation 2.7.1).

One must carefully consider how many audio inputs and outputs a plugin has, and how may channels the particular audio track has (1 mono or 2 stereo), and how MusE uses the plugins in the rack.

Learn more about this in the appendix Understanding the Effects Rack: 3

Audio plugin Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs)

Once a plugin is added, you need a way to manipulate its controls, which affect its behaviour and operate on the sound.

MusE can show a generic GUI which contains all of the plugin's controls arranged in a rather plain generic fashion.

Some plugins may also have a native GUI which looks much better (it was specifically designed for the plugin).

Both GUI types are opened from the effects rack right-click popup menu.