Android examples how to play audio files

Android code examples to play audio asset or resource files. [ Dec-2019 ]

Simple applications with list of audio files. The audio files are stored in botht the res/raw directory and the asset directory. Best to stored audio files in mp3 encoding audio format which is supported by both old and new OS levels.

Android media formats

Image shows workspace layout with audio files (mp3) stored in both assets and res/raw directory.

Select and audio file then press the various play otions:

Raw - Play audio file stored in res/raw directory

Asset - Play audio file stored in asset directory

Network - Play audio files stored remotely

Notification FG - Play using status notification service in foreground

Notification BG - Play using status notification service in background

Play audio file from resource raw directory

/**
 * Play sound file stored in res/raw/ directory
 */
private void playRawSound(String rawName) {
    try {
        // Two ways to provide resource, either using its name or resource id.
        //
        // Name
        //    Syntax  :  android.resource://[package]/[res type]/[res name]
        //    Example : Uri.parse("android.resource://com.my.package/raw/sound1");
        //
        // Resource id
        //    Syntax  : android.resource://[package]/[resource_id]
        //    Example : Uri.parse("android.resource://com.my.package/" + R.raw.sound1);

        String RESOURCE_PATH = ContentResolver.SCHEME_ANDROID_RESOURCE + "://";

        String path;
        if (false) {
            // Build path using resource name
            path = RESOURCE_PATH + getPackageName() + "/raw/" + rawName;
        } else {
            // Build path using resource number
            int resID = getResources().getIdentifier(rawName, "raw", getPackageName());
            path = RESOURCE_PATH + getPackageName() + File.separator + resID;
        }
        Uri soundUri = Uri.parse(path);
        mSoundName.setText(path);

        mMediaPlayer = new MediaPlayer();
        mMediaPlayer.setVolume(1.0f, 1.0f);
        mMediaPlayer.setLooping(false);
        mMediaPlayer.setOnPreparedListener(new MediaPlayer.OnPreparedListener() {
            @Override
            public void onPrepared(MediaPlayer mp) {
                Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(),
                        "start playing sound", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                mMediaPlayer.start();
            }
        });
        mMediaPlayer.setOnErrorListener(new MediaPlayer.OnErrorListener() {
            @Override
            public boolean onError(MediaPlayer mp, int what, int extra) {
                Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), String.format(Locale.US,
                        "Media error what=%d extra=%d", what, extra), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
                return false;
            }
        });

        //
        //  Different ways to load audio into player:
        //   1. Using path to resource by name or by id
        //   2. Using content provider to load audio and passing a file descriptor.
        if (true) {
            // 1. open audio using path to data inside package
            mMediaPlayer.setDataSource(getApplicationContext(), soundUri);
            mMediaPlayer.prepare();
        }   else {
            // 2. Load using content provider, passing file descriptor.
            ContentResolver resolver = getContentResolver();
            AssetFileDescriptor afd = resolver.openAssetFileDescriptor(soundUri, "r");
            mMediaPlayer.setDataSource(afd.getFileDescriptor(), afd.getStartOffset(), afd.getLength());
            afd.close();
            mMediaPlayer.prepareAsync();
        }

        // See setOnPreparedListener above
        //  mMediaPlayer.start();

    } catch (Exception ex) {
        Toast.makeText(this, ex.getMessage(), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
    }
}

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Play audio file from asset directory

/**
 * Play sound file stored in assets/sounds/ directory.
 */
private void playAssetSound(String assetName) {
    try {
        AssetFileDescriptor afd = getAssets().openFd("sounds/" + assetName + ".mp3");
        mMediaPlayer = new MediaPlayer();
        mMediaPlayer.setDataSource(afd.getFileDescriptor(), afd.getStartOffset(), afd.getLength());
        afd.close();
        mMediaPlayer.prepare();
        mMediaPlayer.start();
    } catch (Exception ex) {
        Toast.makeText(this, ex.getMessage(), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
    }
}

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Play mp3 from network source

Example of how to play Audio file found remotely using network access. Before you can complete the remote nework access you have to enable network permission in AndroidManifest.xml

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
 

If your access is using HTTP you need to also enable ClearText.

