SoundService

The ambient sound environment preset used by SoundService.

The Enum.ReverbType this property simulates a range of different environment's impact on sound. Each different option corresponds with a preset available in the FMOD sound engine. For example, when AmbientReverb is set to Hangar, the sound will reverberate differently to simulate being in a large enclosed space.

Changing the AmbientReverb effects the following properties used by Roblox's sound engine.

• Reverberation decay time
• Initial reflection delay time
• Late reverberation delay time relative to initial reflection
• Reference high frequency
• High-frequency to mid-frequency decay time ratio
• Value that controls the echo density in the late reverberation decay
• Value that controls the modal density in the late reverberation decay
• Reference low frequency
• Relative room effect level at low frequencies
• Relative room effect level at high frequencies
• Early reflections level relative to room effect
• Room effect level at mid frequencies

Those interested in finding more out about ambient reverb presets should see the FMOD documentation on the topic. For most developers however, the Enum.ReverbType names are descriptive enough to be able to use this setting without advanced knowledge.

local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local CollectionService = game:GetService("CollectionService")
local SoundService = game:GetService("SoundService")

local localPlayer = Players.LocalPlayer

local reverbTags = {
	["reverb_Cave"] = Enum.ReverbType.Cave,
}

-- collect parts and group them by tag
local parts = {}
for reverbTag, reverbType in pairs(reverbTags) do
	for _, part in pairs(CollectionService:GetTagged(reverbTag)) do
		parts[part] = reverbType
	end
end

-- function to check if a position is within a part's extents
local function positionInPart(part, position)
	local extents = part.Size / 2
	local offset = part.CFrame:PointToObjectSpace(position)
	return offset.x < extents.x and offset.y < extents.y and offset.z < extents.z
end

local reverbType = SoundService.AmbientReverb

while true do
	task.wait()
	if not localPlayer then
		return
	end

	local character = localPlayer.Character

	-- default to no reverb
	local newReverbType = Enum.ReverbType.NoReverb

	if character and character.PrimaryPart then
		local position = character.PrimaryPart.Position

		-- go through all the indexed parts
		for part, type in pairs(parts) do
			-- see if the character is within them
			if positionInPart(part, position) then
				-- if so, pick that reverb type
				newReverbType = type
				break
			end
		end
	end

	-- set the reverb type if it has changed
	if newReverbType ~= reverbType then
		SoundService.AmbientReverb = newReverbType
		reverbType = newReverbType
	end
end

The number of studs to be considered a meter by SoundService when calculating 3D Sound volume attenuation.

By default, the DistanceFactor is 3.33. This means, for the purposes of volume attenuation, a meter is considered 3.33 studs. The greater the DistanceFactor, the more gradually sound will attenuate.

local SoundService = game:GetService("SoundService")
SoundService.DistanceFactor = 1 -- 1 meter = 1 stud
SoundService.DistanceFactor = 10 -- 1 meter = 10 studs

Developers are advised to only change this property if their game uses a different scale. For example, when using larger custom characters, developers may want to reduce the DistanceFactor. In all other cases, Sound settings such as Sound.RollOffMode should be used instead.

Those looking to find out more about how 3D sound in Roblox works, should consult the FMOD documentation.

This property determines the degree to which a 3D Sound object's pitch varies due to the Doppler effect.

The Doppler effect describes a phenomenon whereby the pitch of a sound changes as the source and observer of the sound move further away, or closer together. The Doppler effect can often be seen in real life, such as when a car with a siren drives past.

Increasing this value exaggerates the impact of the Doppler effect, whereas decreasing it minimizes it. By default, the value of this property is 1.

local SoundService = game:GetService("SoundService")
SoundService.DopplerScale = 1 -- default
SoundService.DopplerScale = 2 -- exaggerated Doppler effect
SoundService.DopplerEffect = 0.5 -- subdued Doppler effect

Note the Doppler effect has no impact on 2D Sounds, (Sounds not parented to a BasePart or Attachment).

Developers wishing to learn more about the different settings Roblox's sound engine uses should consult the FMOD documentation.

