CloudWash Released: A Granular Texture Plugin Built with AudioPluginCoder

CloudWash is a newly released granular texture processor plugin for Windows, inspired by the legendary Mutable Instruments Clouds Eurorack module. Designed for ambient music, experimental production, and advanced sound design, CloudWash transforms incoming audio into evolving textures, pads, drones, and spectral effects directly inside your DAW.

What Is CloudWash?

CloudWash is a VST3 audio effect plugin built using AudioPluginCoder (APC), an open-source framework developed by Noizefield for creating audio plugins efficiently and transparently. APC enables rapid development of modern audio plugins while maintaining high DSP performance and clean architecture.

The plugin brings the core sonic concepts of the original Clouds hardware into a modern software environment, offering deep control, presets, and a DAW-friendly workflow.

CloudWash is currently available for Windows as both a VST3 plugin and a standalone application. macOS and Linux versions are planned.

Built with AudioPluginCoder (APC)

CloudWash was developed entirely using AudioPluginCoder (APC), an open-source audio plugin development framework created by Noizefield. APC is designed to simplify plugin creation while supporting advanced DSP, modern user interfaces, and cross-platform workflows.

APC combines JUCE-based audio processing with a flexible development structure, making it suitable for experimental audio tools, sound design plugins, and production-ready effects.

More information about AudioPluginCoder can be found on its official GitHub repository:

https://github.com/Noizefield/audio-plugin-coder/tree/main

Main Features

• Four processing modes: Granular, Pitch, Delay, and Spectral
• Up to 64 simultaneous grains in Granular mode
• Up to 8 seconds of internal audio buffering
• Thirteen real-time controllable parameters
• Freeze function for infinite sustain and looping textures
• Twenty factory presets for instant inspiration
• Modern WebView-based interface with real-time visualization
• High-quality stereo reverb based on the Dattorro plate topology

Four Creative Processing Modes

Granular Mode

Granular mode captures incoming audio into a circular buffer and replays it as clouds of small sound grains. Users can control grain size, density, pitch, position, stereo spread, and randomness to create anything from subtle ambience to complex glitch textures.

Pitch Mode

Pitch mode uses a WSOLA (Waveform Similarity Overlap-Add) algorithm to shift pitch smoothly while preserving the character of the source audio. This mode is suitable for harmonization, doubling, and creative pitch effects without excessive artifacts.

Delay Mode

Delay mode offers looping delays with integrated pitch shifting and smooth crossfades. It supports rhythmic echoes, cascading pitch effects, and high feedback values for self-oscillating textures.

Spectral Mode

Spectral mode is based on FFT processing and allows manipulation of audio in the frequency domain. Users can freeze the spectrum, apply spectral warping and quantization, and create robotic, ambient, or surreal soundscapes.

Designed for Creative Sound Design

CloudWash is designed to encourage experimentation and musical exploration. Automating parameters such as buffer position, texture, and density can create constantly evolving sounds. The Freeze function allows any moment to be captured and sustained, making it ideal for drones, transitions, and atmospheric layers.

Multiple quality modes allow users to balance CPU usage, buffer length, and sound character, including lo-fi modes with reduced sample rates for vintage-style coloration.

Technical Overview

• 32-bit floating-point audio processing
• Sample rates: 48 kHz and 32 kHz (vintage modes)
• Maximum buffer length: 8 seconds
• 4096-point FFT in Spectral mode
• Typical latency below 10 ms
• Built using JUCE 8 and AudioPluginCoder

Platform and Availability

• Format: VST3 (Windows x64)
• Standalone application included
• Requires Windows 10 or later
• VST3-compatible DAW required

Open-Source Roots

CloudWash is based on the open-source Mutable Instruments Clouds module, originally designed by Émilie Gillet. The original DSP code is released under the MIT License, enabling software adaptations while preserving the legacy of the original hardware.

Download and More Information

CloudWash is available now. Downloads, updates, and documentation can be found at:

https://noizefield.com

CloudWash combines classic granular synthesis concepts with modern software design, offering a powerful and flexible creative tool for producers, composers, and sound designers.