# Audio mixing and sound effects (/en/realtime-media/rtc/build/enhance-the-audio-experience/audio-mixing-and-sound-effects/windows)

> For AI agents: see the complete documentation index at [llms.txt](/llms.txt).

RTC SDK makes it simple for you to publish audio captured through the microphone to subscribers in a channel. In some real-time audio and video use-cases, such as games or karaoke, you need to play sound effects or mix in music files to enhance the atmosphere and add interest. RTC SDK enables you to add sound effects and mix in pre-recorded audio.

      
  
      
  
      
  
      
  
      
This page shows you how to implement audio mixing and playing sound effects in your app.

## Understand the tech

RTC SDK provides APIs that enable you to implement:

* **Audio mixing**

  Mix in music file such as background music with microphone audio. Using this feature, you can play only one file at a time.

* **Sound effects**

  Play audios with a short duration. For example, applause, cheers, or gunshots. You can play multiple sound effects at the same time.

## Prerequisites

Ensure that you have:

* Implemented the [SDK quickstart](/en/realtime-media/rtc/get-started-sdk) in your project.

* Audio files in one of the [supported formats](https://learn.microsoft.com/zh-cn/windows/win32/medfound/supported-media-formats-in-media-foundation).

## Play sound effects and music

This section shows you how to implement playing sound effects and add audio mixing in your app.

To manage audio mixing and voice effects, RTC SDK provides the following APIs:

| Function                                    | Sound effect                                                                                                                     | Audio mixing                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| ------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Play or stop playing a specific audio file  | `preloadEffect`<br /> `unloadEffect`<br /> `playEffect`<br /> `stopEffect`<br /> `stopAllEffects`                                | `startAudioMixing`<br /> `stopAudioMixing`                                                                                                                                                                           |
| Pause or resume playing an audio file       | `pauseEffect`<br /> `pauseAllEffects`<br /> `resumeEffect`<br /> `resumeAllEffects`                                              | `pauseAudioMixing`<br /> `resumeAudioMixing`                                                                                                                                                                         |
| Get and adjust playback position and volume | `setEffectPosition`<br /> `getEffectCurrentPosition`<br /> `getEffectsVolume`<br /> `setEffectsVolume`<br /> `setVolumeOfEffect` | `getAudioMixingCurrentPosition`<br /> `setAudioMixingPosition`<br /> `getAudioMixingPublishVolume`<br /> `adjustAudioMixingPublishVolume`<br /> `getAudioMixingPlayoutVolume`<br /> `adjustAudioMixingPlayoutVolume` |
| Report playback status of audio files       | `onAudioEffectFinished`                                                                                                          | `onAudioMixingStateChanged`                                                                                                                                                                                          |

### Play sound effects

Before joining a channel, call `preloadEffect` to preload the sound effect file. After joining the channel, call `playEffect` to play the specified sound effect file. To play multiple sound effect files simultaneously, set multiple sound effect IDs and call `playEffect` multiple times. After a sound effect is played, the RTC SDK triggers the `onAudioEffectFinished` callback.

