It is an AudioUnit plug-in, so you need a host application that will support it. Here are some AudioUnit hosts I know about. (The 'Audio in' column indicates if this host is able to process audio from external sources (e.g. your guitar).)
| Host | Author | Version tested | License | Audio in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SynthTest | Chris Reed | 1.2.1 | Freeware | No |
| Rax | Granted Software | 0.3 | Freeware | No |
| Rax | Granted Software | 1.2.3 | Shareware | Yes |
| Digital Performer | MOTU | 4.6 | Commercial | Yes |
| Numerology | Five 12 | 1.4.2 | Commercial | Yes |
| Bidule | Plogue | 0.7001 | Commercial | Yes |
| Logic | Emagic | 7.1 | Commercial | Yes |
| Live | Ableton | 5.2 | Commercial | Yes |
As with all Audio Units, you install the plug-in by moving the file into a folder called
Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/
either in the root of your boot disk (here), or in your home folder.
For now let's assume that you've managed to load Augustus Loop into a host application of some kind and have some means of feeding sound into it. You will also want to show the plug-in's GUI, which will look something like the below:
By default, the effect produces a straightforward one second delay, with fairly high feedback. Play a note - you should hear it echo once a second for quite some time.
The GUI consists of two sliders, a number of knobs and a smaller number of buttons.
The shorter of the two sliders and the cluster of edit boxes around it control the delay time. By default the slider lets you adjust the delay time between zero and ten seconds. Try dragging the slider and see what happens.
The longer slider controls the speed of the virtual tape, or equivalently the pitch of the delayed material. Try playing some notes into the delay, and then adjusting the slider. You should hear the notes you played at a higher or lower pitch.
Four of the buttons let you set up a delay time without having to know what you want as a number of seconds. Try clicking on 'Tap Length', waiting a moment, and then clicking on it again. The delay time will change to the length of time between your two clicks. If you use 'Tap Rec' (short for 'Tap Record') the delayed material will be cleared out on the first click. This is useful when starting afresh on a new loop.
Other than that, just have a play with the controls, and then dig into the detailed reference section.