Bass.dll v2.4: What It Is, What It Does, and How to Get It
How to Use Bass.dll v2.4 in Your Software
If you are a software developer who wants to add powerful and efficient audio capabilities to your applications, you may want to consider using bass.dll, an audio library that supports a wide range of formats and features. In this article, you will learn what bass.dll is, what it can do for you, how to download and install it, how to use it in your software, and how to troubleshoot common issues with it.
bass.dll v2.4 download
What is Bass.dll and What Does It Do?
Bass.dll is an audio library for use in software on several platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, iOS, Android, UWP, and more. It was developed by Un4seen Developments, a company that specializes in audio software and plugins.
The purpose of bass.dll is to provide developers with powerful and efficient sample, stream (MP3, MP2, MP1, OGG, WAV, AIFF, custom generated, and more via OS codecs and add-ons), MOD music (XM, IT, S3M, MOD, MTM, UMX), MO3 music (MP3/OGG compressed MODs), and recording functions. All in a compact DLL that won't bloat your distribution.
Bass.dll also offers high precision synchronization, speaker assignment, effects, custom DSP, 32 bit floating-point decoding and processing, 3D sound, multiple outputs, loopback recording, native format recording, playback on the \"No sound\" device, adjustable output device update period, Nyquist FFT option, plugin-specific flags support, pre-buffering during stream creation option, Windows mixer settings retention option, and more.
What are the Benefits of Using Bass.dll in Your Software?
There are many benefits of using bass.dll in your software. Here are some of them:
You can play a vast range of music and sound files formats without having to worry about compatibility issues or extra dependencies - You can create and play your own custom sounds and music using samples, streams, and MOD music - You can apply various effects, DSP, and 3D sound to enhance the audio quality and realism - You can record audio from any input device or source, and encode it to different formats - You can use high precision synchronization to sync multiple sounds or events - You can use speaker assignment to control the output channels and devices - You can use a simple and consistent API that is easy to learn and use - You can use a small and lightweight DLL that won't slow down your software or increase its size - You can use a free license for non-commercial use, or a reasonable one-time fee for commercial use
What are the Main Features of Bass.dll v2.4?
Bass.dll v2.4 is the latest version of the audio library, released on 30 April 2021. It has some new features and improvements over the previous versions. Here are some of them:
Support for Windows 11, Linux ARM64, and macOS ARM64 platforms Support for Opus, WebM, MIDI, ADTS AAC, and Apple Lossless formats via add-ons Support for WASAPI loopback recording on Windows 10 and later Support for ASIO channel groups Support for FLAC cue sheets and embedded cues Support for seeking in OGG files with chained bitstreams Support for setting the playback position in MOD music files Support for retrieving the playback position in samples or bytes Support for retrieving the level peak value Support for retrieving the device latency Support for retrieving the device volume Support for setting the device buffer length Support for setting the stream pre-buffer length Support for setting the stream file buffering size Support for setting the stream FFT window size Support for setting the stream mixer flags Support for setting the stream speaker map Support for setting the sample loop points Support for setting the sample ramping option Improved performance and stability
How to Download and Install Bass.dll v2.4
If you want to use bass.dll v2.4 in your software, you need to download and install it on your system first. Here are the steps to do that:
Where to Get the Latest Version of Bass.dll v2.4 and Its Add-ons
The official website of bass.dll is http://www.un4seen.com/, where you can find all the information and documentation about the audio library. You can also download the latest version of bass.dll v2.4 and its add-ons from there.
The download page is http://www.un4seen.com/download.php, where you can choose the platform and version that you need. For example, if you want to use bass.dll v2.4 on Windows 64-bit, you need to download BASS24.ZIP, which contains bass.dll, bass.lib, bass.h, bass.def, bassmix.dll, bassmix.lib, bassmix.h, bassmix.def, basswma.dll, basswma.lib, basswma.h, basswma.def, tag.dll, tag.lib, tag.h, tag.def, and some example files.
If you want to use other formats or features that are not included in the main package, you need to download the corresponding add-ons from the same page. For example, if you want to use Opus format, you need to download BASSOPUS.ZIP, which contains bassopus.dll, bassopus.lib, bassopus.h, and some example files.
