# Analyze sound without playing it out loud

**URL:** <https://discourse.processing.org/t/analyze-sound-without-playing-it-out-loud/44339>\
**Category:** Libraries\
**Created:** [April 24, 2024, 10:58am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/analyze-sound-without-playing-it-out-loud/44339 "2024-04-24T10:58:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![lucedan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f08c70/32.png) [@lucedan](https://discourse.processing.org/u/lucedan)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 10:58am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/analyze-sound-without-playing-it-out-loud/44339/1 "2024-04-24T10:58:11Z")

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Hello,

I am creating a patch to add visuals to my musical composition. So, I am planning to have a number of musical channels (in and out) in SuperCollider. Then, I would like to listen to have Processing listen to these sound channels and moving accordingly using the analyze() and analyze(spectrum) methods. I am a bit lost about how to achieve all these in a live-setting.

However, right now I am stuck at the very easiest step: how to analyze a sound without playing it back out loud with Processing? I am making experiments with the SoundFile() class, and everything works fine. Then, when I try to silence the SoundFile through the method amp(0), my analyze() method is not able to detect anything anymore. Does anybody know how to have Processing analyze a sound without playing it out loud through the output channels?

Best  
Luca

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**Author:** ![alptugan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/alptugan/32/19406_2.png) [@alptugan](https://discourse.processing.org/u/alptugan)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2024, 11:35am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/analyze-sound-without-playing-it-out-loud/44339/2 "2024-04-25T11:35:05Z")

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You can do that using virtual audio routing apps. If you are on Mac check [BlackHole](https://existential.audio/blackhole/). I don’t know any similar app that does the same thing for free on Windows. It can be a little tricky to setup what you want. If you google “virtual audio routing/app/tutorial/etc…” you can find information on the topic.

But if I were you, I would analyze the sound using SC and pass the data to Processing via OSC to create audio-reactive stuff. I think SC is much more better than Processing in terms of sound analysis stuff.