A terminal-based audio plugin host.
Tang turns your terminal into an instrument. Load your favorite audio plugins, plug in a MIDI keyboard (or use your computer keyboard like a tracker), and play — no DAW, no mouse, no plugin GUI in the way.
- Hosts LV2, CLAP, and VST3 plugins — both instruments and effects
- Play with a MIDI keyboard or your computer keyboard
- Per-instrument effect chains, modulation, and pattern loops
- Cross-platform: Linux, macOS, Windows
| Format | Linux | macOS | Windows |
|---|---|---|---|
| LV2 | ✅ | ✅ | — |
| CLAP | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| VST3 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
CLAP and VST3 work everywhere. LV2 needs the lilv system library: apt install liblilv-dev on Linux, brew install lilv on macOS. Not supported on Windows.
# Build it
cargo build --release
# TUI mode — full editor: load plugins, build chains, tweak, save
./target/release/tang examples/basic.toml
# Play mode — read-only: no editor, just play via MIDI or computer keyboard
./target/release/tang play examples/basic.tomlexamples/basic.toml loads the built-in sine instrument. Try examples/split.toml for a multi-instrument session, or run tang with no arguments to start with the default session at ~/.config/tang/default.toml.
Early but usable. The TUI's Session and Help tabs are functional — load plugins, build effect chains, tweak parameters, record patterns, save sessions. The Piano and Oscilloscope tabs are still placeholders. See CLAUDE.md for the full design.
MIT — see LICENSE.