Audio Processing with Web Audio API
By Simon Tingle
•
15 min read
#web-audio-api#javascript#music
## Web Audio API Fundamentals
The Web Audio API provides a powerful and versatile system for controlling audio on the web. Let's explore its core concepts.
#Audio Context
The AudioContext is your gateway to audio manipulation:
const audioContext = new AudioContext();#Audio Nodes
Audio nodes are the building blocks of audio graphs. Common nodes include:
- AudioBufferSourceNode: Plays audio data - GainNode: Controls volume - BiquadFilterNode: Applies EQ - AnalyserNode: Provides frequency analysis
#Audio Graph
Connect nodes together to create complex audio processing chains:
source.connect(filter);
filter.connect(gain);
gain.connect(audioContext.destination);Advanced Techniques
#Real-time Frequency Analysis
Use the Analyser node to get frequency data for visualizations:
const analyser = audioContext.createAnalyser();
const dataArray = new Uint8Array(analyser.frequencyBinCount);
analyser.getByteFrequencyData(dataArray);#Custom Audio Processing
For advanced processing, use AudioWorklet:
audioContext.audioWorklet.addModule('processor.js');
const workletNode = new AudioWorkletNode(audioContext, 'my-processor');Conclusion
The Web Audio API opens up endless possibilities for creative audio applications. Start simple and gradually add complexity as you learn the APIs.