Streaming Audio Processing

Streaming Audio Processing

Design and run real-time audio processing in MATLAB and Simulink using Audio Toolbox streaming objects. These objects maintain internal state across frames, support tunable properties, and provide built-in visualization.

When to Use

• Building frame-based audio processing loops
• Filtering audio in real time (crossover, EQ, shelving, octave)
• Applying dynamic range control (compressor, limiter, expander, noise gate)
• Measuring audio levels (peak, loudness, SPL, octave-band spectra)
• Resampling audio signals (sample rate conversion)
• Applying long impulse responses in real time (frequency-domain filtering)
• Tuning audio parameters interactively while streaming
• Visualizing filter responses or compressor characteristics
• Controlling audio parameters with MIDI devices
• Building audio processing chains in Simulink

When NOT to Use

• Audio device I/O setup with audiostreamer — use the matlab-play-record-audio skill
• Audio plugin generation (VST/AU via createAudioPluginClass)
• Deep learning audio features or inference
• Offline batch processing of entire files without streaming

Workflow

Every streaming audio task follows this pattern:

1. Create source — dsp.AudioFileReader (or audiostreamer for live I/O)
2. Create processing objects — Audio Toolbox System objects configured for your sample rate
3. Visualize responses — call visualize(obj) on filter/DRC objects
4. Open tuning UI — call parameterTuner(obj) for interactive control
5. Process in a loop — read frames, process, write output
6. Clean up — release all objects

% Standard streaming audio processing pattern
reader = dsp.AudioFileReader("input.wav", SamplesPerFrame=256);
fs = reader.SampleRate;