FlexScope Visualizer Plugin User Manual

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Overview

  • This guide is current with FlexScope Version 1.0.0. It is the comprehensive resource detailing installation, licensing, usage, and operation of the FlexScope plugin.
  • FlexScope is a resizable, stabilized oscilloscope for viewing the waveform of an incoming mono or stereo audio signal in real time.
  • FlexScope can display conventional Left/Right stereo channels, derived Mid/Side channels, or a single mono waveform.
  • Channel visibility, waveform position, color, fill, and channel labels can be configured without changing the source audio.
  • FlexScope processes audio transparently. It does not apply gain, stereo conversion, coloration, or other effects to the output signal.
  • FlexScope runs as an audio plugin inside a DAW/Host.

System Requirements

  • FlexScope is compatible with macOS and Windows operating systems that meet the following requirements.

macOS System Requirements

  • macOS Version 10.13 or newer.
  • Intel or Apple Silicon CPU.
  • A graphics processor that supports OpenGL 2.1 or newer.
  • A DAW/Host that supports one or more of the following plugin formats, if using FlexScope as a plugin:
    • AU
    • VST3
    • CLAP
    • AAX

Windows System Requirements

  • Windows 10 or Windows 11.
  • x64 Architecture Only. Windows on ARM is not supported.
  • A graphics processor that supports OpenGL 2.1 or newer.
  • A DAW/Host that supports one or more of the following plugin formats, if using FlexScope as a plugin:
    • VST3
    • CLAP
    • AAX

Downloading the Installer

  • The FlexScope installer can be downloaded from your Tuneform Account at any time.
  • To access the installer for download:
    • Log in to your Tuneform Account.
    • In the site toolbar, click "My Account" and then click "My Media."
    • Locate and click the "My Plugins" button.
    • In the "owned" section of the "My Plugins" page, locate the section titled "FlexScope."
    • Look for the buttons in the "Download/Install" section.
    • Click the installer for your current operating system, and the installer will be downloaded to your machine.

Installation

  • Once the installer file is downloaded, navigate to the location where you saved it and double-click the file to run the installer.
  • On Windows, if your operating system blocks the installer executable from running, click "More info," then click "Run anyway" to proceed. Be sure to verify that the installer was signed by "Tuneform LLC."
  • Proceed through the installation wizard to complete installation.
  • The installer may allow you to choose which plugin formats to install.
  • Updating from an older version:
    • Follow the same installation instructions. The new version will overwrite the previous version on your machine.

Installation Locations

  • The installer will install each selected plugin format at the following locations.

macOS

  • FlexScope.vst3: /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3
  • FlexScope.clap: /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/CLAP
  • FlexScope.component: /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components
  • FlexScope.aaxplugin: /Library/Application Support/Avid/Audio/Plug-Ins

Windows

  • FlexScope.vst3: C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\FlexScope.vst3
  • FlexScope.clap: C:\Program Files\Common Files\CLAP\FlexScope.clap
  • FlexScope.aaxplugin: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Avid\Audio\Plug-Ins\FlexScope.aaxplugin

Uninstalling

  • To uninstall FlexScope, go to the installation location on your machine and delete the relevant plugin files for each format you installed.
  • If your DAW keeps a plugin cache, you may need to rescan plugins after uninstalling.

Activating the License

  • FlexScope requires a valid license key to use.
  • After installing, close and re-open your DAW, or rescan your plugins to make FlexScope appear in your DAW's plugin list.
  • With internet access enabled, open the FlexScope interface.
  • If FlexScope is not already activated for the current user on the machine, the license activation screen will appear.
  • Enter your full license key into the license key field and click "ACTIVATE."
  • You can get your license key from the "My Plugins" section of your Tuneform Account.
  • To navigate to "My Plugins" in your Tuneform Account:
    • Log in.
    • In the toolbar, click "My Account" and then click "My Media."
    • Locate the "My Plugins" button.
    • Locate the section titled "FlexScope."
  • You need to use the license key in full. The "Copy License Key" button will automatically copy your license key to your clipboard. You can also click "Show License Key" to show the key in plain text so you can highlight and copy it.
  • Once verification is complete, FlexScope will display "License Valid" and the activation screen will disappear.
  • Activation is stored locally for the current user so other FlexScope instances on the same machine can recognize it.
  • Back in your Tuneform Account, the activated machine should appear in the "Current Activations" section.

