react-native-sound-analyzer

Real-time audio recording and sound type detection for React Native. Supports Android and iOS.

Detects five sound types: Silent, Normal, Screaming, BackgroundNoise, Speaking+BackgroundNoise.

Installation

npm install react-native-sound-analyzer

iOS

npx pod-install

Android

No extra steps — auto-linked.

Permissions

Android

Add to AndroidManifest.xml:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO" />

iOS

Add to Info.plist:

<key>NSMicrophoneUsageDescription</key>
<string>Microphone access is needed to analyze audio.</string>

Usage

Hook (recommended)

import { useAudioAnalyzer } from "react-native-sound-analyzer";

export default function App() {
  const { isRecording, volume, noiseLevel, soundType, start, stop } =
    useAudioAnalyzer();

  return (
    <>
      <Text>{soundType}</Text>
      <Button
        title={isRecording ? "Stop" : "Start"}
        onPress={isRecording ? stop : start}
      />
    </>
  );
}

Direct API

import { SoundRecorder } from "react-native-sound-analyzer";

// Start recording
const info = await SoundRecorder.startRecording();
console.log(info.path); // file path of the recording

// Listen to real-time analysis
const sub = SoundRecorder.onAudioAnalysis((data) => {
  console.log(data.soundType, data.volume, data.noiseLevel);
});

// Listen to sound type changes only
const sub2 = SoundRecorder.onSoundTypeDetected((data) => {
  console.log(data.soundType); // e.g. "Screaming"
});

// Stop recording
const result = await SoundRecorder.stopRecording();
console.log(result.duration, result.sizeInKB);

// Clean up listeners
sub.remove();
sub2.remove();

API

useAudioAnalyzer()

| Return value | Type | Description | | ------------- | --------------------- | ----------------------------- | | isRecording | boolean | Whether recording is active | | volume | number | Current RMS volume level | | noiseLevel | number | Average frequency magnitude | | soundType | SoundType | Detected sound classification | | start() | () => Promise<void> | Start recording and analysis | | stop() | () => Promise<void> | Stop recording and analysis |

SoundRecorder

| Method | Returns | Description | | ------------------------- | ------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------- | | startRecording() | Promise<RecordingInfo> | Start recording | | stopRecording() | Promise<RecordingInfo> | Stop and finalize file | | getIsRecording() | Promise<boolean> | Current recording state | | getRecordingInfo() | Promise<RecordingInfo> | File path, duration, size | | getCurrentAnalysis() | Promise<AudioAnalysis> | Snapshot of current levels | | onAudioAnalysis(cb) | EmitterSubscription | Real-time analysis stream (~20Hz on Android, ~1Hz on iOS) | | onSoundTypeDetected(cb) | EmitterSubscription | Fires when sound type changes |

Types

type SoundType =
  | "Silent"
  | "Normal"
  | "Screaming"
  | "BackgroundNoise"
  | "Speaking+BackgroundNoise";

interface RecordingInfo {
  path: string;
  type: string; // 'audio/wav' on Android, 'audio/m4a' on iOS
  duration: number; // seconds
  sizeInKB: number;
}

interface AudioAnalysis extends RecordingInfo {
  volume: number;
  noiseLevel: number;
  soundType: SoundType;
}

Notes

• Android records as .wav, iOS records as .m4a
• Analysis update rate is ~20 per second on Android, ~1 per second on iOS
• Always remove event subscriptions when your component unmounts

License

MIT