diff --git a/com/danitheskunk/skunkworks/audio/nodes/Node.java b/com/danitheskunk/skunkworks/audio/nodes/Node.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..530bee6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/com/danitheskunk/skunkworks/audio/nodes/Node.java
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+package com.danitheskunk.skunkworks.audio.nodes;
+
+import com.danitheskunk.skunkworks.audio.AudioBuffer;
+
+public abstract class Node {
+	private int inCount;
+	private int outCount;
+	private boolean[] isOutConnected;
+	private Node[] inConnections;
+	private int[] inConnectionSlots;
+
+	public Node(int inCount, int outCount) {
+		this.inCount = inCount;
+		this.outCount = outCount;
+		this.isOutConnected = new boolean[outCount];
+		this.inConnections = new Node[inCount];
+		this.inConnectionSlots = new int[inCount];
+		if(outCount > 1) {
+			throw new RuntimeException("more than one out connection not yet" +
+				" " +
+				"allowed, needs handling in getBuffer to only process once");
+		}
+	}
+
+	public static void connect(Node src, int srcSlot, Node dst, int dstSlot) {
+		if(srcSlot < 0 || srcSlot >= src.outCount) {
+			throw new RuntimeException("invalid srcSlot");
+		}
+		if(dstSlot < 0 || dstSlot >= dst.inCount) {
+			throw new RuntimeException("invalid dstSlot");
+		}
+		if(src.isOutConnected[srcSlot]) {
+			throw new RuntimeException("src node slot already connected");
+		}
+		if(dst.inConnections[dstSlot] != null) {
+			throw new RuntimeException("dst node slot already connected");
+		}
+		src.isOutConnected[srcSlot] = true;
+		dst.inConnections[dstSlot] = src;
+		dst.inConnectionSlots[dstSlot] = srcSlot;
+	}
+
+	public int getInCount() {
+		return inCount;
+	}
+
+	public int getOutCount() {
+		return outCount;
+	}
+
+	public abstract AudioBuffer getBuffer(int slot);
+}