BaseAudioContext: createDelay() method

{{APIRef("Web Audio API")}}

The createDelay() method of the {{domxref("BaseAudioContext")}} Interface is used to create a {{domxref("DelayNode")}}, which is used to delay the incoming audio signal by a certain amount of time.

[!NOTE] The {{domxref("DelayNode.DelayNode", "DelayNode()")}} constructor is the recommended way to create a {{domxref("DelayNode")}}; see Creating an AudioNode.

Syntax

createDelay(maxDelayTime)

Parameters

• maxDelayTime {{optional_inline}}
  • : The maximum amount of time, in seconds, that the audio signal can be delayed by. Must be less than 180 seconds, and defaults to 1 second if not specified.

Return value

A {{domxref("DelayNode")}}. The default {{domxref("DelayNode.delayTime")}} is 0 seconds.

Examples

We have created an example that allows you to play three different samples on a constant loop — see create-delay (you can also view the source code). If you just press the play buttons, the loops will start immediately; if you slide the sliders up to the right, then press the play buttons, a delay will be introduced, so the looping sounds don't start playing for a short amount of time.

const audioCtx = new AudioContext();

const synthDelay = audioCtx.createDelay(5.0);

// …

let synthSource;

playSynth.onclick = () => {
  synthSource = audioCtx.createBufferSource();
  synthSource.buffer = buffers[2];
  synthSource.loop = true;
  synthSource.start();
  synthSource.connect(synthDelay);
  synthDelay.connect(destination);
  this.setAttribute("disabled", "disabled");
};

stopSynth.onclick = () => {
  synthSource.disconnect(synthDelay);
  synthDelay.disconnect(destination);
  synthSource.stop();
  playSynth.removeAttribute("disabled");
};

// …

let delay1;
rangeSynth.oninput = () => {
  delay1 = rangeSynth.value;
  synthDelay.delayTime.setValueAtTime(delay1, audioCtx.currentTime);
};

Specifications

{{Specifications}}

Browser compatibility

{{Compat}}

See also

• Using the Web Audio API