Software

If You know of any other software that needs to be added to the list, just Email me, and I will put it here.

Standalone Granular Synthesis Applications:

Cloud Generator: https://www.curtisroads.net/software
(Mac-OS9 classic only) (free) Developed by Curtis Roads and John Alexander. Cloud Generator synthesizes granular sounds in units called "clouds" and also "granulates" stereo sound files.

Pulsar Generator: https://www.curtisroads.net/software
(Mac-OS9 classic only) (free) Developed by Alberto de Campo and Curtis Roads. It generates sound particles called pulsars. (See Roads (2001) Sound Composition with Pulsars for more information)

Emission Control: https://www.curtisroads.net/software
(Mac-PPC only) (free) Written by David Thall in consultation with Curtis Roads. EC is an interactive real-time program, with many novel features, including modulation of synthesis parameters, multiple sound file input, and variable-Q filtering on a grain-by-grain basis.

Chaosynth: http://chaosynth.granularsynthesis.com
(CSound) (free) Chaosynth by Eduardo Miranda uses cellular automata (CA) to control the generation of large number of individual sonic events using a GUI in CSound.

GranuLab: http://www.abc.se/~re/GranuLab/Granny.html
(Win) (free) Developed by Rasmus Ekman, it can granulate 8 streams simultaneously.

Density: http://www.apesoft.it/download/
(Win/Mac and M4L plugins) (Lite version free) Asynchronous sampled/live granular synthesis by apeSoft

Pulsaret: http://www.apesoft.it/download/
(Win/Mac and M4L plugins) (Lite version free) Microsound Prototypes of Granular Synthesis (Glisson, Pulsar, Grainlet, Trainlet) by apeSoft

MacPOD 2: http://thirdmonk.com/MacPOD.html
(Win/Mac) (free) MacPOD/WinPOD by Chris Rolfe and Damián Keller generates a wide range of effects from time compression/expansion to richly varied spectral transformations. MacPOD is named in honour of the original POD GSAMX system developed by Barry Truax at Simon Fraser University.

AL & ERWIN: https://www.keele.ac.uk/music/people/rajmilfischman/rajmilfischmanfreesoftware/
(Win) (free) Developed by Rajmil Fischman, the AL...gorithmic Compositional Environment in conjunction with ERWIN applies the solutions of Schröedinger’s equation for an atomic potential with radial symmetry (a well-known equation from Quantum Mechanics) to the creation of granular clouds.

Clouds: https://www.keele.ac.uk/music/people/rajmilfischman/rajmilfischmanfreesoftware/
(Win/Mac) (free) Developed by Rajmil Fischman, real-time asynchronous granular synthesis of four seperate sound buffers.

Blip: http://www.nicolasfournel.com/?page_id=94
(Win) (free) Developed by Nicolas Fournel. The concept behind Blip is to create innovative sounds and loops by drawing with the usual graphic tools (pencil, airbrush, line…). The classic painting functions take a whole other dimension, as they create melodies and rhythms in the musical domain.

GranuLab: http://www.nicolasfournel.com/?page_id=125
(Win) (free) Developed by Nicolas Fournel. AudioPaint generates sounds from pictures. The program reads JPEG, GIF, PNG and BMP files and translates each pixel color and position into frequency, amplitude and pan information. AudioPaint can therefore be considered as a massive additive synthesizer.

Granulator: http://www.nicolasfournel.com/granulator.htm
(Win) (free) Developed by Nicolas Fournel (currently offline - hoping it will be back soon)

jMusic Online Granulator: http://www.granularsynthesis.com/jgrain.php
(Win/Mac/*nix) (free) Developed by Tim Opie using jMusic, it runs online, if you have java enabled....(does anyone now?)

Kenaxis: http://www.kenaxis.com/
(Win/Mac) (free trial) : Real-time improvisation software with 6 loop players each with granular synthesis and many other effects.

RTGS-X: https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/15912/rtgs-x
(Mac-PPC only) Real-time granular synthesizer, OSX-PPC updated version of the Real-Time Granular Synthesizer for Mac OS8.

Partikkel:http://oeyvind.teks.no/results/applications/partikkelapplications.htm
(CSound) (free) Partikkel csound opcode desigedn by Oeyvind Brandtsegg, implemented by Thom Johansen and Torgeir Strand Henriksen, with a vast array of parameters to tweak.

Atomic Cloud: http://atomiccloud.gersic.com/
(Win) (free) The Atomic Cloud Grain Cloud Generator takes an audio file as input, and generates a granular synthesis grain cloud in real time.

