# surge-synthesizer/surge

Synthesizer plug-in (previously released as Vember Audio Surge)

Repository: https://github.com/surge-synthesizer/surge
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/surge-synthesizer-surge
Homepage: https://surge-synthesizer.github.io/
Language: C
License: GPL-3.0
License Family: copyleft
Topics: synthesizer, vst3, audio-units
Last push: 2026-08-17T00:39:04+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 67/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 98, release rhythm 8, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 2904, "days_push": 17, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 3980, forks 479 (observed 2026-08-28T04:08:31.025156+00:00)

## What it is
Surge XT is a free, open-source hybrid subtractive synthesizer plugin originally developed commercially by Vember Audio and released under GPL-3.0. It ships as VST3, Audio Unit, and CLAP plugins plus standalone builds, featuring multiple synthesis techniques, a flexible modulation engine, effects, MPE, microtuning, and OSC support.

## Use cases
- produce music with a free software synthesizer in a DAW
- design sounds using subtractive and other hybrid synthesis techniques
- use a VST3 or CLAP synth plugin on Windows, macOS, or Linux
- explore microtuning with Scala and MTS-ESP
- control a synthesizer via Open Sound Control
- build and contribute to an open-source audio plugin project

## When to choose
- you need a full-featured, free synthesizer plugin across all major desktop platforms
- you want MPE support, microtuning, and extensive modulation in one instrument
- you want to study or contribute to a large open-source C++/JUCE-style audio plugin codebase

## When to avoid
- you need a lightweight sample player or ROMpler rather than a synthesizer
- you require a closed-source commercial product with vendor support
- you need a mobile or web-based synth

## Facets
- artifact type: application
- maturity: active
- function: audio-processing, plugin-system
- domain: media, cross-platform
- platform: windows, cross-platform
- tags: synthesizer, vst3, audio-units, clap, music-production, subtractive-synthesis, mpe, microtuning, osc, audio, macos, linux

## Member repositories
- surge-synthesizer/surge (main) score 67

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:08:31.025156+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-29T18:24:17.678127+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/surge-synthesizer/surge (fetched 2026-08-28T04:08:31.025156+00:00, sha 41ce63529031)
  - homepage: https://surge-synthesizer.github.io/ (fetched 2026-08-29T09:17:33.390837+00:00, sha b9981219c2e6)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.