diff --git a/source/Makefile.deps b/source/Makefile.deps
index fda3ea1f7..ae2883762 100644
--- a/source/Makefile.deps
+++ b/source/Makefile.deps
@@ -35,13 +35,13 @@ CARLA_SHM_UTILS_HPP  = $(CWD)/utils/CarlaShmUtils.hpp  $(CARLA_UTILS_HPP)
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # utils (base classes)
 
-CARLA_MUTEX_HPP       = $(CWD)/utils/CarlaMutex.hpp      $(CARLA_UTILS_HPP)
-CARLA_RING_BUFFER_HPP = $(CWD)/utils/CarlaRingBuffer.hpp $(CARLA_UTILS_HPP)
-CARLA_STRING_HPP      = $(CWD)/utils/CarlaString.hpp     $(CARLA_JUCE_UTILS_HPP)
-CARLA_THREAD_HPP      = $(CWD)/utils/CarlaThread.hpp     $(CARLA_MUTEX_HPP) $(CARLA_STRING_HPP)
-LINKED_LIST_HPP       = $(CWD)/utils/LinkedList.hpp      $(CARLA_UTILS_HPP)
-LV2_ATOM_QUEUE_HPP    = $(CWD)/utils/Lv2AtomQueue.hpp    $(CARLA_MATH_UTILS_HPP) $(CARLA_MUTEX_HPP) $(CARLA_RING_BUFFER_HPP)
-RT_LINKED_LIST_HPP    = $(CWD)/utils/RtLinkedList.hpp    $(LINKED_LIST_HPP)
+CARLA_MUTEX_HPP          = $(CWD)/utils/CarlaMutex.hpp        $(CARLA_UTILS_HPP)
+CARLA_RING_BUFFER_HPP    = $(CWD)/utils/CarlaRingBuffer.hpp   $(CARLA_UTILS_HPP)
+CARLA_STRING_HPP         = $(CWD)/utils/CarlaString.hpp       $(CARLA_JUCE_UTILS_HPP)
+CARLA_THREAD_HPP         = $(CWD)/utils/CarlaThread.hpp       $(CARLA_MUTEX_HPP) $(CARLA_STRING_HPP)
+LINKED_LIST_HPP          = $(CWD)/utils/LinkedList.hpp        $(CARLA_UTILS_HPP)
+LV2_ATOM_RING_BUFFER_HPP = $(CWD)/utils/Lv2AtomRingBuffer.hpp $(CARLA_MATH_UTILS_HPP) $(CARLA_MUTEX_HPP) $(CARLA_RING_BUFFER_HPP)
+RT_LINKED_LIST_HPP       = $(CWD)/utils/RtLinkedList.hpp      $(LINKED_LIST_HPP)
 
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # utils (plugin stuff)
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ FLUIDSYNTH_PLUGIN_CPP_DEPS     = $(CARLA_PLUGIN_INTERNAL_HPP) $(CARLA_ENGINE_HPP
 JUCE_PLUGIN_CPP_DEPS           = $(CARLA_PLUGIN_INTERNAL_HPP) $(CARLA_ENGINE_HPP)
 LADSPA_PLUGIN_CPP_DEPS         = $(CARLA_PLUGIN_INTERNAL_HPP) $(CARLA_ENGINE_HPP) $(CARLA_LADSPA_UTILS_HPP) $(CARLA_MATH_UTILS_HPP)
 LINUXSAMPLER_PLUGIN_CPP_DEPS   = $(CARLA_PLUGIN_INTERNAL_HPP) $(CARLA_ENGINE_HPP) $(CARLA_BACKEND_UTILS_HPP) $(CARLA_MATH_UTILS_HPP)
-LV2_PLUGIN_CPP_DEPS            = $(CARLA_PLUGIN_INTERNAL_HPP) $(CARLA_ENGINE_HPP) $(CARLA_LV2_UTILS_HPP) $(CARLA_MATH_UTILS_HPP) $(CARLA_PLUGIN_UI_HPP) $(LV2_ATOM_QUEUE_HPP) $(CARLA_ENGINE_OSC_HPP)
+LV2_PLUGIN_CPP_DEPS            = $(CARLA_PLUGIN_INTERNAL_HPP) $(CARLA_ENGINE_HPP) $(CARLA_LV2_UTILS_HPP) $(CARLA_MATH_UTILS_HPP) $(CARLA_PLUGIN_UI_HPP) $(LV2_ATOM_RING_BUFFER_HPP) $(CARLA_ENGINE_OSC_HPP)
 NATIVE_PLUGIN_CPP_DEPS         = $(CARLA_PLUGIN_INTERNAL_HPP) $(CARLA_ENGINE_HPP) $(CARLA_MATH_UTILS_HPP) $(CARLA_NATIVE_H)
 REWIRE_PLUGIN_CPP_DEPS         = $(CARLA_PLUGIN_INTERNAL_HPP) $(CARLA_ENGINE_HPP) $(CARLA_LIB_UTILS_HPP) $(CARLA_MATH_UTILS_HPP)
 VST_PLUGIN_CPP_DEPS            = $(CARLA_PLUGIN_INTERNAL_HPP) $(CARLA_ENGINE_HPP) $(CARLA_VST_UTILS_HPP) $(CARLA_MATH_UTILS_HPP) $(CARLA_PLUGIN_UI_HPP)
diff --git a/source/backend/engine/CarlaEngineBridge.cpp b/source/backend/engine/CarlaEngineBridge.cpp
index c3b9eae8f..6db345d57 100644
--- a/source/backend/engine/CarlaEngineBridge.cpp
+++ b/source/backend/engine/CarlaEngineBridge.cpp
@@ -97,13 +97,13 @@ struct BridgeAudioPool {
     CARLA_DECLARE_NON_COPY_STRUCT(BridgeAudioPool)
 };
 