Plugin Operation

  • FlexScope is an audio visualization effect. It does not generate sound on its own.
  • In a DAW, place FlexScope on an audio track, instrument track, aux, bus, or master channel whose signal you want to inspect.
  • FlexScope displays the signal at its location in the effects chain. Place it before or after another processor depending on which version of the signal you want to view.
  • FlexScope accepts mono and stereo channel layouts.
  • Audio passes through FlexScope transparently and unaltered in every channel mode and configuration.
  • FlexScope does not use MIDI input and does not produce MIDI output.

Main Window

  • The FlexScope interface consists of two windows:
    • Visualizer Window: The main resizable window where the waveform is drawn.
    • Configuration Window: A fixed-size, scrollable window containing all display controls.
  • A new instance opens at 400 x 400 pixels.
  • The Visualizer Window can be resized from 100 x 100 pixels up to 2000 x 2000 pixels.

Reading the Visualizer

  • The horizontal direction represents time, with newer captured audio continuously replacing older audio.
  • Each waveform is drawn around a horizontal zero-amplitude baseline.
  • Positive sample values appear above the baseline, and negative sample values appear below it.
  • The displayed waveform height follows the level of the incoming signal. FlexScope does not include a separate display gain or vertical zoom control.
  • FlexScope automatically aligns the display around a prominent point in the waveform to make repeating signals easier to view.
  • When two channels are visible, the primary channel appears in the upper half and the secondary channel appears in the lower half by default.
  • When one channel is visible, that channel expands into a single centered waveform.

Resizing the Visualizer Window

  • In most DAWs, drag an edge or corner of the plugin window to resize it.
  • In AU and AAX hosts that do not provide normal edge or corner resizing, hover over the Visualizer Window and drag the resize control in the bottom-right corner.
  • The hover resize control is available when "Show Options On Hover" is enabled.
  • The Visualizer Window size is saved with the plugin state and restored when the DAW session is reopened.

Opening the Configuration Window

  • Open the main Visualizer Window first.
  • Use any of the following methods to open the Configuration Window:
    • Double-click anywhere in the Visualizer Window.
    • Press the O key while the Visualizer Window has keyboard focus.
    • With "Show Options On Hover" enabled, move the pointer over the Visualizer Window and click "Customize."
  • Scroll vertically inside the Configuration Window to reach controls that are outside the visible area.
  • Closing the Configuration Window hides it without changing the current settings.

Visualizer Keyboard Shortcuts

  • When the Visualizer Window has keyboard focus:
    • Press O to open the Configuration Window.
    • Press H to turn "Show Options On Hover" on or off.
  • Uppercase and lowercase versions of both shortcuts work.

Configuration Options

  • Changes made in the Configuration Window update the Visualizer immediately.

Channel Control

  • The Channel Control section determines which signal representation FlexScope draws and how multiple waveforms are arranged.

Channel Mode

  • Available Channel Mode choices:
    • Stereo: Displays the input's Left and Right channels independently.
    • Mid / Side: Derives and displays Mid and Side from a stereo input. Mid is (Left + Right) / 2, and Side is (Left - Right) / 2.
    • Mono: Displays one waveform. A stereo input is combined as (Left + Right) / 2; a mono input is displayed directly.
  • On a mono track, Stereo mode displays the same mono signal in both channel positions, while Mid / Side mode displays the signal as Mid with a silent Side channel.
  • Channel Mode only changes the visualization. It does not convert, sum, or otherwise alter the output audio.
  • Stereo is the default Channel Mode.

Channel Visibility

  • Channel Visibility is available in Stereo and Mid / Side modes.
  • In Stereo mode, the visible choices are:
    • Both: Displays Left and Right.
    • Left Only: Displays Left as one centered waveform.
    • Right Only: Displays Right as one centered waveform.
  • In Mid / Side mode, the visible choices are:
    • Both: Displays Mid and Side.
    • Mid Only: Displays Mid as one centered waveform.
    • Side Only: Displays Side as one centered waveform.
  • Channel Visibility controls are hidden in Mono mode because Mono always displays one waveform.
  • Both is the default Channel Visibility.

