Adding Sound to a Java program

File formats

Java can only play the following format sound files: WAV, AU ,AIFF

File locations

Place the sounds (as WAV files) in a folder located under the project folder, e.g. GameSounds

in Java ...

List the path to the sound:
String barkFilename = ".\\GameSounds\\bark.wav";

Methods

It's convenient to make a method to play a sound, just send it the name of the file
playSound(barkFilename);

The method:

 void playSound(String soundName) {
	try {
		AudioInputStream audioInputStream = AudioSystem.getAudioInputStream(new File(soundName).getAbsoluteFile());
		Clip clip = AudioSystem.getClip();
		clip.open(audioInputStream);
		clip.start();
	} catch(UnsupportedAudioFileException | IOException | LineUnavailableException ex) {
		System.out.println("Error with playing sound.");
		ex.printStackTrace( );
	}
}

Other notes:

• clip.start() will start the clip playing and play it until it's done
• clip.loop(n) will loop the clip n times.
• clip.loop(LOOP_CONTINUOUSLY) will just do that.
• Can more than one sound be played at once? YES

Sound problems

Some wave files work and others do not. Why? There is some problem with the CODEC.
Solution: convert to MP3 and then convert back to WAV.

Improvement?** I haven't tested this yet **

If the sound slows your program down too much, you can make the clips global variables instead of the strings for the filenames.
e.g. instead of String barkFilename = ".\\GameSounds\\bark.wav";
this would be the global variable Clip barkClip = ....
That way the getAudioInput stuff can be put into setup() and is done before the game actually starts.