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+# FluidSynth LADSPA Interface
+
+The [LADSPA](http://ladspa.org/) (Linux Audio Developer's Simple Plugin API)
+binding can be used to route the FluidSynth audio output through any number
+of LADSPA plugins. As the name implies, it is only available on Linux.
+
+## Configuration
+
+To configure and compile FluidSynth with LADSPA support, make sure you have
+the LADSPA SDK (basically the ladspa.h header file) installed. Then enable
+LADSPA when calling cmake:
+
+    cmake path/to/source/ -Denable-ladspa=1
+
+You should see `LADSPA support: yes` in the cmake output.
+
+To enable the LADSPA engine, use the `synth.ladspa.active` setting when
+starting FluidSynth:
+
+    fluidsynth -o synth.ladspa.active=1 ...
+
+
+# Signal Flow
+
+The LADSPA effects unit runs immediately after the internal reverb and chorus
+effects have been processed. When no plugins have been configured, the
+effects unit is dormant and uses no additional system resources.
+
+When at least one plugin is configured and the engine is activated, the
+rendered audio is passed into the LADSPA effects unit, each plugin is
+run in the order that they were created and the resulting audio is
+passed back into FluidSynth (and from there to the sound card or other
+output).
+
+
+# Loading and Connecting Plugins
+
+Currently the only way to configure the effects unit is via the FluidSynth
+shell or via a config file.
+
+## Example Setups
+
+All examples assume that your `LADSPA_PATH` environment variable points
+to the directory containing the plugin libraries (e.g. /usr/lib/ladspa).
+
+### Single Plugin
+
+The following loads the delay.so plugin library from the LADSPA SDK and
+instantiates the `delay_5s` plugin from that library. It connects the
+main left channel output from FluidSynth with the plugin input, the
+main left channel input to FluidSynth with the plugin output. It also
+sets the two control ports of the plugin to example values and starts
+the engine.
+
+    ladspa_plugin delay.so delay_5s
+    ladspa_port Input < in1_L
+    ladspa_port Output > out1_L
+    ladspa_port Delay = 1.0
+    ladspa_port Dry/Wet = 0.5
+
+    ladspa_start
+
+The audible effect should be an untouch right channel and a slightly
+lower volume on the left with a delay effect of 1 second on top.