createBufferSource

The createBufferSource method is part of the Web Audio API, a JavaScript API for processing and synthesizing audio within web applications. It is used to create an AudioBufferSourceNode, which is a type of AudioNode that allows you to play back audio data stored in an AudioBuffer.

An AudioBufferSourceNode is an audio source that can be connected to other AudioNodes, such as filters or gain controls, and ultimately to the audio output of the browser. When a buffer source node is started, it plays the audio data contained within its associated AudioBuffer. This data is typically loaded from an audio file using an XMLHttpRequest or Fetch API request, then decoded into an AudioBuffer using the decodeAudioData method of the AudioContext.

The createBufferSource method is called on an AudioContext object. For example, to create a buffer source node, you would write: const audioCtx = new AudioContext(); const source = audioCtx.createBufferSource();. Once created, the buffer source node's buffer property can be set to an AudioBuffer object containing the desired audio data. The start method of the AudioBufferSourceNode is then used to begin playback. This method can optionally take arguments to specify an offset and duration for playback, allowing for precise control over which part of the buffer is played and for how long. The stop method can be used to halt playback prematurely.