ScriptProcessorNode

Deprecated
This feature is no longer recommended. Though some browsers might still support it, it may have already been removed from the relevant web standards, may be in the process of being dropped, or may only be kept for compatibility purposes. Avoid using it, and update existing code if possible; see the compatibility table at the bottom of this page to guide your decision. Be aware that this feature may cease to work at any time.

The ScriptProcessorNode interface allows the generation, processing, or analyzing of audio using JavaScript.

Note: As of the August 29 2014 Web Audio API spec publication, this feature has been marked as deprecated, and was replaced by AudioWorklet (see AudioWorkletNode).

The ScriptProcessorNode interface is an AudioNode audio-processing module that is linked to two buffers, one containing the input audio data, one containing the processed output audio data. An event, implementing the AudioProcessingEvent interface, is sent to the object each time the input buffer contains new data, and the event handler terminates when it has filled the output buffer with data.

The ScriptProcessorNode stores the input in a buffer, send the audioprocess event. The EventHandler takes the input buffer and fill the output buffer which is sent to the output by the ScriptProcessorNode.

The size of the input and output buffer are defined at the creation time, when the AudioContext.createScriptProcessor() method is called (both are defined by AudioContext.createScriptProcessor()'s bufferSize parameter). The buffer size must be a power of 2 between 256 and 16384, that is 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192 or 16384. Small numbers lower the latency, but large number may be necessary to avoid audio breakup and glitches.

If the buffer size is not defined, which is recommended, the browser will pick one that its heuristic deems appropriate.

Number of inputs 1
Number of outputs 1
Channel count mode "max"
Channel count 2 (not used in the default count mode)
Channel interpretation "speakers"

Properties

Inherits properties from its parent, AudioNode.

ScriptProcessorNode.bufferSize Read only
Returns an integer representing both the input and output buffer size. Its value can be a power of 2 value in the range 25616384.

Methods

No specific methods; inherits methods from its parent, AudioNode.

Events

Listen to these events using addEventListener() or by assigning an event listener to the oneventname property of this interface:

audioprocess
Fired when an input buffer of a ScriptProcessorNode is ready to be processed.
Also available via the onaudioprocess event handler property.

Examples

The following example shows basic usage of a ScriptProcessorNode to take a track loaded via AudioContext.decodeAudioData(), process it, adding a bit of white noise to each audio sample of the input track (buffer) and play it through the AudioDestinationNode. For each channel and each sample frame, the scriptNode.onaudioprocess function takes the associated audioProcessingEvent and uses it to loop through each channel of the input buffer, and each sample in each channel, and add a small amount of white noise, before setting that result to be the output sample in each case.

Note: For a full working example, see our script-processor-node github repo (also view the source code.)

var myScript = document.querySelector('script');
var myPre = document.querySelector('pre');
var playButton = document.querySelector('button');

// Create AudioContext and buffer source
var audioCtx = new AudioContext();
source = audioCtx.createBufferSource();

// Create a ScriptProcessorNode with a bufferSize of 4096 and a single input and output channel
var scriptNode = audioCtx.createScriptProcessor(4096, 1, 1);
console.log(scriptNode.bufferSize);

// load in an audio track via XHR and decodeAudioData

function getData() {
  request = new XMLHttpRequest();
  request.open('GET', 'viper.ogg', true);
  request.responseType = 'arraybuffer';
  request.onload = function() {
    var audioData = request.response;

    audioCtx.decodeAudioData(audioData, function(buffer) {
    myBuffer = buffer;
    source.buffer = myBuffer;
  },
    function(e){"Error with decoding audio data" + e.err});
  }
  request.send();
}

// Give the node a function to process audio events
scriptNode.onaudioprocess = function(audioProcessingEvent) {
  // The input buffer is the song we loaded earlier
  var inputBuffer = audioProcessingEvent.inputBuffer;

  // The output buffer contains the samples that will be modified and played
  var outputBuffer = audioProcessingEvent.outputBuffer;

  // Loop through the output channels (in this case there is only one)
  for (var channel = 0; channel < outputBuffer.numberOfChannels; channel++) {
    var inputData = inputBuffer.getChannelData(channel);
    var outputData = outputBuffer.getChannelData(channel);

    // Loop through the 4096 samples
    for (var sample = 0; sample < inputBuffer.length; sample++) {
      // make output equal to the same as the input
      outputData[sample] = inputData[sample];

      // add noise to each output sample
      outputData[sample] += ((Math.random() * 2) - 1) * 0.2;
    }
  }
}

getData();

// wire up play button
playButton.onclick = function() {
  source.connect(scriptNode);
  scriptNode.connect(audioCtx.destination);
  source.start();
}

// When the buffer source stops playing, disconnect everything
source.onended = function() {
  source.disconnect(scriptNode);
  scriptNode.disconnect(audioCtx.destination);
}

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
Web Audio API
The definition of 'ScriptProcessorNode' in that specification.
Working Draft

Browser compatibility

DesktopMobile
ChromeEdgeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafariAndroid webviewChrome for AndroidFirefox for AndroidOpera for AndroidSafari on iOSSamsung Internet
ScriptProcessorNode
Deprecated
Chrome Full support 14
Prefixed
Full support 14
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Edge Full support ≤18Firefox Full support 25IE No support NoOpera Full support 22
Full support 22
Full support 15
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Safari Full support 6
Prefixed
Full support 6
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
WebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support 25Opera Android Full support 22
Full support 22
Full support 14
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Safari iOS Full support 6
Prefixed
Full support 6
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
audioprocess event
Deprecated
Chrome Full support 14
Prefixed
Full support 14
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 25IE No support NoOpera Full support 22
Full support 22
Full support 15
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Safari Full support 6
Prefixed
Full support 6
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
WebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support 25Opera Android Full support 22
Full support 22
Full support 14
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Safari iOS Full support 6
Prefixed
Full support 6
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
bufferSize
Deprecated
Chrome Full support 14
Prefixed
Full support 14
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 25IE No support NoOpera Full support 22
Full support 22
Full support 15
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Safari Full support 6
Prefixed
Full support 6
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
WebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support 25Opera Android Full support 22
Full support 22
Full support 14
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Safari iOS Full support 6
Prefixed
Full support 6
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
onaudioprocess
Deprecated
Chrome Full support 14
Prefixed
Full support 14
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 25IE No support NoOpera Full support 22
Full support 22
Full support 15
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Safari Full support 6
Prefixed
Full support 6
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
WebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support 25Opera Android Full support 22
Full support 22
Full support 14
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Safari iOS Full support 6
Prefixed
Full support 6
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes

Legend

Full support
Full support
No support
No support
Deprecated. Not for use in new websites.
Deprecated. Not for use in new websites.
Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.
Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.

See also