csound ☆
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Description:
Sound and music computing system
Type: Formula  |  Latest Version: 6.18.1@13  |  Tracked Since: Dec 17, 2025
Links: Homepage  |  @csoundofficial  |  formulae.brew.sh
Category: Multimedia
Tags: audio synthesis music dsp sound
Install: brew install csound
About:
Csound is a comprehensive sound and music computing system that functions as both a standalone application and a library. It allows users to synthesize, process, and render audio using a text-based language for precise control. This formula provides a full-featured build with support for various audio drivers, plugins, and language bindings.
Key Features:
  • Powerful synthesis engine using a text-based orchestration language
  • Extensive support for audio drivers including JACK, PortAudio, and ALSA
  • Bindings for Python, Java, and C/C++ for integration into other applications
  • Includes a wide array of built-in opcodes for DSP, sampling, and effects
Use Cases:
  • Algorithmic composition and sound design
  • Building custom digital audio workstations (DAWs) or audio plugins
  • Real-time audio processing and live coding performances
Alternatives:
  • SuperCollider – Similar real-time synthesis environment, but uses an object-oriented language rather than Csound's score/orchestra text format.
  • Pure Data (Pd) – Visual programming environment for audio, offering a more immediate graphical interface compared to Csound's code-centric approach.
License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
Dependencies: faust, fltk, fluid-synth, gettext, hdf5, jack, lame, liblo, libpng, libsamplerate, libsndfile, libwebsockets, numpy, openjdk, openssl@3, portaudio, portmidi, python@3.14, stk, wiiuse, alsa-lib, libx11
Bottles available for: arm64_tahoe, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, sonoma, arm64_linux, x86_64_linux
Important Notes:
srconv is not installed because it conflicts with binutils. To run srconv:
  csound --utility=srconv

To use the Java bindings, you may need to add to your shell profile
e.g. ~/.profile or ~/.zshrc:
  export CLASSPATH="$HOMEBREW_PREFIX/opt/csound/libexec/csnd6.jar:."
and link the native shared library into your Java Extensions folder:
  sudo mkdir -p /usr/java/packages/lib
  sudo ln -s "$HOMEBREW_PREFIX/opt/csound/libexec/lib_jcsound6.jnilib" /usr/java/packages/lib
Version History
Detected Version Rev Change Commit
Dec 1, 2025 10:06pm 13 VERSION_BUMP 3db078a0
Dec 1, 2025 2:01pm 13 VERSION_BUMP 6bc08791
Nov 27, 2025 8:04pm 12 VERSION_BUMP 57813f44
Sep 27, 2024 10:13am 10 VERSION_BUMP f5f47c57
Sep 13, 2024 2:52am 9 VERSION_BUMP 77b6f9b0
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