Tone.js
-A collection of building blocks extending and wrapping the Web Audio API.
-Installation
-Tone.js can be used with or without RequireJS
-RequireJS
-RequireJS is a JavaScript module loader which Tone.js uses internally
-for dependency management. It is a powerful tool for development and deploying. Using r.js (RequireJS's optimizer)
-can bring package size down significantly since it will only load the modules used in your code.
-There are a couple ways to use the tone library with require.js and r.js.
-The best way to use with Tone.js is to make a path to the base directory:
-require.config({
- baseUrl: './base',
- paths: {
- "Tone" : "pathto/Tone.js/Tone"
- }
-});
-without RequireJS
-Tone.js can also be used without RequireJS. If you include the Tone.js Build
-as a script tag at the top of your page, a global called Tone will be added to the window.
-<script type="text/javascript" src="pathto/Tone.js"></script>
-AudioContext
-Tone.js creates an AudioContext when it loads and shims it for maximum browser compatibility. The AudioContext can be found at
-Tone.context or from within any Node in the Tone library as this.context. For AudioNodes
-to be able to connect together, they need to be created from the same AudioContext.
-Audio Sources
-Tone.js simplifies the creation of oscillators and buffer players.
-//a square wave at 440hz:
-var osc = new Tone.Oscillator(440, "square");
-//connect it to the master output
-osc.toMaster();
-osc.start();
-//a buffer player which plays as soon as it's loaded
-//the second argument is an onload callback
-var player = new Tone.Player("./sound.mp3", function(){
- player.start();
-});
-player.toMaster();
-Transport and Timing
-A unique feature of the library is the oscillator-based Transport which allows for simple synchronization of
-sources and signals. The Transport allows you to register callbacks at precise moments along and get a callback
-with the exact time requested. Pass the time to the Node you'd like to start or automate.
-//this will start the player on every quarter note
-Tone.Transport.setInterval(function(time){
- player.start(time);
-}, "4n");
-//start the Transport for the events to start
-Tone.Transport.start();
-The Transport also allows single events to occur in the future using setTimeout
-//this will start an oscillator 5 seconds from now
-Tone.Transport.setTimeout(function(time){
- osc.start(time);
-}, 5);
-Tone.Transport.start();
-Events can also be arranged on a timeline. Callbacks registered with setTimeline will
-repeat even after the Transport is started, stopped or looped.
-//this will start an oscillator 5 seconds from now
-Tone.Transport.setTimeline(function(time){
- console.log("first measure")
-}, "1:0:0");
-Tone.Transport.setLoopEnd("4:0:0");
-Tone.Transport.start();
-Time
-In the Tone library, time can be described in a number of ways. Any method
-which takes a time as a parameter will accept any of these forms:
-Number: these will be taken literally as the time (in seconds).
-Notation: describes time in BPM and time signature relative values.
-
-- "4n" = quarter note
-- "8t" = eighth note triplet
-- "2m" = two measures
-
-Transport Time: will also provide tempo and time signature relative times in the form BARS:QUARTERS:SIXTEENTHS.
-
-- "32:0:0" = start of the 32nd measure.
-- "4:3:2" = 4 bars + 3 quarter notes + 2 sixteenth notes.
-
-Frequency: seconds can also be described in Hz.
-
-- "1hz" = 1 second
-- "5hz" = 0.2 seconds
-
-Now-Relative: prefix any of the above with "+" and it will be interpreted as "the current time + "
-
-- "+1m" = 1 measure from now
-- "+0.5" = half a second from now
-
-Components
-Tone.js provides a number number of useful components for building synthesizers and audio applications.
-
-Control Signals
-Like the underlying Web Audio API, Tone.js is built to work with audio-rate signal control of many parameters.
-This is a powerful feature which allows for sample-accurate synchronization of multiple parameters with a single
-signal and also lets you connect an LFO to nearly anything.
-//use the same LFO to create a vibrato on a oscillator and pan the audio L/R
-var lfo = new Tone.LFO(3, 0, 1); //3hz signal between 0-1
-
-var panner = new Tone.Panner();
-lfo.connect(panner.pan); //connect the lfo to the signal which controls panning
-
-var scaler = new Tone.Scale(420, 460); //scale the lfo signal from 0-1 to 420-460
-var osc = new Tone.Oscillator(440, "sine"); //create an oscillator
-
-//route the lfo through the scaler to the oscillator frequency
-lfo.connect(scaler);
-scaler.connect(osc.frequency);
-
-//connect the oscillator to the panner and the panner to master
-osc.connect(panner);
-panner.toMaster();
-
-//start the oscillator and the lfo
-lfo.start();
-osc.start();
-Examples
-More examples can be found here.
-Documentation
-JSDocs are here.
-