audio delay making it work - c

Question

I am trying to implement a simple audio delay in C.
i previously made a test delay program which operated on a printed sinewave and worked effectively.
I tried incorporating my delay as the process in the SFProcess - libsndfile- replacing the sinewave inputs with my audio 'data' input.
I nearly have it but instead of a clean sample delay I am getting all sorts of glitching and distortion.
Any ideas on how to correct this?
#include <stdio.h>
#include </usr/local/include/sndfile.h>//libsamplerate libsamplerate
//#include </usr/local/include/samplerate.h>
#define BUFFER_LEN 1024 //defines buffer length
#define MAX_CHANNELS 2 //defines max channels
static void process_data (double *data, double*circular,int count, int numchannels, int circular_pointer );
enum {DT_PROGNAME,ARG_INFILE,ARG_OUTFILE,ARG_NARGS, DT_VOL};
int main (int argc, const char * argv[])//Main
{
static double data [BUFFER_LEN]; // the buffer that carries the samples
double circular [44100] = {0}; // the circular buffer for the delay
for (int i = 0; i < 44100; i++) { circular[i] = 0; } // zero the circular buffer
int circular_pointer = 0; // where we currently are in the circular buffer
//float myvolume; // the volume entered by the user as optional 3rd argument
SNDFILE *infile, *outfile;
SF_INFO sfinfo;
int readcount;
const char *infilename = NULL;
const char *outfilename = NULL;
if(argc < ARG_NARGS) {
printf("usage: %s infile outfile\n",argv[DT_PROGNAME]);
return 1;
}
//if(argc > ARG_NARGS) {
//
// myvolume = argv[DT_VOL];
//};
infilename = argv[ARG_INFILE];
outfilename = argv[ARG_OUTFILE];
if (! (infile = sf_open (infilename, SFM_READ, &sfinfo)))
{printf ("Not able to open input file %s.\n", infilename) ;
puts (sf_strerror (NULL)) ;
return 1 ;
};
if (! (outfile = sf_open (outfilename, SFM_WRITE, &sfinfo)))
{ printf ("Not able to open output file %s.\n", outfilename) ;
puts (sf_strerror (NULL)) ;
return 1 ;
} ;
while ((readcount = sf_read_double (infile, data, BUFFER_LEN)))
{ process_data (data, circular, readcount, sfinfo.channels, circular_pointer) ;
sf_write_double (outfile, data, readcount) ;
};
sf_close (infile) ;
sf_close (outfile) ;
printf("the sample rate is %d\n", sfinfo.samplerate);
return 0;
}
static void process_data (double *data, double *circular, int count, int numchannels, int circular_pointer) {
//int j,k;
//float vol = 1;
int playhead;
int wraparound = 10000;
float delay = 1000; // delay time in samples
for (int ind = 0; ind < BUFFER_LEN; ind++){
circular_pointer = fmod(ind,wraparound); // wrap around pointer
circular[circular_pointer] = data[ind];
playhead = fmod(ind-delay, wraparound); // read the delayed signal
data[ind] = circular[playhead]; // output delayed signal
circular[ind] = data[ind]; // write the incoming signal
};
//volume
/*for (j=0; j<numchannels; j++) {
for (k=0; k<count; k++){
data[k] = data[k]*-vol;*/
//}printf ("the volume is %f", vol);
return;
}

Answer 1

There are a few issues with your code that are causing you to access out of your array bounds and to not read\write your circular buffer in the way intended.
I would suggest reading http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_buffer to get a better understanding of circular buffers.
The main issues your code is suffering:
circular_pointer should be initialised to the delay amount (essentially the write head is starting at 0 so there is never any delay!)
playhead and circular_buffer are not updated between calls to process_data (circular_buffer is passed by value...)
playhead is reading from negative indices. The correct playhead calculation is
#define MAX_DELAY 44100
playhead++;
playhead = playhead%MAX_DELAY;
The second write to circular_buffer at the end of process_data is unnecessary and incorrect.
I would strongly suggest spending some time running your code in a debugger and closely watching what your playhead and circular_pointer are doing.
Mike

Answer 2

At least one problem is that you pass circular_pointer by value, not by reference. When you update it in the function, it's back to the same value next time you call the function.
I think you are on the right track, here, but if you want something that's structured a bit better, you might also want to checkout this answer:
how to add echo effect on audio file using objective-c

Answer 3

delay in sample can be put as 100 ms would be sufficient