Turn your keyboard into a soundboard

Bind MP3 and WAV files to keyboard keys

A keyboard soundboard maps sounds to individual keys. You choose the clip and its key; pressing that key plays the sound. Start with a few easy-to-remember bindings, then add more as you build your collection.

1. Choose a key. Enter the key you want to bind in KeyboardSoundPlayer. A letter such as a works for a first test. Pick keys that do not interfere with controls you use in your games or other apps.
2. Select Audio File. Use the Audio File button to choose and bind an MP3 or WAV file.
3. Start the player. On Home, click Start and wait for KeyboardSoundPlayer is ready.
4. Try your binding. Press the assigned key to play your sound. Repeat the process with other keys for additional clips.

Playing sounds for yourself does not require microphone routing. To share them in a call or game chat, follow the guide to playing sounds through your microphone.

Choose the right key names

Letters use names such as a and b. Other keys have names such as space, enter, f1, and scroll_lock. Use the Key Finder tool on the main page to check what to enter for a particular key.

Bindings use individual key presses. Uppercase and lowercase letters are treated the same, and combinations such as Ctrl+A are read as two separate key presses.

Put playback controls on your keyboard

The Text button also lets you bind functions. Assign a function to a spare key to control the soundboard while you use it:

• reset() clears all audio channels.
• pause() pauses all sounds, and unpause() resumes them.
• toggle() toggles the sound player. Commands are disabled while the player is toggled off.

In Config, the Channels setting controls how many sounds can play at once. Its default is 1. Click Save after changing configuration; saving restarts the player if it is already running.

Add sounds without a local audio file

The YouTube URL button lets you bind audio from a YouTube video. You can also generate a spoken clip from text, or capture recent audio and bind it to your next queued key. Each source gives you another way to build the same keyboard soundboard.

Common keyboard soundboard questions

Does the app window need to stay open?

The GUI does not need to stay open for the sound player to function. Use the GUI to stop it, or use the configured exit key.

How do I stop the player quickly?

By default, press Esc five times in two seconds. You can change Exit Key in Config.

Why can I hear a clip but nobody in my call can?

Local playback and microphone output are separate settings. Enable Output To Mic and complete the Voicemeeter setup so your chat app receives the virtual microphone.