To implement this logic, refer to the following sample code:

```cpp
void CAgoraEffectDlg::OnBnClickedButtonPreload()
{
  if (m_cmbEffect.GetCurSel() < 0)
  {
    return;
  }
  CString strEffect;
  m_cmbEffect.GetWindowText(strEffect);
  std::string strPath = cs2utf8(strEffect);
  // Preload the sound effect file
  m_rtcEngine->preloadEffect(m_mapEffect[strEffect], strPath.c_str());
  CString strInfo;
  strInfo.Format(_T("preload effect: path:%s"), strEffect);
  m_lstInfo.InsertString(m_lstInfo.GetCount(), strInfo);
}

void CAgoraEffectDlg::OnBnClickedButtonUnloadEffect()
{
  if (m_cmbEffect.GetCurSel() < 0)
  {
    return;
  }
  CString strEffect;
  m_cmbEffect.GetWindowText(strEffect);
  // Unload the preloaded sound effect file
  m_rtcEngine->unloadEffect(m_mapEffect[strEffect]);
  CString strInfo;
  strInfo.Format(_T("unload effect: path:%s"), strEffect);
  m_lstInfo.InsertString(m_lstInfo.GetCount(), strInfo);
}

void CAgoraEffectDlg::OnBnClickedButtonPauseEffect()
{
  if (m_cmbEffect.GetCurSel() < 0)
  {
    return;
  }
  CString strEffect;
  m_cmbEffect.GetWindowText(strEffect);
  // Pause playing the specified sound effect file
  m_rtcEngine->pauseEffect(m_mapEffect[strEffect]);

  CString strInfo;
  strInfo.Format(_T("pause effect: path:%s"), strEffect);
  m_lstInfo.InsertString(m_lstInfo.GetCount(), strInfo);
}

void CAgoraEffectDlg::OnBnClickedButtonResumeEffect()
{
  if (m_cmbEffect.GetCurSel() < 0)
  {
    return;
  }
  CString strEffect;
  m_cmbEffect.GetWindowText(strEffect);
  // Resume playing the specified sound effect file
  int ret = m_rtcEngine->resumeEffect(m_mapEffect[strEffect]);

  CString strInfo;
  strInfo.Format(_T("resume effect ret:%d : path:%s"), ret, strEffect);
  m_lstInfo.InsertString(m_lstInfo.GetCount(), strInfo);
}

void CAgoraEffectDlg::OnBnClickedButtonPlayEffect()
{
  if (m_cmbEffect.GetCurSel() < 0)
  {
    return;
  }
  CString strEffect;
  m_cmbEffect.GetWindowText(strEffect);
  std::string strFile = cs2utf8(strEffect);
  CString strLoops;
  m_edtLoops.GetWindowText(strLoops);
  int loops = _ttol(strLoops);
  if (loops == 0) {
    m_edtLoops.SetWindowText(_T("1"));
    loops = 1;
  }
  CString strPitch;
  m_edtPitch.GetWindowText(strPitch);
  double pitch = _ttof(strPitch);

  CString strGain;
  m_edtGain.GetWindowText(strGain);
  int gain = _ttol(strGain);

  CString strPan;
  m_cmbPan.GetWindowText(strPan);
  double pan = _ttof(strPan);

  BOOL publish = m_chkPublish.GetCheck();
  // Play the sound effect file
  int ret = m_rtcEngine->playEffect(m_mapEffect[strEffect], strFile.c_str(), loops, pitch, pan, gain, publish);

  CString strInfo;
  strInfo.Format(_T("play effect: path:%s, ret:%d"), strEffect, ret);
  m_lstInfo.InsertString(m_lstInfo.GetCount(), strInfo);
  strInfo.Format(_T("loops:%d, pitch:%.1f, pan:%.0f, gain:%d, publish:%d"),
    loops, pitch, pan, gain, publish);
  m_lstInfo.InsertString(m_lstInfo.GetCount(), strInfo);
}

void CAgoraEffectDlg::OnBnClickedButtonStopEffect()
{
  if (m_cmbEffect.GetCurSel() < 0)
  {
    return;
  }
  CString strEffect;
  m_cmbEffect.GetWindowText(strEffect);
  // Stop playing the specified sound effect file
  m_rtcEngine->stopEffect(m_mapEffect[strEffect]);

  CString strInfo;
  strInfo.Format(_T("stop effect: path:%s"), strEffect);
  m_lstInfo.InsertString(m_lstInfo.GetCount(), strInfo);
}

void CAgoraEffectDlg::OnBnClickedButtonPauseAllEffect()
{
  if (!m_pauseAll)
  {
    // Pause playing all sound effect files
    m_rtcEngine->pauseAllEffects();
    CString strInfo;
    strInfo.Format(_T("pause All Effects"));
    m_lstInfo.InsertString(m_lstInfo.GetCount(), strInfo);
    m_btnPauseAll.SetWindowText(AudioEffectCtrlResumeEffect);
  }
  else {
    // Resume playing all sound effect files
    m_rtcEngine->resumeAllEffects();
    CString strInfo;
    strInfo.Format(_T("resume All Effects"));
    m_lstInfo.InsertString(m_lstInfo.GetCount(), strInfo);
    m_btnPauseAll.SetWindowText(AudioEffectCtrlPauseAllEffect);
  }
  m_pauseAll = !m_pauseAll;
}

void CAgoraEffectDlg::OnBnClickedButtonStopAllEffect2()
{
  // Stop playing all sound effect files
  m_rtcEngine->stopAllEffects();
  CString strInfo;
  strInfo.Format(_T("stop All Effects"));
  m_lstInfo.InsertString(m_lstInfo.GetCount(), strInfo);
}
```

### Incorporate audio mixing

To play a music file, call `startAudioMixing` before or after joining a channel. After you successfully call this method, RTC SDK triggers the `onAudioMixingStateChanged` callback when the mixing status changes. This callback also reports the reason for the state change.

