MusicRadar

Quality freeware for Mac is now plentiful

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Andrew Sorensen impromptu
Format: Standalone, AU
Impromptu is a programming tool for creating real-time audio and visual compositions. Non-programmers can grasp it, however, with rewarding results. The performer (you) starts with a blank screen and a writes code on the fly that generates and manipulates the performance. MIDI I/O is supported, too, as are AU plug-ins. Check out the videos on the gallery page for inspiration.

soundhack soundhack
Format: Standalone
soundhack is a complete and at times exotic sound designer's toolkit. Its status is legendary in the Mac audio community, where it has provided advanced audio processing facilities for many years. Processing options range from the simple (normalise) to the truly exotic QTCoder, and the functions include Binaural sound positioning, Convolution, Spectral Dynamics and Mutation, which breeds a new sound from two others.

soundhack +matrix
Format: VST, AU, RTAS
Mid/side processing is a mastering secret weapon to fix, improve or add character to a stereo mix. An M/S encoder places the mono (the mid) elements of a stereo signal on the left channel and the stereo (the side) elements on the right channel, so they can be edited independently before being recombined at the end. It's witchcraft – but it works.

RNDigital, Inc. Inspector
Format: VST, AU, RTAS
Inspector is the Swiss Army knife of metering plug-ins. It has all the basics and whole lot more. The plug-in provides a level meter, as expected, but it comes with a frequency analyser and a stereo balance indicator as well. It all comes wrapped up in a clean, attractive user interface.

LilyPond LilyPond
Format: Standalone
LilyPond is a score entry and manuscript printing application that places a premium on the beauty of the printed score. Score entry is swiftly achieved using simple text commands entered with a text editor. The process is similar to creating a webpage using HTML.

SubtleSoft MidiPipe
Format: Standalone
MidiPipe is a programmable MIDI patchbay. It provides all you need to construct multiple MIDI circuits, called 'pipes'. These pipes can merge inputs, filter unneeded or troublesome messages, split MIDI streams by note range or MIDI channel, and transform one type of message to another. Dig deeper and you can even trigger Applescript programs and more.