Jeskola Buzz
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Jeskola Buzz is a proprietary modular software studio environment 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 unique plugin architecture that allows the signal flows to be created and manipulated in many ways. All aspects of signal synthesis and manipulation are handled solely by the plugin system. Signal synthesis is performed by "Generators" such as synthesizers, noise generator functions,
samplers, trackers, and the signal is manipulated further by "Effects" such as distortion, filters, delays, and mastering plugins. Buzz provides support through adapters to use VST/VSTi, DirectX/DXi, and DirectX Media Objects support.
A few new classes of plugins do not fall under the normal "Generators" and "Effects" 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, that 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".
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Development
The development of the core program, buzz.exe, has been halted since October 5, 2000, when the developer lost the source code. But after then many new and unique ideas have evolved through the plugin interface.
Originally known as the first "3rd Generation Tracker" in 1997-1998. Since then, through the help of programmers and addons like CyanPhase (http://www.cyanwerks.com) Overloader (http://www.buzzformat.com/overloader/), Buzz has moved well beyond this stereotype and is uniquely powerful, often drawing comparisons to some features found in similar applications like MAX/Msp, Reaktor, or Bidule.
Clones
Many applications have been derived or inspired from concepts, interface and/or formats from Buzz, these have been termed "Buzz clones" or "mid level modular" depending how close the application resembles Buzz. The umbrella of applications may also be related by the "Buzz clone" term because the developers making these applications have close ties to the Buzz scene.
There is debate in various buzz forums by how far any application can be considered a Buzz clone, since some applications attempt full compatibility with the plugin system and document model (machine view, sequencer, patterns and wavetable) whereas others borrow the mid level modular concepts without even using the Buzz plugin system. Some Buzz clones are being developed to further experiment with abstracting the user interface into the plugin system, other projects are aiming to bring Buzz-like functionality on other platforms such as Linux.
There is a comprehensive listing of many buzz clones, with subjective ratings to give hints of their diversity at http://buzzwiki.wipe-records.org/index.php/Buzzclones.
Buzztard is an effort to recreate a Buzz-like environment under a free software license.
Plugin system
Buzz's plugin system is interesting as it is mostly a freeware-only plugin format, with the exception of Jeskola XS-1. All of the plugins known in the buzz scene is found at BuzzMachines.com, providing a fast way for the entire scene access to every new plugin. The header files used to compile buzz machines contains a small notice that it is only to be used for making freeware plugins and bmx 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.
This has created a certain controversy in the Buzz scene around 2001, when Buzz support was introduced in FL Studio, because the commercial aspect of the application did not go down well for several plugin developers at the time. However Image-Line Software gave time for the developers to opt-out of the deal, among other perks.
Notable applications that have a buzzlib license are FL Studio (http://www.flstudio.com) and Buzzle (http://www.buzzle.de). A notable application that does not have a buzzlib license is Buzz RMX (http://www.cockslap.de/index.php/Buzz_RMX) (formerly known as Cockslap).
External links
- BuzzMachines.com (http://www.buzzmachines.com), downloads, community, information, and support, the central buzz website for the last couple of years, when Oskari's own web sites didn't host the Buzz distributions anymore. Several distributions of Buzz, which include the core and selected plugins, exist. Noteworthy are the packs maintained by XionD at buzzmachines.com (http://www.buzzmachines.com).
- BuzzMusic (http://buzzmusic.wipe-records.org)
- BuzzWiki (http://buzzwiki.wipe-records.org)
- BuzzChurch (http://www.buzzchurch.com/).
Original developer: Oskari Tammelin of Jeskola (http://www.jeskola.net/)