To implement this logic, refer to the following code:

```cpp
void CAgoraAudioMixingDlg::OnBnClickedButtonMixingStart()
{
  CString audioUrl = GetExePath() + _T("\\ID_MUSIC_01.m4a");
  // Start playing the music file
  int ret = m_rtcEngine->startAudioMixing(cs2utf8(audioUrl).c_str(), false, -1);

  CString strInfo;
  strInfo.Format(_T("startAudioMixing path:%s, ret:%d"), audioUrl.AllocSysString(), ret);
  m_lstInfo.InsertString(m_lstInfo.GetCount(), strInfo);
}

// Listen for the onAudioMixingStateChanged callback
void CAudioMixingEventHandler::onAudioMixingStateChanged(AUDIO_MIXING_STATE_TYPE state, AUDIO_MIXING_REASON_TYPE reason)
{
  if (m_hMsgHanlder) {
    PAudioMixingState stateChanged = new AudioMixingState;
    stateChanged->error = reason;
    stateChanged->state = state;
    ::PostMessage(m_hMsgHanlder, WM_MSGID(EID_REMOTE_AUDIO_MIXING_STATE_CHANED), (WPARAM)stateChanged, 0);
  }
}

void CAgoraAudioMixingDlg::OnBnClickedButtonMixingPause()
{  // Pause playback
  int ret = m_rtcEngine->pauseAudioMixing();

  CString strInfo;
  strInfo.Format(_T("pauseAudioMixing ret:%d"), ret);
  m_lstInfo.InsertString(m_lstInfo.GetCount(), strInfo);
}

void CAgoraAudioMixingDlg::OnBnClickedButtonMixingResume()
{  // Resume playback
  int ret = m_rtcEngine->resumeAudioMixing();

  CString strInfo;
  strInfo.Format(_T("resumeAudioMixing ret:%d"), ret);
  m_lstInfo.InsertString(m_lstInfo.GetCount(), strInfo);
}

void CAgoraAudioMixingDlg::OnBnClickedButtonMixingStop()
{  // Stop playback
  int ret = m_rtcEngine->stopAudioMixing();

  CString strInfo;
  strInfo.Format(_T("stopAudioMixing ret:%d"), ret);
  m_lstInfo.InsertString(m_lstInfo.GetCount(), strInfo);
}

void CAgoraAudioMixingDlg::OnNMCustomdrawSliderMixingPlayoutVolume(NMHDR* pNMHDR, LRESULT* pResult)
{
  LPNMCUSTOMDRAW pNMCD = reinterpret_cast<LPNMCUSTOMDRAW>(pNMHDR);
  int pos = m_sldMixingPlayoutVolume.GetPos();
  // Adjust the playback volume of the current music file locally
  int ret = m_rtcEngine->adjustAudioMixingPlayoutVolume(pos);
  *pResult = 0;
}

void CAgoraAudioMixingDlg::OnNMCustomdrawSliderMixingPublishVolume(NMHDR* pNMHDR, LRESULT* pResult)
{
  LPNMCUSTOMDRAW pNMCD = reinterpret_cast<LPNMCUSTOMDRAW>(pNMHDR);
  int pos = m_sldMixingPublishVolume.GetPos();
  // Adjust the playback volume of the current music file on the remote end
  int ret = m_rtcEngine->adjustAudioMixingPublishVolume(pos);
  *pResult = 0;
}
```

<CalloutContainer type="warning">
  <CalloutDescription>
    If you play a short sound effect file using `startAudioMixing`, or a long music file using `playEffect`, the playback may fail.
  </CalloutDescription>
</CalloutContainer>

## Reference

This section contains content that completes the information on this page, or points you to documentation that explains other aspects to this product.

### Sample projects

Agora provides the following open source sample projects on GitHub for your reference.

* [AudioEffect](https://github.com/AgoraIO/API-Examples/tree/main/windows/APIExample/APIExample/Advanced/AudioEffect)
* [AudioMixing](https://github.com/AgoraIO/API-Examples/tree/main/windows/APIExample/APIExample/Advanced/AudioMixing)

Download or view the source code for more detailed examples.

### API reference

* [`preloadEffect`](https://api-ref.agora.io/en/video-sdk/cpp/4.x/API/class_irtcengine.html#api_irtcengine_preloadeffect)

* [`playEffect`](https://api-ref.agora.io/en/video-sdk/cpp/4.x/API/class_irtcengine.html#api_irtcengine_playeffect3)

* [`onAudioEffectFinished`](https://api-ref.agora.io/en/video-sdk/cpp/4.x/API/class_irtcengineeventhandler.html#callback_irtcengineeventhandler_onaudioeffectfinished)

* [`startAudioMixing`](https://api-ref.agora.io/en/video-sdk/cpp/4.x/API/class_irtcengine.html#api_irtcengine_startaudiomixing)

* [`onAudioMixingStateChanged`](https://api-ref.agora.io/en/video-sdk/cpp/4.x/API/class_irtcengineeventhandler.html#callback_irtcengineeventhandler_onaudiomixingstatechanged)

* [`pauseAudioMixing`](https://api-ref.agora.io/en/video-sdk/cpp/4.x/API/class_irtcengine.html#api_irtcengine_pauseaudiomixing)

* [`resumeAudioMixing`](https://api-ref.agora.io/en/video-sdk/cpp/4.x/API/class_irtcengine.html#api_irtcengine_resumeaudiomixing)

* [`stopAudioMixing`](https://api-ref.agora.io/en/video-sdk/cpp/4.x/API/class_irtcengine.html#api_irtcengine_stopaudiomixing)

* [`adjustAudioMixingPlayoutVolume`](https://api-ref.agora.io/en/video-sdk/cpp/4.x/API/class_irtcengine.html#api_irtcengine_adjustaudiomixingplayoutvolume)

* [`adjustAudioMixingPublishVolume`](https://api-ref.agora.io/en/video-sdk/cpp/4.x/API/class_irtcengine.html#api_irtcengine_adjustaudiomixingpublishvolume)