MBP #174 Andrew Simper

Andrew develops some of the world's most advanced analog modelling audio algorithms, releasing these as plugins through his own company Cytomic, and licensing technology to industry leading developers like Ableton (Live, Move, Push), and Xfer Records (Serum). Andrew Simper Links Mr Bill Links Summary In this conversation, Bill Day and Andy Simper delve into the intricacies of audio programming, DSP algorithms, and the evolution of music production tools. They discuss the challenges faced in hardware development, the early days of VST plugins, and the impact of the Glue compressor on Ableton's EQ8. The conversation also explores the technicalities of filters, the transition from bi-quad to state variable filters, and the nuances of summing engines in audio quality. Throughout, they emphasize the importance of efficiency in DSP and the future of audio processing. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 06:02 Early Days of Audio Programming 11:56 The Glue Compressor and Its Impact 18:01 The Transition to Better Algorithms 23:55 The Future of Audio Processing 30:33 Understanding Audio Summing and Its Implications 36:06 The Complexity of DSP Equations 41:18 Optimizing CPU Usage in Audio Plugins 52:12 Challenges in Audio Feature Extraction 59:17 The Complexity of Circuit Simulation 01:06:18 Modeling Analog Gear: The Importance of Realism 01:11:39 Criteria for Meaningful Emulation vs. Mimicry 01:20:40 Imagining Unlimited Computational Power in DSP 01:25:42 Unsolved Problems in Digital Signal Processing