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/45940861/android-8-cleartext-http-traffic-not-permitted

https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/media/media-formats

Sample code to load network mp3.

/**
 * Play sound file from remote location.
 * Accessing external data not found inside package. SD card or network.
 *   "/sdcard/sample.mp3";
 *   "http://www.bogotobogo.com/Audio/sample.mp3";
 *
 * May require settings in AndroidManifest to enable ClearText and internet permission.
 *
 * See supported file formats
 *   https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/media/media-formats
 * See enable cleartext if network path is using http. Not required for https
 *   https://stackoverflow.com/questions/45940861/android-8-cleartext-http-traffic-not-permitted
 * Add network permission to AndroidManifest.xml
 *   
 */
private void playNetworkSound(String netUrl) {
    try {
        mSoundName.setText(netUrl);

        mMediaPlayer = new MediaPlayer();
        // mMediaPlayer.setVolume(1.0f, 1.0f);
        mMediaPlayer.setLooping(false);
        mMediaPlayer.setOnPreparedListener(new MediaPlayer.OnPreparedListener() {
            @Override
            public void onPrepared(MediaPlayer mp) {
                Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(),
                        "start playing sound", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                mMediaPlayer.start();
            }
        });
        mMediaPlayer.setOnErrorListener(new MediaPlayer.OnErrorListener() {
            @Override
            public boolean onError(MediaPlayer mp, int what, int extra) {
                Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), String.format(Locale.US,
                        "Media error what=%d extra=%d", what, extra), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
                return false;
            }
        });

        mMediaPlayer.setAudioStreamType(AudioManager.STREAM_MUSIC);
        mMediaPlayer.setDataSource(netUrl);
        mMediaPlayer.prepareAsync();        // Use prepareAsync for external sources.

    } catch (Exception ex) {
        Toast.makeText(this, ex.getMessage(), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
    }
}

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Play using Notification service in foreground

Example of how to play Audio file in resource raw directory using the Status bar Notifcation service:

private void notifySound(String assetName) {
    NotificationManager notificationManager = (NotificationManager)getSystemService(Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);

    // Uri soundUri = RingtoneManager.getDefaultUri(RingtoneManager.TYPE_NOTIFICATION);
    String RESOURCE_PATH = ContentResolver.SCHEME_ANDROID_RESOURCE + "://";

    String path;
    if (false) {
        path = RESOURCE_PATH + getPackageName() + "/raw/" + assetName;
    } else {
        int resID = getResources().getIdentifier(assetName, "raw", getPackageName());
        path = RESOURCE_PATH + getPackageName() + File.separator + resID;
    }
    Uri soundUri = Uri.parse(path);

    NotificationCompat.Builder mBuilder = new NotificationCompat.Builder(getApplicationContext())
            .setContentTitle("Title")
            .setContentText("Message")
            .setSmallIcon(R.mipmap.ic_launcher)
            .setSound(soundUri); //This sets the sound to play

    notificationManager.notify(10, mBuilder.build());
}

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Play using Notification service in background

Example of how to play Audio file in resource raw directory using the Status bar Notifcation service in the background. The code uses the same notification code, but first moves the acivity to the back of the stack and moves the home screen to the front. The code also includes buttons in the notification bar to replay the sound.

/**
 * Play sound in background:
 *   1. Move activity to back of stack
 *   2. Bring home page of device into view.
 *   3. Sleep for 2 seconds to make sure we are in background.
 *   4. Play sound using notification, update notification msg.
 */
private void notifySoundBg(String assetName) {
    //  JobScheduler
    boolean sentAppToBackground =  moveTaskToBack(true);
    if (!sentAppToBackground){
        Intent i = new Intent();
        i.setAction(Intent.ACTION_MAIN);
        i.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_HOME);
        this.startActivity(i);
    }

    new Handler().postDelayed (() -> {
        notifySound(getApplicationContext(), assetName, NotifyUtil.getIsForeground(mSoundName));
    }, 2000);
}

Currently both the Replay and the Next buttons on the Notification draw will execute the same Intent and is currently wire to replay the current sound file.

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See Also