BUFFR: Retrospective Audio and MIDI Recorder Plugin
Never miss happy accidents again.
A retrospective audio and MIDI recorder plugin that keeps up to two hours of DAW audio, System Audio, and MIDI ready to edit and drag back—even when Record was never armed.
Launch priceEnds Sep 22 at 17:00 UTC
See BUFFR in action
BUFFR has infinite possibilities, so you never miss anything cool you made.
Retrospective audio and MIDI recording features
Always listening
- Keeps up to two hours of audio and MIDI after you play.
- Silent channels skip RAM. Recovery writes to disk if the host dies.
- Always, on sound, or manual.
Smart Quantize
- Blend Raw, Human, and Precision on the whole take, a marker, or a selection.
- Reads chords, rolls, swing, and tuplets, then tightens them without flattening the feel.
- Shows the grid it used, and how early or late each phrase sat.
Center Align and Ride
- Center Align evens the positive and negative peaks.
- Ride holds a target from instant to five seconds and draws the gain on the waveform.
- Wet, Normalize, drag, and export share one cached result.
Spectrogram
- Full frequency history, from a whole-take overview down to single bins.
- Alt-drag a sound, preview it, drag it out.
- FFT, minimum-phase, or linear-phase at the selection length.
System Audio
- Desktop audio as its own stereo lane. No loopback plugin. macOS asks once.
- Main plus seven stereo Aux lanes in one instance.
- Capture Sources lists every input and whether it is moving.
MIDI
- All 16 channels from the DAW, a global controller, or both.
- Global mode still hears the keyboard when BUFFR sits on the master.
- Notes, CC, bend, MPE. SMF export down-converts what a MIDI file cannot keep.
Drag out
- Drag audio, MIDI, or a Spectral Grab into the DAW.
- Audio is 24-bit FLAC by default. WAV is in Settings. MIDI is a Standard MIDI File.
- If a drop fails, use Export.
Snap and markers
- Chords, velocity, swing, and transients show up before you edit.
- One Snap control: grid, transients, zero crossings, markers, MIDI. Shift bypasses it.
- B or CC 20 drops a marker. Name and move them per lane.
Controls
- Right-click Export, Waveform, Spectral, or Grid for the settings that belong there.
- Keyboard, focus, and screen-reader behavior stay consistent.
- Themes, MIDI colors, CLAP and VST3 on every desktop OS, always-on-top window.
What users noticed.
Press impression“I think Matari Audio is onto something here, and my first impressions are great.”
Translated press impression“A useful plugin for creators who want to preserve unexpected ideas and great performances.”
“思いがけないアイデアや名演を残したいクリエイターにとって便利なプラグインです。”
Translated user reaction“I tried it and was impressed. BUFFR captures the output wherever it is inserted, and MIDI is easy to understand on the same timeline.”
“試して感動。BUFFR ではどこに挿しても出音をキャプチャーできる。MIDI も同一のタイムラインで表示されて分かり易い。”
Questions before you download.
Trials, crashes, refunds, and support.
What happens after the 28-day trial?
Install BUFFR and start the one-time 28-day trial on that computer. Buy a perpetual license when you are ready, then activate up to three computers and receive updates through version 1.x.
What happens if BUFFR or my DAW crashes?
BUFFR writes recovery data locally if the host dies. Reopen it to review the recovered session and choose whether to send a support report.
How do I get help with a crash or broken session?
Use Report a problem inside BUFFR or email support@matari-audio.com. Include your OS, DAW, plug-in format, BUFFR version, and the shortest steps that reproduce it. Never send your license key.
Can I get a refund?
Yes. Email support@matari-audio.com within 14 days of purchase with your order email and order reference.
Which systems and plug-in formats are supported?
CLAP and VST3 run on macOS, Windows, and Linux. The signed Mac installer also includes AUv2 for Logic. Every platform includes a standalone app.
Does my recorded audio leave the computer?
No. Capture, editing, recovery, and export stay local. Matari only receives data you deliberately send, such as a support report.
What can BUFFR recover?
Up to 16 DAW audio channels, all 16 MIDI channels, and a separate System Audio lane while BUFFR is loaded. It cannot recover anything from before you inserted it.
Is this Buffr Glitch, a buffer pedal, or the jewelry brand?
No. BUFFR is Matari Audio’s retrospective audio and MIDI recorder plugin for DAWs. It is not Robbert van der Helm’s Buffr Glitch, a guitar buffer, or the Buffr ring protector.
