Tag: Examples

https://youtu.be/S3PX32mUlaY There are now hundreds of commercial plugins built with HISE, from cinematic sound design tools to detailed recreations of acoustic instruments. In the video below, I take you on a short tour of some of the best examples to show just how varied and creative HISE projects can be.(embed the video here) All of these plugins have one thing in common: scripting. You can do plenty in HISE without writing any code, but at some point you’ll hit the limits of what’s possible. Scripting is what turns a simple instrument into one that feels alive and responsive. If you’d rather read than watch, this article expands on the video with extra details, developer links, and background stories that didn’t make it into the recording. Mntra Mandala by Mntra is a great example of how far you can take visual design and scripting in HISE. It’s a free player that loads different expansion packs, each with its own sounds and animated interface. Every instrument follows the same idea built around three macro controls: X, Y, and Z. These provide access to a deep range of parameters in a simple and consistent way. I built the first version of Mandala before Mntra brought development in-house, so I had a close look at how it all works behind the scenes. There’s a lot of scripting involved to manage the dynamic controls, animations, and expansion system. The current team has taken it even further, combining vector graphics and real-time interaction to create one of the most distinctive interfaces made with HISE. Lunacy Audio Cube by Lunacy Audio pushes HISE right to its limits. It combines HISE’s audio and MIDI systems with custom 3D graphics created in C++ and tied together through scripting. The result is a striking visual experience where sound design feels almost physical, with controls and movement that respond in real time. It’s a good reminder that HISE isn’t limited to simple or traditional interfaces. You can extend it with your own code, shaders, and visual layers, then use scripting to link everything together. Cube shows how powerful that combination can be when design and technology work hand in hand. ZAK Sound ZAK Sound take a very structured approach to their plugin development. Their instruments and effects are all built around a shared player called RAZE, which serves as a foundation for a whole range of expansion libraries. Each one uses the same layout and workflow, so once you’ve used one instrument, you instantly feel at home in the others. This kind of consistency doesn’t happen by accident. It’s made possible by building a reusable template in HISE and connecting it with scripting. When you create new products from a single code base, you save time, avoid repeating work, and give your users a clear, familiar experience across your whole range. Felt Instruments Felt Instruments take the opposite approach to many developers, focusing on minimalism rather than complexity. Their plugins feature simple, elegant layouts with very few controls, yet everything feels deliberate and well thought out. The clean design reflects the character of their sounds: intimate, detailed, and expressive. It’s a good example of how HISE doesn’t force you into any particular visual style. You can build something bold and animated, or something quiet and understated. What matters is how scripting and design come together to support the sound and the user experience you want to create. GoranGrooves GoranGrooves have built a whole family of drum instruments that share the same underlying project. Each plugin has its own samples and visuals, but beneath the surface they all use a single HISE template. That structure makes it easy to maintain and expand their range, since any improvement or bug fix can be applied to every instrument at once. This approach is common among experienced HISE developers. By keeping the core scripting modular and reusable, you can focus on creating new content rather than rebuilding the same systems over and over. It’s an efficient way to grow a consistent product line without sacrificing quality. Nightfox Audio Nightfox Audio are a good example of how to build variety and consistency at the same time. Their instruments share a clear visual identity, using a common template with features like the pattern builder and modulation tables, yet each release has its own look and focus. The result is a family of plugins that feel connected but never repetitive. Behind that consistency is a solid scripting framework. Once you’ve written the logic for features like pattern sequencing or modulation, you can reuse and refine it across future projects. Nightfox show how a thoughtful template can save time, maintain polish, and help your products develop a recognisable style. NoiseAsh ChatGPT said: NoiseAsh take a different route from most HISE developers. Their focus is on recreating the look and feel of classic studio hardware, blending skeuomorphic details with elements of modern flat design. The result is a set of plugins that look and behave like analogue gear but are powered entirely by digital systems built in HISE. What’s interesting about their work is how seamlessly HISE adapts to that aesthetic. The same framework that supports minimalist vector interfaces or animated layouts can also reproduce realistic knobs, meters, and textures. It shows how flexible HISE can be, both visually and technically, when scripting is used to bring the interface to life. Sampleson Sampleson’s plugins stand out for their originality. Each one has its own visual style and sound concept, yet together they form a clear and recognisable brand. Their interfaces are clean, often minimalist, and designed to reflect the unique character of each instrument. Some use flat vector layouts, others have soft gradients or subtle textures, but all share the same focus on clarity and usability. They also explore ideas that go beyond typical sampling. One of their plugins, for example, uses physical modelling to turn everyday objects into playable percussion instruments through a microphone input. It’s an inventive use of scripting and signal processing that shows how HISE can support unconventional ideas as easily as traditional sample playback. Wave Alchemy Wave Alchemy use HISE to create both instruments and effects, combining detailed sound design with refined interface work. I helped them develop a reusable template for their effects range, which they’ve since adapted and expanded across multiple products. Their flagship instruments, such as TriaS, share the same attention to layout and visual detail, blending images, icons, and vector graphics to achieve a distinctive hardware-inspired look. This kind of mixed approach demonstrates one of HISE’s strengths. You’re not restricted to a single method for building interfaces. You can combine scripted elements with image assets, use vectors where scalability matters, and design each part of the plugin to suit its purpose. Wave Alchemy show how far that flexibility can be taken in a professional workflow. Sinuslabs Sinuslabs have developed a distinctive style that mixes clean design with subtle animation. Their plugins Reach and KO look very different at first glance, yet they share the same visual language and underlying logic. Both use responsive graphics to reflect real-time changes in sound, such as animated EQ curves or dynamic level displays. What’s impressive is how these visual elements are handled through scripting rather than heavy image assets. It keeps performance smooth while giving the interfaces a sense of movement and depth. Sinuslabs also release for Linux alongside Windows and macOS, showing how well HISE can support cross-platform development for independent plugin makers. Auddict Audict’s PercX is an ambitious project that shows what’s possible when you push HISE to its limits. It’s a multi-track percussion engine where each lane can hold and manipulate loops, giving users control over layering, chopping, and rearranging rhythms in real time. The plugin was developed by Christoph Hart, the creator of HISE, working directly with Audict. Projects like this often drive the framework forward, as new features and refinements emerge from the challenges of real-world production. PercX was also one of the first commercial plugins to use HISE’s expansion system, making it easy to add new content while keeping everything within a single unified interface. Libre Wave Libre Wave is my own company, and all of my plugins are built with HISE. The Rhapsody Player is a free, open-source instrument that acts as the base for my sample libraries, including Dulceus and El Mariachi. Each expansion uses the same core code and interface, with custom features added where needed, such as the mic mixer and guitar fingerboard in El Mariachi. I design my interfaces with vector graphics instead of images, so they scale cleanly on any screen. My effects plugin Sordina combines vectors with multi-resolution images that adjust automatically to the display size. These projects highlight how flexible HISE can be when design and scripting work together. Wrapping Up These plugins show how much scripting can shape what’s possible in HISE. It’s the difference between a simple instrument and one that feels alive and responsive. In the next post and video, I’ll take you through the first steps of scripting in HISE, explaining how it works and how you can start using it in your own projects. If you’ve used any of the plugins I mentioned or know of others built with HISE, let me know in the comments below.