Flip Positions

  • "Flip Positions" reverses the vertical order of two displayed waveforms.
  • With Flip Positions off:
    • Stereo mode places Left above Right.
    • Mid / Side mode places Mid above Side.
  • With Flip Positions on:
    • Stereo mode places Right above Left.
    • Mid / Side mode places Side above Mid.
  • Flip Positions is available only when a two-channel mode is set to show Both channels.
  • Flip Positions is off by default.

Waveform Color

  • The Waveform Color section applies one shared RGBA color to every visible waveform.
  • Click the color swatch to open a visual color selector.
  • Click the hexadecimal color value to type a six-digit RGB value, with or without the # prefix.
  • Hexadecimal entry and the visual color selector update Red, Green, and Blue while preserving the current Alpha value.
  • Use the Red, Green, Blue, and Alpha sliders for direct component control.
  • Click a numeric value above a component slider to type an exact value.
  • Each component has an integer range from 0 to 255:
    • Red: Controls the red component.
    • Green: Controls the green component.
    • Blue: Controls the blue component.
    • Alpha: Controls waveform opacity. 0 is fully transparent, and 255 is fully opaque.
  • The default waveform color is opaque green: Red 0, Green 255, Blue 0, Alpha 255, or #00FF00.

Waveform Fill

  • Waveform Fill controls the area between the waveform line and its zero-amplitude baseline.
  • Available fill choices:
    • Default: Draws the waveform outline with a translucent gradient that fades toward the baseline.
    • Fill: Draws the waveform outline and fills the area to the baseline with the selected waveform color.
    • No Fill: Draws the waveform outline only.
  • The Alpha setting affects both the waveform outline and any fill.
  • Default is the initial fill choice.

Show Channel Labels

  • Turn on "Show Channel Labels" to place channel identifiers in the Visualizer Window.
  • Labels change with Channel Mode and Channel Visibility:
    • Stereo uses L and R.
    • Mid / Side uses M and S.
    • Mono uses M.
  • When both channels are displayed, the labels follow the current Flip Positions setting.
  • Show Channel Labels is off by default.

Show Options On Hover

  • Turn on "Show Options On Hover" to reveal the "Customize" button when the pointer enters the Visualizer Window.
  • In AU and AAX formats, this setting also controls the bottom-right resize control.
  • Turn this option off when you want a clean visualizer window for screen recording, streaming, or presentation.
  • The Configuration Window can still be opened by double-clicking the Visualizer Window or pressing O when hover options are off.
  • Press H while the Visualizer Window has keyboard focus to toggle this option without opening the Configuration Window.
  • Show Options On Hover is on by default.
  • This preference is stored for the current user and becomes the saved setting for future FlexScope instances and sessions. An instance that is already open keeps its current setting until you change it there.
  • Show Options On Hover is not a DAW automation parameter.

Default Configuration

  • A new FlexScope instance starts with the following display settings:
    • Channel Mode: Stereo.
    • Channel Visibility: Both.
    • Flip Positions: Off.
    • Waveform Color: #00FF00 with Alpha 255.
    • Waveform Fill: Default.
    • Show Channel Labels: Off.
    • Visualizer Window Size: 400 x 400 pixels.
  • Show Options On Hover defaults to On until the user-level preference has been changed.

Host, Session, Preset, and Automation Behavior

  • FlexScope saves its automatable display settings and Visualizer Window size with the DAW session.
  • Each plugin instance stores its own state.
  • FlexScope does not include an internal preset browser. You can use your DAW's plugin preset system to save and recall the per-instance display settings and Visualizer Window size.
  • FlexScope exposes the following parameters to hosts that support plugin automation:
    • Channel Mode: Stereo, Mid/Side, or Mono. Default: Stereo.
    • Channel Visibility: Both, Primary Only, or Secondary Only. Default: Both.
    • Flip Positions: Off or On. Default: Off.
    • Waveform Red: 0 to 255. Default: 0.
    • Waveform Green: 0 to 255. Default: 255.
    • Waveform Blue: 0 to 255. Default: 0.
    • Waveform Alpha: 0 to 255. Default: 255.
    • Waveform Fill: Default, Fill, or No Fill. Default: Default.
    • Show Channel Labels: Off or On. Default: Off.
  • The host-facing "Primary Only" choice means Left Only in Stereo mode and Mid Only in Mid/Side mode.
  • The host-facing "Secondary Only" choice means Right Only in Stereo mode and Side Only in Mid/Side mode.
  • Automating display parameters updates the visualization but does not change the audio signal.
  • Show Options On Hover is a user preference rather than an automatable parameter. It is not stored independently in each plugin instance.
  • FlexScope does not accept or produce MIDI data.

