There's also PureData which is free/FOSS. I prefer Max if I'm using a visual dsp language, but PureData can technically do everything Max does, tends to have wider support for 3rd party programs (I have a guitar pedal that can load PureData files for example) and like I said it's free. There are ways to turn it into a VST, as well as some VSTs that are just PD runtimes so you don't need to compile it[0]. And it's by the same person who created Max.
Reaktor is the most difficult for me to work in, that might just be because I learned the other 2 first. But you get their library of pre-built components which is nice. Want an exceptionally accurate Moog filter in your effect? Just drag and drop the one they've already made.
Reaktor is the most difficult for me to work in, that might just be because I learned the other 2 first. But you get their library of pre-built components which is nice. Want an exceptionally accurate Moog filter in your effect? Just drag and drop the one they've already made.
[0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33302905