Nyquist (programming language)

Nyquist is a programming language designed for sound synthesis and audio analysis. It's a powerful and flexible language particularly well-suited for creating music and audio effects. Nyquist provides a functional programming environment specifically tailored for working with audio signals.

The language is based on Lisp, inheriting Lisp's prefix notation and list processing capabilities. This makes it very expressive and allows for complex audio manipulations to be described concisely. Nyquist extends Lisp with specific data types and functions optimized for audio processing, such as samples, sounds, and control signals.

Key features of Nyquist include its support for signal processing operations like filtering, mixing, and modulation. It also provides mechanisms for creating and manipulating envelopes, oscillators, and other common audio synthesis elements. The language's ability to represent audio as a data structure enables users to apply various algorithms and transformations to create new and interesting sounds.

Nyquist is often used in conjunction with audio editors such as Audacity, where it can be used to write plugins and custom effects. Its flexibility makes it a valuable tool for both experimental sound design and more traditional music production tasks. While its Lisp-based syntax can present a learning curve for some, its power and expressiveness make it a favorite among audio programmers.