INTERSECT

INTERSECT is a sample slicer instrument plugin (VST3/AU/Standalone) with per-slice locking, slice note ranges, multiple time/pitch algorithms, and MIDI-triggered slice playback.

Theme shown: Open Color (oc.intersectstyle)

Table of Contents

• Quick Start
• Installation
• Workflow Basics
• Interface Layout
• Controls and Shortcuts Reference
• MIDI Controller Routing (NRPN)
• Theme Customization
• Build from Source
• Dependencies
• License
• Support / Known Limitations

Quick Start

Watch the Quick Start Guide on YouTube

Installation

Download the latest release zip from Releases, then place plugin files in your system plugin folders.

Release package contents

| Platform | Minimum OS | Included binaries | | --- | --- | --- | | Windows x64 | Windows 10 | INTERSECT.vst3, INTERSECT.exe | | Linux x64 | Ubuntu 22.04 or equivalent (glibc 2.35+) | INTERSECT.vst3, INTERSECT (standalone) | | macOS arm64 | macOS 10.13 (High Sierra) | INTERSECT.vst3, INTERSECT.component, INTERSECT.app | | macOS x64 | macOS 10.13 (High Sierra) | INTERSECT.vst3, INTERSECT.component, INTERSECT.app |

Plugin install paths

| Format | Windows | macOS | Linux | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | VST3 | C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\ | ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/ | ~/.vst3/ | | AU | n/a | ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/ | n/a |

After copying files, rescan plugins in your DAW.

macOS unsigned build note

If macOS reports that INTERSECT is damaged or blocked, clear quarantine flags:

xattr -cr ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/INTERSECT.vst3
xattr -cr ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/INTERSECT.component
xattr -cr /Applications/INTERSECT.app

Workflow Basics

1. One sample at a time: INTERSECT loads one audio file per instance (.wav, .ogg, .aiff, .flac, .mp3).
2. Current editor layout: header bar, slice lane, waveform, time/zoom bar, action bar, and bottom signal-chain editor.
3. Slice creation: draw slices manually, chop live with LAZY, or split a selected slice via AUTO.
4. Inheritance model: GLOBAL in the Signal Chain edits sample defaults. SLICE edits the selected slice and locks fields that diverge from the global value.
5. Playback model: MIDI triggers slices by note mapping. A slice can respond to one note or a LOW-to-HIGH range, with ROOT defining the transposition center for that slice. Mute groups can choke voices in the same group.
6. Algorithms:
   • Repitch: pitch and speed are linked. MODE switches the playback interpolation between Linear and Cubic.
   • Signalsmith: independent time/pitch via Signalsmith Stretch (TONAL, FMNT, FMNT C).
   • Bungee: granular stretch mode with GRAIN choices (Fast, Normal, Smooth).
7. Repitch + Stretch interaction: when ALGO=Repitch and STRETCH=ON, PITCH and TUNE become BPM-driven read-only displays.
8. SET BPM: available in the Time/Pitch module for both GLOBAL and SLICE; it calculates BPM from musical duration.
9. Filter model: the filter is per-voice and resolves its settings at note-on. Cutoff changes affect newly triggered notes immediately, but do not retarget voices that are already playing.
10. Filter envelope amount: AMT is measured in semitones, so +12 st means the envelope can push cutoff up by one octave and -12 st means one octave down. This stays consistent across low and high base cutoff values.
11. Key tracking: KEY is a percentage of note tracking. 0% ignores note pitch, 100% makes cutoff follow pitch at full keyboard scaling, and intermediate values blend between them. In slice range mode, tracking follows the slice ROOT note.
12. Drive: DRIVE is pre-filter saturation. It adds harmonics before the filter rather than simply turning the signal up.
13. Drive asymmetry: ASYM biases the drive waveshaper to produce even-harmonic saturation, adding a warmer, tube-like character. A DC blocker engages automatically when asymmetry is above zero.
14. Loop crossfade: FADE smooths loop and ping-pong seams with equal-power crossfading. It is active only when LOOP is not OFF.
15. Load behavior: file decoding/loading is asynchronous (off the audio thread).
16. Undo/redo: snapshot-based history for slice and parameter edits.
17. MIDI host stop handling: responds to All Notes Off (CC 123) and All Sound Off (CC 120).

