SoundbankResource (Java Platform SE 8 )
Keywords: javax.sound.midi.SoundbankResource class
Date: 2026-04-17

javax.sound.midi

## Class SoundbankResource

- java.lang.Object
- - javax.sound.midi.SoundbankResource

- Direct Known Subclasses:
    Instrument

      public abstract class SoundbankResource
      extends Object

  A `SoundbankResource` represents any audio resource stored in a ``Soundbank``. Common soundbank resources include:
  - Instruments. An instrument may be specified in a variety of ways. However, all soundbanks have some mechanism for defining instruments. In doing so, they may reference other resources stored in the soundbank. Each instrument has a `Patch` which specifies the MIDI program and bank by which it may be referenced in MIDI messages. Instrument information may be stored in ``Instrument`` objects.
  - Audio samples. A sample typically is a sampled audio waveform which contains a short sound recording whose duration is a fraction of a second, or at most a few seconds. These audio samples may be used by a ``Synthesizer`` to synthesize sound in response to MIDI commands, or extracted for use by an application. (The terminology reflects musicians' use of the word "sample" to refer collectively to a series of contiguous audio samples or frames, rather than to a single, instantaneous sample.) The data class for an audio sample will be an object that encapsulates the audio sample data itself and information about how to interpret it (the format of the audio data), such as an ``AudioInputStream``.
  - Embedded sequences. A sound bank may contain built-in song data stored in a data object such as a ``Sequence``.

  Synthesizers that use wavetable synthesis or related techniques play back the audio in a sample when synthesizing notes, often when emulating the real-world instrument that was originally recorded. However, there is not necessarily a one-to-one correspondence between the `Instruments` and samples in a `Soundbank`. A single `Instrument` can use multiple SoundbankResources (typically for notes of dissimilar pitch or brightness). Also, more than one `Instrument` can use the same sample.

- - ### Constructor Summary

    Constructors
    Modifier | Constructor and Description
    --- | ---
    `protected` | `SoundbankResource(Soundbank soundBank, String name, Class<?> dataClass)` Constructs a new `SoundbankResource` from the given sound bank and wavetable index.

  - ### Method Summary

    All Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods Concrete Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method and Description
    --- | ---
    `abstract Object` | `getData()` Obtains the sampled audio that is stored in this `SoundbankResource`.
    `Class<?>` | `getDataClass()` Obtains the class used by this sample to represent its data.
    `String` | `getName()` Obtains the name of the resource.
    `Soundbank` | `getSoundbank()` Obtains the sound bank that contains this `SoundbankResource`.

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

      `clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait`

- - ### Constructor Detail

    - #### SoundbankResource

          protected SoundbankResource(Soundbank soundBank,
                                      String name,
                                      Class<?> dataClass)

      Constructs a new `SoundbankResource` from the given sound bank and wavetable index. (Setting the `SoundbankResource's` name, sampled audio data, and instruments is a subclass responsibility.)
      Parameters:
        `soundBank` - the sound bank containing this `SoundbankResource`
        `name` - the name of the sample
        `dataClass` - the class used to represent the sample's data
      See Also:
        `getSoundbank()`, `getName()`, `getDataClass()`, `getData()`

  - ### Method Detail

    - #### getSoundbank

          public Soundbank getSoundbank()

      Obtains the sound bank that contains this `SoundbankResource`.
      Returns:
        the sound bank in which this `SoundbankResource` is stored

    - #### getName

          public String getName()

      Obtains the name of the resource. This should generally be a string descriptive of the resource.
      Returns:
        the instrument's name

    - #### getDataClass

          public Class<?> getDataClass()

      Obtains the class used by this sample to represent its data. The object returned by `getData` will be of this class. If this `SoundbankResource` object does not support direct access to its data, returns `null`.
      Returns:
        the class used to represent the sample's data, or null if the data is not accessible

    - #### getData

          public abstract Object getData()

      Obtains the sampled audio that is stored in this `SoundbankResource`. The type of object returned depends on the implementation of the concrete class, and may be queried using `getDataClass`.
      Returns:
        an object containing the sampled audio data
      See Also:
        `getDataClass()`

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