The RespectFilteringEnabled property determines whether Sound playback is replicated from the client to the server, and therefore from server. In other words, when a LocalScript calls Sound:Play() and this property is true, the sound will only play on the respective client. If the property is false, other clients will also hear the sound.

Sets how fast 3D Sound volume attenuates, or 'rolls off'.

Note, this property only applies to Sounds whose Sound.RollOffMode property is set to 'Inverse' or 'InverseTapered'. 'Linear' and 'LinearSquare' Enum.RollOffMode use a different attenuation model which is not influenced by this property. This property also has no impact on 2D sounds (Sounds not parented to a BasePart or Attachment).

The higher the RolloffScale, the more rapidly a 3D sound's volume will attenuate as the distance between the listener and the sound increases.

By default the roll off scale is set to 1, which simulates the real world.

local SoundService = game:GetService("SoundService")
SoundService.RolloffScale = 1 -- attenuation simulates real world
SoundService.RolloffScale = 2 -- sound attenuates twice as fast as the real world

Developers wishing to learn more about the different settings Roblox's sound engine uses should consult the FMOD documentation.

This function returns the SoundService current listener type and what is set as listener.

The first result returned is the Enum.ListenerType of the listener, the second result is dependent on the ListenerType:

The listener can be changed using SoundService:SetListener().

local SoundService = game:GetService("SoundService")
SoundService:SetListener(Enum.ListenerType.CFrame, CFrame.new(0, 0, 0))
local listenerType, listener = SoundService:GetListener()
print(listenerType, listener)

What is a listener?

The listener determines the point from which audio in the game is being 'heard' by the player. For 3D Sounds (Sounds parented to a BasePart or Attachment) the listener influences the volume and left/right balance of a playing sound. Listeners have no influence on the playback of 2D sounds as they have no position of emission.

By default, the listener is set to the CurrentCamera. However, a range of different types of listeners can be used.

Returns

Parameters

Returns

Parameters

Returns

Plays a Sound locally, meaning the sound will only be heard by the client calling this function, regardless of where it's parented to. This function is most useful for playing a Sound locally in the Studio client, for instance in a Script for a Plugin.

Parameters

Returns

local ServerScriptService = game:GetService("ServerScriptService")
local SoundService = game:GetService("SoundService")

-- Create custom plugin button
local toolbar = plugin:CreateToolbar("Empty Script Adder")
local newScriptButton = toolbar:CreateButton("Add Script", "Create an empty Script", "rbxassetid://1507949215")

local function playLocalSound(soundId)
	local sound = Instance.new("Sound")
	sound.SoundId = soundId
	SoundService:PlayLocalSound(sound)
	sound.Ended:Wait()
	sound:Destroy()
end

local function onNewScriptButtonClicked()
	-- Create new empty script
	local newScript = Instance.new("Script")
	newScript.Source = ""
	newScript.Parent = ServerScriptService
	playLocalSound("rbxassetid://0") -- Insert audio asset ID here
end

newScriptButton.Click:Connect(onNewScriptButtonClicked)

Sets the listener used by the client.

The first parameter is the Enum.ListenerType of the listener, the second parameter is dependent on the listener type.

• Camera ListenerType - Does not return a listener object as Workspace.CurrentCamera is always used
• CFrame ListenerType - The CFrame to be used
• ObjectPosition ListenerType - The BasePart to be used
• ObjectCFrame ListenerType - The BasePart to be used

The listener can be retrieved using SoundService:GetListener():

local SoundService = game:GetService("SoundService")
SoundService:SetListener(Enum.ListenerType.CFrame, CFrame.new(0, 0, 0))
local listenerType, listener = SoundService:GetListener()
print(listenerType, listener)

What is a listener?

The SoundService listener determines the point from which audio in the game is being 'heard' by the player. For 3D Sounds (sounds parented to a BasePart or Attachment) the listener influences the volume and left/right balance of a playing sound. Listeners have no influence on the playback of 2D sounds as they have no position of emission.

By default, the listener is set to the CurrentCamera. However, a range of different types of listeners can be used.

Parameters

Returns