-struct BridgeControl : public RingBufferControl<StackBuffer> {
+struct BridgeControl : public CarlaRingBuffer<StackBuffer> {
     CarlaString filename;
     BridgeShmControl* data;
     char shm[32];
 
     BridgeControl()
-        : RingBufferControl<StackBuffer>(nullptr),
+        : CarlaRingBuffer<StackBuffer>(),
           data(nullptr)
     {
         carla_zeroChar(shm, 32);
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ public:
                 }
             }
 
-            for (; fShmControl.isDataAvailable();)
+            for (; fShmControl.isDataAvailableForReading();)
             {
                 const PluginBridgeOpcode opcode(fShmControl.readOpcode());
 
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ public:
                     uint8_t data[size];
 
                     for (int32_t i=0; i < size; ++i)
-                        data[i] = static_cast<uint8_t>(fShmControl.readChar());
+                        data[i] = fShmControl.readUByte();
 
                     CARLA_SAFE_ASSERT_BREAK(pData->events.in != nullptr);
 
diff --git a/source/backend/plugin/BridgePlugin.cpp b/source/backend/plugin/BridgePlugin.cpp
index f57dbd6e8..2eb5fc94c 100644
--- a/source/backend/plugin/BridgePlugin.cpp
+++ b/source/backend/plugin/BridgePlugin.cpp
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ static shm_t shm_mkstemp(char* const fileBase)
     static const char charSet[] = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"
                                   "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"
                                   "0123456789";
-    static const int charSetLen = static_cast<int>(sizeof(charSet) - 1); // -1 to avoid trailing '\0'
+    static const int charSetLen = static_cast<int>(std::strlen(charSet) - 1); // -1 to avoid trailing '\0'
 
     // try until getting a valid shm or an error occurs
     for (;;)
@@ -146,14 +146,14 @@ struct BridgeAudioPool {
     CARLA_DECLARE_NON_COPY_STRUCT(BridgeAudioPool)
 };
 
-struct BridgeControl : public RingBufferControl<StackBuffer> {
+struct BridgeControl : public CarlaRingBuffer<StackBuffer> {
     CarlaString filename;
     CarlaMutex lock;
     BridgeShmControl* data;
     shm_t shm;
 
     BridgeControl()
-        : RingBufferControl<StackBuffer>(nullptr),
+        : CarlaRingBuffer<StackBuffer>(),
           data(nullptr)
     {
         carla_shm_init(shm);
@@ -860,19 +860,19 @@ public:
 
                     CARLA_SAFE_ASSERT_CONTINUE(note.channel >= 0 && note.channel < MAX_MIDI_CHANNELS);
 