How to Choose the Right Version for Your Platform and Needs
Bass.dll v2.4 supports several platforms, including Windows (32-bit/64-bit), Linux (x86/x64/ARM/ARM64), Mac OS X ( Intel/PPC/ARM/ARM64), iOS (ARM/ARM64), Android (ARM/ARM64/x86/x64), UWP (ARM/x86/x64), and more. You need to choose the right version for your platform and needs, depending on the architecture, operating system, and compiler that you use. For example, if you use Windows 64-bit and Visual Studio 2019, you need to download the Windows 64-bit version of bass.dll v2.4 and its add-ons, and use the bass.lib files that are compatible with Visual Studio 2019. If you use Linux ARM64 and GCC, you need to download the Linux ARM64 version of bass.dll v2.4 and its add-ons, and use the bass.a files that are compatible with GCC. You can find more information about the platform and compiler compatibility on the download page, or in the documentation that comes with each package. How to Properly Install Bass.dll v2.4 on Your System
Once you have downloaded the right version of bass.dll v2.4 and its add-ons for your platform and needs, you need to properly install them on your system. Here are the steps to do that:
Extract the ZIP files that you have downloaded to a folder of your choice Copy the bass.dll file and any other DLL files that you need (such as bassopus.dll) to the same folder where your executable file is located, or to a system folder (such as C:\Windows\System32) Copy the bass.lib file and any other LIB files that you need (such as bassopus.lib) to the same folder where your project files are located, or to a library folder (such as C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC\lib) Copy the bass.h file and any other H files that you need (such as bassopus.h) to the same folder where your source files are located, or to an include folder (such as C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC\include) Add the bass.lib file and any other LIB files that you need (such as bassopus.lib) to your project settings, so that they are linked with your executable file Add the bass.h file and any other H files that you need (such as bassopus.h) to your source files, so that they are included in your code Compile and run your software, and enjoy using bass.dll v2.4
How to Use Bass.dll v2.4 in Your Software
Now that you have installed bass.dll v2.4 on your system, you can start using it in your software. Here are some basic steps to do that:
How to Initialize and Free Bass.dll v2.4
The first thing you need to do before using any of the functions of bass.dll v2.4 is to initialize it with the BASS_Init() function. This function sets up an output device for playback or recording, and allocates resources for it. You need to specify the device number, the output frequency, the output flags, and a window handle for error notifications.
The last thing you need to do after using any of the functions of bass.dll v2.4 is to free it with the BASS_Free() function. This function releases all resources used by bass.dll v2.4, including any streams, samples, or MOD music that have been created.
Here is an example of how to initialize and free bass.dll v2.4:
// include bass.h in your source file #include "bass.h" // declare a global variable for error checking DWORD error; // initialize bass.dll with default device, frequency, flags, and window handle if (!BASS_Init(-1, 44100, 0, 0, NULL)) // get the error code error = BASS_ErrorGetCode(); // handle the error printf("BASS_Init error: %d\n", error); // exit the program return 1; // do some stuff with bass.dll // // free bass.dll and all resources BASS_Free(); // exit the program return 0;
How to Create and Play Samples, Streams, and MOD Music with Bass.dll v2.4
One of the main features of bass.dll v2.4 is to create and play samples, streams, and MOD music. Samples are small pieces of sound data that can be played multiple times simultaneously with different attributes. Streams are continuous sound data that can be played once or looped, such as MP3 or WAV files. MOD music are tracker files that contain patterns of notes and samples, such as XM or IT files.
To create a sample, stream, or MOD music, you need to use one of the following functions:
BASS_SampleLoad(): loads a sample from memory or file BASS_SampleCreate(): creates a sample from scratch BASS_StreamCreateFile(): creates a stream from a file BASS_StreamCreateURL(): creates a stream from an internet URL BASS_StreamCreate(): creates a stream from a user-defined function BASS_MusicLoad(): loads a MOD music from memory or file
To play a sample, stream, or MOD music, you need to use one of the following functions:
BASS_SampleGetChannel(): gets a playback channel for a sample BASS_ChannelPlay(): starts playing a channel BASS_ChannelStop(): stops playing a channel BASS_ChannelPause(): pauses playing a channel BASS_ChannelResume(): resumes playing a paused channel
Here is an example of how to create and play a stream from an MP3 file:
// declare a global variable for the stream handle HSTREAM stream; // create a stream from an MP3 file stream = BASS_StreamCreateFile(FALSE, "test.mp3", 0, 0, 0); if (!stream) // get the error code error = BASS_ErrorGetCode(); // handle the error printf("BASS_StreamCreateFile error: %d\n", error); // exit the program return 1; // start playing the stream if (!BASS_ChannelPlay(stream, FALSE)) // get the error code error = BASS_ErrorGetCode(); // handle the error printf("BASS_ChannelPlay error: %d\n", error); // exit the program return 1; // do some stuff while the stream is playing // stop playing the stream BASS_ChannelStop(stream); // free the stream and its resources BASS_StreamFree(stream); How to Apply Effects, DSP, and 3D Sound with Bass.dll v2.4
Another feature of bass.dll v2.4 is to apply effects, DSP, and 3D sound to the samples, streams, and MOD music that you create and play. Effects are sound modifications that can change the pitch, volume, pan, echo, reverb, distortion, and more of the sound. DSP are digital signal processing functions that can manipulate the sound data in various ways. 3D sound are spatial sound effects that can simulate the position, direction, distance, and velocity of the sound source and listener.
