A JavaScript Sound API supporting MP3, MPEG4 and HTML5 Audio.

Getting started

Basic SoundManager 2 set-up

Including the script, configuring the url and registering an onready() callback:

<script src="soundmanager2.js"></script>
<script>
soundManager.setup({
  // where to find flash audio SWFs, as needed
  url: '/path/to/swf-files/',
  onready: function() {
    // SM2 is ready to play audio!
  }
});
</script>

Upon execution of soundmanager2.js, SM2 will determine what Flash SWF to load (if any) based on the path defined in soundManager.url.

After successful initialization, soundManager.onready() will fire and sounds can be played.

By default, SM2 uses a Flash 8-based SWF build. Some additional features are available when using the Flash 9-based build.

For a live example, see the basic template demo.

Playing audio

Basic playback control

Once soundManager.onready() has fired, sounds can be loaded and played.

Creating and playing a sound object

// create "mySound"...
var mySound = soundManager.createSound({
  url: '/path/to/an.mp3'
});

// ...and play it
mySound.play();

Additional options and events can be specified when loading and playing sounds. For more examples of playback features, see API Demos.

Bonus

Additional demos

Examples using multi-track playback, progress and combinations of sound and animation:

Armor Alley: Web Prototype (PC-DOS game remake)

Armor Alley is a side-scrolling, real-time vehicle simulation / strategy game, originally released for the Mac and PC-DOS computers in 1990. This web-based remake is a tribute to the attention to detail shown in the original. Your goal is to defend a convoy as it moves into enemy territory; the game ends when a van reaches the opposing base. See the making-of for more.

SURVIVOR (Commodore 64 game remake)

SURVIVOR is a web-based remake of a Commodore 64 game. The goal is to shoot out turrets and destroy bases, while avoiding contact with basically everything around you. Sound was used creatively in the original, and it has been re-implemented in this modern interpretation. See the making-of for more.

Elsewhere

As heard on TV the internets

A few nifty places SoundManager 2 has been seen in use on the Wild World Web:

Articles and presentations

Some other words, pictures and video on the subject of HTML5 and web audio:

• Video, 02/2012: Web Audio: HTML5 + Flash (in a tree) (slides.) Updated HTML5 content, demos and SURVIVOR C64 game demo.
• Video presentation: Adding Sound To HTML (slides) (12/2011)
• Video: Probably, Maybe, No: The State of HTML5 Audio + turntable demo (05/2011)
• 24ways.org article, The State Of HTML5 Audio (12/2010)

Credits and thank-yous

• Icons: Desktop / mobile / iOS device iconography via glyphish.com (CC). Tile background: "Tiny Grid". Homepage header typeface: Chunk (Five) by Meredith Mandel (OFL).
• Music: Seven Or Eight Days courtesy of Adrian Glynn. Graffiti Sex courtesy of The Fugitives, from the album In Streetlight Communion. Let Me, LA, I Tried and People Asking courtesy of SonReal.

Additional experimental demo

The "Wheels Of Steel" started as a simple CSS prototype, and evolved to replicate most of the UI and functionality of a traditional DJ set-up. Pitch bending, scratch and EQ effects are present where supported.

The Wheels Of Steel, a browser-based DJ turntable prototype. For the tech details, read An Ode To Turntables (in HTML.)