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AvailableLimitedUnavailable
| Capability | BUFFRMatari Audio | RewindMonkeyC Audio | Rolling SamplerBird's Things | MIDI CapBird's Things | MucapOpen-source project | Fine Classics CaptureFine Classics Plugins | System Audio BridgeBird's Things | AudioRouteAudioRoute |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sources captured togetherWhat one running instance can keep at the same time. | Available. DAW audio + System + MIDISeparate audio groups plus DAW or direct-device MIDI | Limited. DAW audio + MIDIBuilt-in System mode is standalone-only, not a source in the normal plug-in | Limited. Audio onlyThe signal reaching the plug-in | Limited. MIDI only | Limited. MIDI only | Limited. Audio onlyWaveform retrospective recorder | Unavailable. No historyLive System Audio input for normal DAW recording | Unavailable. No historyLive route or deliberate WAV recording |
| DAW audioAudio history kept by one plug-in instance. | Available. Up to 16 DAW slotsStereo Main plus seven host-routed stereo Aux pairs | Available. Insertion-point mixStandalone inputs are merged into one export track; the plug-in records its routed channel/master | Available. One audio streamAudio reaching the plug-in | Unavailable. NoneCLAP audio passes through but is not retrospectively recorded | Unavailable. None | Available. One audio streamWaveform selection exports to WAV | Unavailable. System stream onlyNot a DAW-history recorder | Unavailable. System stream onlyNot a DAW-history recorder |
| MIDI captureNotes and controller data captured after you play. | Available. 16 channels + MPE/UMPDAW or direct device; rich events retained in the buffer | Limited. MIDI + CC/MPEVendor warns Ableton drag-in can lose MPE and Bitwig can truncate CC | Unavailable. NoneAudio-only recorder | Limited. MIDI + CCMultichannel; vendor says MPE support is unfinished | Limited. Basic MIDIAll channels; MPE is theoretical and untested | Unavailable. NoneThe product and manual describe audio-to-WAV capture | Unavailable. None | Unavailable. None |
| Direct MIDI inputCan it open a MIDI device without arming its DAW track? | Available. Built inSystem device opens linked OS inputs; matching DAW/device duplicates collapse automatically | Limited. Direct device or DAW inputThe manual makes them mutually exclusive; Windows sharing can require its SharedMIDI extension and a cloned DAW port | Unavailable. NoneNo MIDI capture | Unavailable. No direct-device modeVendor’s typical setup is a record-armed, always-monitored MIDI track | Unavailable. No direct-device plug-in modePlug-in needs a MIDI-receiving track; standalone needs JACK routing | Unavailable. NoneNo MIDI capture | Unavailable. None | Unavailable. None |
| System Audio captureCan it capture desktop output, and where? | Available. Built inSeparate stereo lane; no third-party cable or bridge. macOS 13+ grants permission to the bundled helper | Limited. Standalone onlyExternal/System switch clears current memory; macOS reroutes output, Windows selects an app | Limited. Not in stable plug-inStable uses loopback/System Audio Bridge; 1.4 beta adds experimental Windows standalone capture | Unavailable. NoneMIDI only | Unavailable. NoneMIDI only | Unavailable. NoneRecords the audio reaching its DAW track | Available. Live Windows inputWASAPI-loopback CLAP/VST3; no retrospective buffer | Available. Live routed inputBackground daemon feeds a DAW plug-in, direct recorder, or macOS virtual input |
| Separate sourcesCan captured sources be recovered separately? | Available. Main, Aux, System stay separateIndependent groups, lanes, monitoring, and export | Unavailable. One audio trackStandalone can select many interface inputs but merges them; External/System is a destructive mode switch | Unavailable. One audio stream | Limited. MIDI channels in one file | Limited. All MIDI channels in one track | Unavailable. One waveform | Unavailable. One live stereo input | Unavailable. One live routed stream |
| Setup requiredWhat must be loaded or routed before capture. | One DAW plug-inSystem Audio is built in. Current Windows 11 shares supported MIDI devices; Linux offers Virtual Raw MIDI only after confirmed RawMIDI exclusivity | Plug-in and/or standaloneDAW capture uses an instance; System Audio needs standalone plus installed routing; always-on use needs startup/template setup | Plug-in or standaloneStable System Audio needs loopback/virtual cable; 1.4 Bridge needs plug-in + standalone + matching sample rates | Armed/monitored MIDI trackNo helper or service | MIDI track or JACK routeStandalone needs a JACK-compatible graph connection | One routed DAW plug-inCaptures the signal reaching its track | One Windows DAW plug-inPrefer ASIO and avoid feedback | Installer + background daemonEnable Output to DAW; some hosts must record track output |