Sample Toy: http://www.mrkbrz.com/sampletoy/
(iPhone)

Curtis Heavy: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/curtis-heavy-granular-synthesizer
(iPhone)

Borderlands: http://www.borderlands-granular.com/app/
(iPad)

Granite: http://www.newsonicarts.com/index.php?page=granite
(Win/Mac)

Narrativas Sonoras II: http://ruipenha.pt/software/narrativas-sonoras-ii/
(Win/Mac/*nix)

Grain Science: https://itunes.apple.com/app/id487233637
(iPad)

HourGlass: http://xenakios.wordpress.com
(Win/Mac)

REplay PLAYer: http://www.essl.at/works/replay.html
(Mac)

iDensity: http://www.apesoft.it/idensity/
(iPad) Multi-streams real-time granular playground able to generate a wide range of usual and not so usual effects by apeSoft

iPulsaret: http://www.apesoft.it/ipulsaret/
(iPad) Real-time software capable of all time-domain varieties of granular synthesis (Glisson, Pulsar, Grainlet, Trainlet) by apeSoft

GrainProc: http://www.grainproc.com/
(iPad)

Generative 2: https://sirenaudio.co.uk/collections/frontpage/products/generative-2
(Win/Mac)

SoundGrain: http://ajaxsoundstudio.com/software/soundgrain/
(Win/Mac)

Grainstorm: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=me.rocks.grainstorm
(Android) Tool for Sound Design

SpaceCraft: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/spacecraft-granular-synth/id1391256308
(iOS) you can transform any sound into a playable musical instrument via Granular Synthesis

tardigrain : https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tardigrain/id1344470087
(iOS) Tardigrain is a granular synthesiser for iOS that runs standalone or as an AU plugin.

FRMS granular synthesizer : https://www.imaginando.pt/products/frms-granular-synthesizer
(Win/Mac/Android/iOS) FRMS is a versatile granular synthesizer that combines granular synthesis with FM synthesis using a flexible layering system. From heavily-dense ambient drones, to glitchy mechanical beings, turn simple sounds into complex evolving soundscapes, with up to four layers of synthesis in any combination.

Music Programming Environments that have Granular Synthesis Capability:

Csound: http://www.csounds.com/
(Win/Mac/*nix)

jMusic: http://explodingart.com/jmusic/
(Win/Mac/*nix)

ChucK: http://chuck.cs.princeton.edu/
(Win/Mac/*nix)

Extempore: http://extempore.moso.com.au/
(Win/Mac/*nix)

Impromptu: (M) http://impromptu.moso.com.au
(Mac)

Max 5 (Max/MSP): (WM) http://www.cycling74.com/products/maxmsp.html
(Win/Mac)

AudioMulch 2: (WM) http://www.audiomulch.com/
(Win/Mac)

PD:(WMU) https://puredata.info/
(Win/Mac/*nix)

SuperCollider: (WMU) http://supercollider.sourceforge.net/
(Win/Mac/*nix)

Composers Desktop Project: (WM) http://www.composersdesktop.com/

Reason: (WM) http://www.propellerheads.se/products/reason/
(Win/Mac)

Logic Pro: (M) http://www.apple.com/logic-pro
(Mac)

SynthEdit: (W) http://www.synthedit.com/
(Win)

Reaktor 6: (WM) https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/synths/reaktor-6/
(Win/Mac)

Kyma X: (WM) http://www.symbolicsound.com/cgi-bin/bin/view/Products/WebHome
(Win/Mac)

Bidule: (M) http://www.plogue.com/products/bidule/
(Mac)

Buzz: (W) http://jeskola.net/buzz/
(Win)

MachFive 3: (WM) http://www.motu.com/products/software/machfive/technology.html
(Win/Mac)

ixiQuarks: (M) http://ixi-audio.net/content/download/ixiquarks/index.html
(Mac)

Usine: (WM) http://www.sensomusic.org/
(Win/Mac)

Bespoke: https://www.bespokesynth.com/
(Win/Mac/*nix) Bespoke is a software modular synthesizer. It contains a bunch of modules, which you can connect together to create sounds, including a granular synthesis module (sea of grain).