-                    char data1, data2, data3;
-                    data1 = static_cast<char>((note.velo > 0 ? MIDI_STATUS_NOTE_ON : MIDI_STATUS_NOTE_OFF) | (note.channel & MIDI_CHANNEL_BIT));
-                    data2 = static_cast<char>(note.note);
-                    data3 = static_cast<char>(note.velo);
+                    uint8_t data1, data2, data3;
+                    data1 = static_cast<uint8_t>((note.velo > 0 ? MIDI_STATUS_NOTE_ON : MIDI_STATUS_NOTE_OFF) | (note.channel & MIDI_CHANNEL_BIT));
+                    data2 = note.note;
+                    data3 = note.velo;
 
                     const CarlaMutexLocker _cml(fShmControl.lock);
 
                     fShmControl.writeOpcode(kPluginBridgeOpcodeMidiEvent);
                     fShmControl.writeLong(0);
                     fShmControl.writeInt(3);
-                    fShmControl.writeChar(data1);
-                    fShmControl.writeChar(data2);
-                    fShmControl.writeChar(data3);
+                    fShmControl.writeByte(data1);
+                    fShmControl.writeByte(data2);
+                    fShmControl.writeByte(data3);
                     fShmControl.commitWrite();
                 }
 
@@ -1007,9 +1007,9 @@ public:
                             fShmControl.writeOpcode(kPluginBridgeOpcodeMidiEvent);
                             fShmControl.writeLong(event.time);
                             fShmControl.writeInt(3);
-                            fShmControl.writeChar(static_cast<char>(MIDI_STATUS_CONTROL_CHANGE + event.channel));
-                            fShmControl.writeChar(static_cast<char>(ctrlEvent.param));
-                            fShmControl.writeChar(char(ctrlEvent.value*127.0f));
+                            fShmControl.writeByte(static_cast<uint8_t>(MIDI_STATUS_CONTROL_CHANGE + event.channel));
+                            fShmControl.writeByte(static_cast<uint8_t>(ctrlEvent.param));
+                            fShmControl.writeByte(static_cast<uint8_t>(ctrlEvent.value*127.0f));
                             fShmControl.commitWrite();
                         }
 
@@ -1090,12 +1090,6 @@ public:
                     if (status == MIDI_STATUS_PITCH_WHEEL_CONTROL && (pData->options & PLUGIN_OPTION_SEND_PITCHBEND) == 0)
                         continue;
 
-                    char data[4];
-                    data[0] = static_cast<char>(status + channel);
-
-                    for (uint8_t j=0; j < 4; ++j)
-                        data[j] = static_cast<char>(midiEvent.data[j]);
-
                     {
                           const CarlaMutexLocker _cml(fShmControl.lock);
 
@@ -1103,8 +1097,10 @@ public:
                           fShmControl.writeLong(event.time);
                           fShmControl.writeInt(midiEvent.size);
 
-                          for (uint8_t j=0; j < midiEvent.size; ++j)
-                              fShmControl.writeChar(data[j]);
+                          fShmControl.writeByte(static_cast<uint8_t>(status + channel));
+
+                          for (uint8_t j=1; j < midiEvent.size; ++j)
+                              fShmControl.writeByte(midiEvent.data[j]);
 
                           fShmControl.commitWrite();
                     }
diff --git a/source/backend/plugin/Lv2Plugin.cpp b/source/backend/plugin/Lv2Plugin.cpp
index d6a533f2d..932bef6b6 100644
--- a/source/backend/plugin/Lv2Plugin.cpp
+++ b/source/backend/plugin/Lv2Plugin.cpp
@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@
 #ifdef WANT_LV2
 
 #include "CarlaLv2Utils.hpp"
-#include "CarlaMathUtils.hpp"
 #include "CarlaPluginUi.hpp"
-#include "Lv2AtomQueue.hpp"
+
+#include "Lv2AtomRingBuffer.hpp"
 
 #include "../engine/CarlaEngineOsc.hpp"
 
@@ -1290,7 +1290,7 @@ public:
     {
         if (fAtomBufferOut.isDataAvailableForReading())
         {
-            char dumpBuf[fAtomBufferOut.getSize()];
+            uint8_t dumpBuf[fAtomBufferOut.getSize()];
 
             Lv2AtomRingBuffer tmpRingBuffer(fAtomBufferOut, dumpBuf);
             CARLA_SAFE_ASSERT(tmpRingBuffer.isDataAvailableForReading());