Interface Layout

Header Bar

| Area | Function | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | | Sample name / status | Shows loaded file name and length, or missing-file relink prompt | Click to load a sample; missing-file text opens relink | | UNDO / REDO | History navigation | Same as Ctrl/Cmd + Z and Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + Z | | PANIC | Kills active voices immediately | Also stops lazy chop | | LOAD | Open file browser | Replaces current sample | | SET | Popup for theme, UI scale, and NRPN settings | Also shows current plugin version |

Slice Lane and Waveform

| Area | Function | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | | Slice lane | Compact slice-region overview above the waveform | Reflects selection and zoom | | Waveform | Main editing surface | Drag-and-drop loading, slice selection, boundary editing, move/duplicate, preview | | Overlay hints | Contextual help and action prompts | Used by ADD, AUTO, and other actions | | Playback cursors | Voice-position display | Shows active playheads | | Transient preview markers | Auto Chop preview | Dashed markers shown before applying transient split |

Time / Zoom Bar

| Area | Function | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | | Time ruler | Shows time markings for the current view | Updates with zoom level | | Drag horizontally | Scroll | Uses the current zoom level | | Drag vertically | Zoom | Anchored to the drag start position |

Action Bar

| Button | Function | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | | ADD | Toggle draw-slice mode | Drag on the waveform to create a slice | | LAZY / STOP | Start/stop real-time lazy chopping | Label changes while active | | AUTO | Open/close Auto Chop panel | Requires a selected slice | | COPY | Duplicate selected slice | Equivalent to duplicate command | | DEL | Delete selected slice | No effect with no selection | | ZX | Snap edits to nearest zero crossing | Toggle | | FM | Follow MIDI note selection | Auto-selects the played slice | | RESEQ | Resequence slice MIDI notes | Opens overlay with BY POSITION and AS CREATED modes; requires 2+ slices |

Signal Chain Bar

The bottom bar is the main parameter editor. It has four modules: TIME/PITCH, FILTER, AMP, and PLAYBACK.

Collapsed mode (default): GLOBAL and SLICE tabs switch between scopes, with one parameter strip visible at a time.

Expanded mode: shows both strips simultaneously — slice on top, global below — with no tabs. Click the chevron toggle on the right edge of the context bar to switch between modes.

Context bar (bottom edge):

• SLICES count and the global ROOT note are always visible on the right. The global ROOT is editable only when no slices exist.
• When a slice is selected: slice sample range, length, a NOTE/RANGE toggle, numeric note controls, read-only note names, and override count.

General behavior:

• Drag up/down on a value to edit it.
• Double-click a value to type it directly.
• In SLICE mode, editing a field locks that field for the selected slice when it differs from the global value.
• In SLICE mode, clicking a locked field label or right-clicking the field clears that override.

Controls and Shortcuts Reference

Header Bar

| Control | Function | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | | Sample info text | Load / relink sample | Click the text area | | UNDO / REDO | History navigation | Buttons in the header | | PANIC | Kill active voices immediately | Also stops lazy chop | | LOAD | Open file chooser | Replaces current sample | | SET | Theme, scale, and NRPN popup | Theme chooser, +/- 0.25 scale, and NRPN settings |

Signal Chain Bar

Context Bar

| Control | Function | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | | SLICES | Slice count | Always visible on the right side of the context bar | | Global ROOT | Root note for new slices | Always visible on the right side of the context bar; editable only before any slices exist |

Time/Pitch Module

| Control | Function | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | | BPM | Tempo reference | 20 to 999 | | SET BPM | Calculate BPM from duration menu | 16 bars to 1/16 note | | PITCH | Semitone shift | -48 to +48 st | | TUNE | Fine detune | -100 to +100 ct | | ALGO | Playback algorithm | Repitch, Signalsmith, Bungee | | MODE | Repitch interpolation mode | Repitch only: Linear or Cubic | | TONAL | Tonality limit | Signalsmith only | | FMNT | Formant shift | Signalsmith only | | FMNT C | Formant compensation | Signalsmith only | | GRAIN | Grain mode | Bungee only: Fast, Normal, Smooth | | STRETCH | Tempo-sync stretch toggle | Works with the selected algorithm |

Time/Pitch notes:

• When ALGO=Repitch and STRETCH=ON, PITCH and TUNE become BPM-derived read-only displays.
• In SLICE mode, the context row also exposes the selected slice's NOTE/RANGE mapping.

Slice Context Row

| Control | Function | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | | NOTE / RANGE | Switch between single-note and note-range triggering | Slice-only, shown in the context bar | | NOTE | Single trigger note | Shown only in note mode; drag to edit | | LOW | Lowest note in the trigger range |