To apply effects, DSP, and 3D sound, you need to use one of the following functions:
BASS_ChannelSetAttribute(): sets an attribute of a channel, such as volume, pan, or frequency BASS_ChannelGetAttribute(): gets an attribute of a channel BASS_ChannelSetFX(): applies an effect to a channel BASS_ChannelRemoveFX(): removes an effect from a channel BASS_FXSetParameters(): sets the parameters of an effect BASS_FXGetParameters(): gets the parameters of an effect BASS_ChannelSetDSP(): applies a DSP function to a channel BASS_ChannelRemoveDSP(): removes a DSP function from a channel BASS_ChannelSet3DAttributes(): sets the 3D attributes of a channel BASS_ChannelGet3DAttributes(): gets the 3D attributes of a channel BASS_Set3DPosition(): sets the position, velocity, and orientation of the listener BASS_Get3DPosition(): gets the position, velocity, and orientation of the listener BASS_Apply3D(): applies the 3D changes to the channels
Here is an example of how to apply a reverb effect and a custom DSP function to a stream:
// declare a global variable for the reverb handle HFX reverb; // declare a global variable for the DSP handle HDSP dsp; // declare a custom DSP function that doubles the amplitude of the sound data void CALLBACK MyDSP(HDSP handle, DWORD channel, void *buffer, DWORD length, void *user) // cast the buffer pointer to a short pointer short *data = (short*)buffer; // loop through the buffer data for (int i = 0; i How to Record Audio with Bass.dll v2.4
Another feature of bass.dll v2.4 is to record audio from any input device or source, such as a microphone, a line-in, or a loopback device. You can also encode the recorded audio to different formats, such as MP3 or OGG.
To record audio with bass.dll v2.4, you need to use one of the following functions:
BASS_RecordInit(): initializes an input device for recording BASS_RecordFree(): frees an input device from recording BASS_RecordGetDevice(): gets the current recording device BASS_RecordSetDevice(): sets the current recording device BASS_RecordGetInfo(): gets information on the current recording device BASS_RecordStart(): starts recording from an input device BASS_ChannelStop(): stops recording from an input device BASS_Encode_Start(): starts encoding a channel to a file or stream BASS_Encode_Stop(): stops encoding a channel
Here is an example of how to record audio from the default input device and encode it to an MP3 file:
// declare a global variable for the recording handle HRECORD record; // declare a global variable for the encoding handle HENCODE encode; // declare a callback function that receives the recorded data and passes it to the encoder BOOL CALLBACK MyRecordingCallback(HRECORD handle, const void *buffer, DWORD length, void *user) // cast the user pointer to an encoding handle HENCODE encode = (HENCODE)user; // pass the recorded data to the encoder BASS_Encode_Write(encode, buffer, length); // return TRUE to continue recording return TRUE; // initialize bass.dll with default device, frequency, flags, and window handle as before // initialize the default recording device with default frequency and flags if (!BASS_RecordInit(-1)) // get the error code error = BASS_ErrorGetCode(); // handle the error printf("BASS_RecordInit error: %d\n", error); // exit the program return 1; // start recording from the default input device with default sample format and flags, and use the callback function to receive the recorded data record = BASS_RecordStart(44100, 2, 0, MyRecordingCallback, NULL); if (!record) // get the error code error = BASS_ErrorGetCode(); // handle the error printf("BASS_RecordStart error: %d\n", error); // exit the program return 1; // start encoding the recording channel to an MP3 file with default quality and flags encode = BASS_Encode_Start(record, "lame - test.mp3", BASS_ENCODE_DEFAULT, NULL, NULL); if (!encode) // get the error code error = BASS_ErrorGetCode(); // handle the error printf("BASS_Encode_Start error: %d\n", error); // exit the program return 1; // do some stuff while recording and encoding // stop encoding the recording channel BASS_Encode_Stop(record); // stop recording from the input device BASS_ChannelStop(record); // free the recording device and its resources BASS_RecordFree(); // free bass.dll and all resources as before How to Decode and Encode Audio with Bass.dll v2.4
The last feature of bass.dll v2.4 that we will cover in this article is to decode and encode audio from and to different formats, such as MP3, OGG, WAV, FLAC, and more. Decoding is the process of converting an encoded audio file or stream to a raw PCM data that can be played or processed by bass.dll. Encoding is the process of converting a raw PCM data or a channel to an encoded audio file or stream that can be saved or streamed.
To decode and encode audio with bass.dll v2.4, you need to use one of the following functions:
BASS_StreamCreateFile(): creates a stream from an encoded file that can be decoded and played BASS_StreamCreateURL(): creates a stream from an encoded URL that can be decoded and played BASS_StreamCreateFileUser(): creates a stream from a user-defined file system that can be decoded and played BASS_Encode_Start(): starts encoding