Sfront compiles MPEG 4 Structured Audio (MP4-SA) bitstreams into efficient C programs that generate audio when executed. MP4-SA is a standard for normative algorithmic sound, that combines an audio signal processing language (SAOL) with score languages (SASL, and the legacy MIDI File Format). Under Linux, sfront supports real-time, low-latency audio input/output and MIDI input from soundcards. The website includes an online book about MP4-SA.

To find out how to compile Sfront under UNIX and Windows, click here.

Features: enhanced control driver API, which supports the use of sfront in end-user applications like streaming decoders, patch editors, sequencers and symbolic debuggers.

A multi-part programmers manual describes the new API, and an example control driver (fstr, which streams MP4-SA files from a local file) shows how to use the API for a complex task.

New in v0.91

• Bug fix: sfront now defaults
  to writing 16-bit WAV and AIFF
  files, and the command-line flags
  for specifying 16-bit WAV and AIFF
  files now work correctly (thanks
  to Francois Pinot).

• Bug fixes in the documentation
  and implementation of the custom
  control driver API (thanks to
  Francois Pinot).