| History lengthLongest duration stated by the vendor. | Available. 120 minutesSelectable 1–120; dense audio remains RAM-resident, with separate recovery checkpoints | Available. Up to 90 minutesProduct, Welcome, and settings agree; other manual sentences conflict at 30/60 | Available. Stable: 10 minutesDefault 45 seconds; 1.4 beta says increased but gives no number | Available. 60 minutesDefault 60 seconds; adjustable to one hour | Limited. No published limitCurrent source appears memory-bound; this is not a vendor guarantee | Limited. Maximum not statedHistory length is adjustable | Unavailable. NoneLive input, not retrospective | Unavailable. NoneLive routing or deliberate recording |
| MIDI / MPE exportWhat MIDI data survives export. | Available. MPE/UMP buffer + SMFMPE, note expression, UMP, and raw events stay in the buffer; SMF export down-converts richer data and writes a .buffr-midi companion | Limited. MPE + CC with destination warningsVendor reports lost MPE in Ableton and truncated CC in Bitwig drag-in | Unavailable. No MIDI | Limited. CC + multichannelMPE explicitly unfinished/not guaranteed | Limited. Basic MIDIMPE theoretical and untested | Unavailable. No MIDI | Unavailable. No MIDI | Unavailable. No MIDI |
| Spectral GrabCan you select by time and frequency before export? | Available. Spectral GrabAlt-drag, audition, then export with FFT, minimum-phase, or linear-phase reconstruction | Unavailable. No spectral workflowTime/waveform selection | Unavailable. No spectral workflowTime/waveform selection | Unavailable. Not applicable | Unavailable. Not applicable | Unavailable. No spectral workflowTime/waveform selection | Unavailable. NoneLive routing only | Unavailable. NoneLive routing/recording only |
| Crash recoveryCan unsaved history return after the host crashes? | Available. Five-second checkpointsSaved instance identity restores audio, MIDI, and markers; an abrupt tail may be lost | Unavailable. RAM cache with loss warningsClosing standalone or changing source/length can clear memory; no checkpoint-restore workflow in its manual | Unavailable. RAM loop onlyFiles are created on drag; no restore workflow in stable manual | Unavailable. No restore workflowManual describes the live plug-in buffer and drag-out | Unavailable. No restore workflowCurrent source keeps instance-memory event vectors | Unavailable. No restore workflowManual describes waveform selection and WAV export | Unavailable. Not applicableNo history buffer | Unavailable. Not applicableNormal DAW/direct recording owns the file |
| Platforms and formatsCurrent operating systems and plug-in formats. | Available. macOS · Windows · LinuxCLAP, VST3, and standalone everywhere; AUv2 on macOS | Limited. macOS · WindowsVST3, AU, AAX, standalone | Available. macOS · Windows · LinuxCLAP, VST3, AU, standalone; format varies by OS | Limited. macOS · WindowsCLAP, VST3, AU; format varies by OS | Limited. LinuxCLAP, VST3, standalone | Limited. macOS · WindowsVST3, AU, AAX; format varies by OS | Limited. WindowsCLAP, VST3 | Limited. macOS · WindowsVST3/AU path varies; Windows virtual input still pending |
| ExportHow captured material leaves the tool. | Available. Audio + MIDI file dragDAW, another BUFFR, accepting app, or file manager; open protocol | Available. Audio + MIDI drag/saveSmart Drag placement guidance in the plug-in | Limited. Audio drag/saveVendor warns some Linux/DAW drag combinations fail | Available. MIDI-file drag | Limited. Generate + clipboard/pasteNot a documented drag gesture | Available. WAV dragTo DAW or browser | Available. Record normally in DAWNo retrospective selection | Available. DAW recording or direct WAVNo retrospective selection |
| Linux drag-outWhether file drag works on Linux desktops. | Available. Wayland/XWayland dragMatari-tested on Hyprland, niri, KDE Plasma, GNOME, and Xfce; Void and NixOS also tested | Unavailable. No Linux build | Limited. Vendor warns drag can failSome Linux distribution/DAW combinations | Unavailable. No Linux build | Unavailable. Clipboard/pasteNo documented drag source | Unavailable. No Linux build | Unavailable. Windows only | Unavailable. No Linux build |
Matari makes BUFFR. Other cells come from first-party vendor material, reviewed August 15, 2026. Product names identify the compared tools; no affiliation or endorsement is implied. Missing docs are not treated as a feature.