Granular Synthesis Plug-ins (mostly VST):

Alchemy: http://www.apple.com/logic-pro/whats-new/
(for Logic)

crusherX Studio: http://www.crusher-x.de/

SaltyGrain: https://www.samplesumo.com/

Grainbot: http://www.kvraudio.com/developer_challenge_2009.php#dc09_24

+bubbler: http://www.soundhack.com/freeware/

grANALiser: http://morfiki.blogspot.com/

Fragmental: http://www.niallmoody.com/ndcplugs/fragmental.htm

GGrain: http://www.gvst.co.uk/ggrain.htm

ParticleCloud: http://www.martin-brinkmann.de/plugs.html

Dropout: http://www.tweakbench.com/dropout

Minerva: http://www.tweakbench.com/minerva

Pudding: http://www.tweakbench.com/pudding

SideSlip: http://www.tweakbench.com/sideslip

Muchacho: http://www.xoxos.net/vst/vst.html#effects

Grainz: http://www.sknote.it/download.htm

Grapheed: http://www.lidsquid.de/grapheed/index.html

Scope: http://www.lidsquid.de/archive.php

GRMTools: http://www.inagrm.com/grmtools

Padshop Pro: http://www.steinberg.net/en/products/vst/padshop/padshop_pro.html

HALion 5: https://www.steinberg.net/en/products/vst/halion_und_halion_sonic/halion_5.html

ag.granular.suite: https://cycling74.com/toolbox/ag-granular-suite/
(for Max/Jamoma)

Granulator II: http://www.monolake.de/technology/granulator.html
(for Max and Max4Live)

Triple-Perc: http://www.customarttools.com/softwarelist/tripleperc
(for Max and Max4Live)

Grainer: http://puredata.info/Members/pdiliscia/grainer
(for PD)

J.A.G.S.: https://github.com/Limulo/Jags
(for PD)

Cosmosƒ: http://www.sonic-lab.com
(VST/AU)

The Synthesis ToolKit in C++ (STK): https://ccrma.stanford.edu/software/stk/
(C++ Library) (OSS, free) The Synthesis ToolKit in C++ by Perry R. Cook and Gary P. Scavone is a set of open source audio signal processing and algorithmic synthesis classes written in the C++ programming language. STK was designed to facilitate rapid development of music synthesis and audio processing software, with an emphasis on cross-platform functionality, realtime control, ease of use, and educational example code.

Arturia Pigments Polychrome software synthesizer: https://www.arturia.com/products/software-instruments/pigments/overview
(Arturia) Pigments puts you in control of 4 powerful sound engine types: Wavetable, Virtual analog, Sample & Granular, and Harmonic.

Adroit Synthesis : Granular Synth: https://www.adroitsynthesis.com/granular-synth/
(Voltage Modula) Paid module for CherryAudio's free Voltage Modular modular synth environment

miSCellaneous: https://github.com/dkmayer/miscellaneous_lib
(SuperCollider) miSCellaneous is a library of SuperCollider extensions

Grain Scanner: https://www.ableton.com/en/packs/grain-scanner-amazing-noises/
(Ableton) Grain Scanner lets you design experimental noises, glitchy effects, alien textures and massive clouds of ambience.

The Mangle: https://www.kvraudio.com/product/the-mangle-by-sound-guru
(VST/AU) a granular synthesizer plugin which offers a real-time display of your grain stream

Palindrome: https://glitchmachines.com/products/palindrome/
(VST/AU) Palindrome is a granular morph plotting sampler geared toward experimental sound design.

Samsara: https://isotonikstudios.com/product/samsara-customized-granular-looping/
(Ableton) a Max for Live granular looping device geared towards live performance, soundscapes and textures

Granite: https://www.newsonicarts.com/html/granite.php
(VST/AU) Granular Texture Generator

Luminist: https://encoderaudio.sellfy.store/p/bx1t/
(Ableton) Granular texture generator

Iota: https://www.ableton.com/en/packs/iota/
(Ableton) Iota is a Max For Live granular looping instrument

Quanta 2: https://www.audiodamage.com/products/ad055-quanta-2
(VST/AU/AAX) a granular synthesis engine in the form of a classic subtractive synth, with oscillators, filters, envelope generators, low-frequency oscillators, and a routing system to tie it all together.

Novum: https://www.tracktion.com/products/novum
(VST/AU) Shimmering sound particles, sonic glitter and a good measure of acoustic fairy dust - granular synthesis renders even the mundane beautiful.

Granular Synthesis Hardware:

For when you don't want to make your own (like I did - lol)

GR-1 Granular synthesizer: https://www.tastychips.nl/product/gr-1-granular-synthesizer/
Tasty Chips complete granular synthesis solution - Jean Michel Jarre has used this!

Maker Pro: https://maker.pro
A starting point for people with electronic skills who want to create some hardware sound synthesizers - no GS yet - they are witing for you to contribute!

Just getting started with music technology?

Here are a few sites to help you before you dive into granular synthesis

How to Use Beat Making Software: https://beginnerguitarhq.com/beat-making-software/

Key:

Of course you can use emulators on other platforms to run these programs. A popular program for Unix is WINE, which has been tested with programs such as Granulab and AudioMulch.

Other programs such as Cubase, Logic and Protools may also be used in more of a micromontage format, by cutting up samples and rearranging the pieces.