Troubleshooting

FlexScope Does Not Appear In My DAW

  • Close and re-open your DAW after installation.
  • Rescan plugins in your DAW's plugin manager.
  • Confirm that the plugin format you installed is supported by your DAW.
  • Confirm that FlexScope was installed in the correct system plugin folder for your operating system.
  • On Apple Silicon Macs, confirm whether your DAW is running natively or under Rosetta if your DAW has format-specific scanning behavior.

The Activation Screen Appears

  • Confirm that you entered the full FlexScope license key.
  • Confirm that your computer is connected to the internet during activation.
  • Confirm that you are using the license key from the FlexScope section of your Tuneform Account.
  • If the plugin was previously activated on another machine, check the "Current Activations" section of your Tuneform Account.

The Visualizer Is Blank Or Not Moving

  • Confirm that audio is reaching the track and that playback or live input monitoring is active.
  • Confirm that Waveform Alpha is greater than 0.
  • If Mid / Side mode is set to Side Only, remember that a centered mono signal may contain little or no Side information. Select Mid Only or Both to verify the input.
  • Confirm that your system supports OpenGL 2.1 or newer and that your graphics drivers are current.
  • Close and reopen the plugin window after a graphics driver or display configuration change.

The Waveform Is Too Small Or Reaches The Window Edges

  • FlexScope displays the incoming sample level directly and does not include a display gain or vertical zoom control.
  • If the waveform is too small, increase the level before FlexScope in the effects chain.
  • If the waveform is clipped against the display boundaries, reduce the level before FlexScope.
  • These upstream level changes affect the audio signal; FlexScope itself remains transparent.

The Mid, Side, Or Mono Display Looks Unexpected

  • Mid is the average of Left and Right: (Left + Right) / 2.
  • Side is half the difference between Left and Right: (Left - Right) / 2.
  • Mono uses the Mid calculation for stereo input.
  • A centered signal will be strongest in Mid and may disappear from Side.
  • A signal with opposite polarity between Left and Right may be reduced in Mid and emphasized in Side.
  • Check Channel Visibility and Flip Positions if the expected waveform appears missing or in the opposite half of the window.

The Customize Button Or Resize Control Does Not Appear

  • Confirm that "Show Options On Hover" is on.
  • Press H while the Visualizer Window has keyboard focus to toggle hover controls.
  • Move the pointer into the Visualizer Window.
  • The bottom-right hover resize control is used by AU and AAX. Other formats normally resize from the host window edge or corner.
  • You can always open the Configuration Window by double-clicking the Visualizer Window or pressing O while it has keyboard focus.

Keyboard Shortcuts Are Not Working

  • Click inside the Visualizer Window to give it keyboard focus.
  • Some DAWs require a setting that allows plugins to receive keyboard input.
  • Some DAWs capture letter keys before a plugin receives them. If this happens, double-click the visualizer to open the Configuration Window and use its controls with the mouse.

The Visualizer Window Will Not Resize

  • Confirm that the host supports resizable plugin editors.
  • Try dragging a host-provided edge or corner of the plugin window.
  • In AU or AAX, enable "Show Options On Hover," hover over the visualizer, and drag the bottom-right resize control.
  • FlexScope enforces a minimum size of 100 x 100 pixels and a maximum size of 2000 x 2000 pixels.

The Configuration Window Does Not Show Every Control

  • The Configuration Window is intentionally fixed in size.
  • Use the vertical scroll bar or a mouse wheel/trackpad gesture to move through all configuration sections.