PluginPort — Turn Open-Source Synths into Plugins

One-click packaging of open-source hardware synth code into AU/VST3 plugins

Problem

When open-source hardware projects like Chase Bliss's CHOMPI Club release their source, indie devs who want to port them to VST/AU/AAX face huge grunt work: sample packaging, cross-platform builds, and a WASM version. Someone already hand-ported CHOMPI Club source into a plugin and a browser build, proving demand but also how heavy the process is.

Solution

A scaffolding service for hardware/open-source audio projects: ingest source and samples, auto-generate AU/VST3/AAX/WASM project skeletons, handle sample compression and license attribution, and output multi-platform installers. Authors only need to fill in the DSP adaptation layer.

Users

Open-source hardware synth authors, indie audio developers, and musicians wanting derivative works

MVP

Support 1-2 open-source project templates; CLI generates VST3/AU projects; auto-pack and compress sample assets; built-in license and attribution generator; export a browser WASM demo page

Revenue

Open core plus subscription for commercial templates and CI builds ($15-40/mo); per-request marketplace submission service

Why now

Hardware open-sourcing is surging with MIT-licensed code, yet firmware-to-plugin porting remains manual. LLMs slash the cost of writing DSP interface glue and project scaffolding, making this a sharp niche for an indie toolchain.