vibez: Open-Source Rust DAW for Electronic Music

vibez is a free and open-source digital audio workstation designed specifically for electronic music production. It is written entirely in Rust, which brings performance and safety benefits. The DAW is built around three core modes: Perform, Arrange, and Mix. This workflow allows musicians to jam out ideas in Perform, refine them in Arrange, and focus on the final mix in Mix.

Perform mode uses Sections, which are reusable multitrack loops. You can launch them from a pad grid, with precise timing options. Instrument mode turns the pads into a playable instrument. Track Mutes mode provides anti-click muting. Swing is modelled after the MPC2000XL. Section Record includes count-in, overdub, and replace.

Arrange is the linear timeline. It captures live performances from Perform and converts them into editable clips and automation lanes. You can edit audio and MIDI with multi-track editing, warping, and a piano roll. The Mix console offers a real channel strip with EQ, buses, sends, and a master channel.

vibez includes built-in instruments like a subtractive synth, sampler, and drum rack. It also has effects such as filter, delay, reverb, compressor, and more. Plugin hosting supports VST3 and CLAP formats, with sandboxed scanning.

The current version is v0.1.10, which is still early alpha. Linux is the primary platform, but macOS and Windows builds pass CI. Projects save to a self-contained .vzp container, but breaking changes are possible. The DAW is free under GPL-3.0.

Overall, vibez is a promising tool for electronic music producers who value open-source software. Its Perform-Arrange-Mix workflow is unique. The Rust foundation ensures real-time safety. However, it is not yet production-ready. MIDI support is limited, and stability is not guaranteed. Still, for adventurous producers, it offers a fresh approach.