'''PLAY''' is a statement that plays notes of sound through the sound card in QB64 using a command [[STRING]].


{{PageSyntax}}
::: '''PLAY ''commandstring$'''''


{{Parameters}}
* The ''commandstring'' can be any literal or variable [[STRING]] consisting of the following uppercase or lowercase commands:
:*'''O'''n - Sets the current octave (from 0 to 6). Example: '''{{text|PLAY "O3"|green}}'''
:*'''&lt;''' - Down one octave (cannot be below zero). Example: '''{{text|PLAY "&lt;&lt;"|green}}''' 'goes down two octaves.
:*'''>''' - Up one octave (cannot be above 6). Example: '''{{text|PLAY ">>"|green}}''' ' goes up two octaves.
:*'''A''', '''B''', '''C''', '''D''', '''E''', '''F''' or '''G''' are the notes in the current octave. Can use the following suffixes:
::*'''+''' or '''#''' for a sharp note. Example: '''{{text|PLAY "C#"|green}}'''
::*'''-''' for a flat note. Example: '''{{text|PLAY "C-"|green}}'''
:*'''N'''n - Plays a note n by number(n can be between 0 to 84 in the 7 octaves, where 0 is a rest). Example: '''{{text|PLAY "N42"|green}}'''
:*'''L'''n - Sets length of a note (n can be 1 to 64 where 1 is a whole note and 4 is a quarter of a note etc.). Example: '''{{text|PLAY "L4"|green}}'''
::*'''MS''' - Each note plays 3/4 of length set by L (staccato)
::*'''MN''' - Each note plays 7/8 of length set by L (normal)
::*'''ML''' - Each note plays full length set by L (legato)
::*'''P'''n - Pause in the duration of n quarternotes (n can be 1 to 64) corresponding to L, Example: '''{{text|PLAY "P32"|green}}'''
::*'''T'''n - Tempo sets number of L4 quarter notes per minute (n can be 32 to 255 where 120 is the default). Example: '''{{text|PLAY "T180"|green}}'''
:::*''' .  '''  - period after a note plays 1½ times the note length determined by L * T.
:::*'''.. '''  - two periods plays 1-3/4 times the note length determined by L * T.
:*''',  '''  - '''commas in QB64''' stop play advancement to allow more than one note to be played simultaneously. Example: '''{{text|PLAY "C,E,G,"|green}}'''
:*'''V'''n - Volume in '''QB64 only''' can be any volume from 0(none) to 100(full).  The default level is 50 when '''n''' is not specified. 
:*'''MF''' - Play music in the foreground (each note must be completed before another can start).
:*'''MB''' - Play music in the background while program code execution continues (QB64 has no note buffer limits).
:*'''X''' '''+''' [[VARPTR$]](string-expression) - executes a command string variable. '''MUST be used with variables!'''.


''Usage:''
* MB will allow music to play while program code progresses. MF will wait for code to continue playing notes.
* Command string values are not case sensitive and spacing is ignored. Use upper or lower case as desired.
*'''NOTE: In QB64, PLAY may NOT delay program progress! Use [[_DELAY]] and [[END]] to allow music completion.'''


''Example 1:'' Plays a sound with the volume and note varying from 0 to 50. Maximum note can only be 84.
{{CodeStart}} '' ''
{{Cl|PLAY}} "mll64"
{{Cl|DO}}
    {{Cl|FOR...NEXT|FOR}} x = 1 {{Cl|TO}} 50
        a$ = a$ + "v" + {{Cl|LTRIM$}}({{Cl|STR$}}(x)) + "n" + {{Cl|LTRIM$}}({{Cl|STR$}}(x))
    {{Cl|NEXT}}
    {{Cl|FOR...NEXT|FOR}} x = 50 {{Cl|TO}} 1 {{Cl|STEP}} -1
        a$ = a$ + "v" + {{Cl|LTRIM$}}({{Cl|STR$}}(x)) + "n" + {{Cl|LTRIM$}}({{Cl|STR$}}(x))
    {{Cl|NEXT}}
    {{Cl|PLAY}} a$
    a$ = ""
{{Cl|LOOP}} {{Cl|UNTIL}} {{Cl|INKEY$}} &lt;> ""
{{Cl|PLAY}} "v10l1c,l4egl2o5c,o4l4eg" '' ''
{{CodeEnd}}
{{small|Code by Galleon}}


''Example 2:'' Plays "Frosty the snowman". The lyric printing is not delayed by PLAY in QB64.
{{CodeStart}} '' ''
CLS : PRINT "Frosty the Snow Man" 
{{Cl|FOR...NEXT|FOR}} X = 1 {{Cl|TO}} 2
  PRINT
  IF X = 1 THEN PRINT "Fros-ty the Snow man was a jolly happy soul,"
  IF X = 2 THEN PRINT "Fros-ty the Snow man knew the sun was hot that day"
  {{Cl|PLAY}} "t140o2p4g2e4.f8g4o3c2o2b8o3c8d4c4o2b4a8g2."   'MB removed to print song one line at a time
  IF X = 1 THEN PRINT "with a corn cob pipe and a button nose and two eyes made out of coal."
  IF X = 2 THEN PRINT "so he said Let's run and we'll have some fun now before I melt away."
  {{Cl|PLAY}} "o2b8o3c8d4c4o2b4a8a8g8o3c4o2e8e4g8a8g4f4e4f4g2."
  IF X = 1 THEN PRINT "Fros-ty the Snow Man is a fair-y tale, they say,"
  IF X = 2 THEN PRINT "Down to the vil-lage, with a broom-stick in his hand,"
  {{Cl|PLAY}} "g2e4.f8g4o3c2o2b8o3c8d4c4o2b4a8g2."
  IF X = 1 THEN PRINT "He was made of snow but the chil-dren knew how he come to life one day."
  IF X = 2 THEN PRINT "run-ning here and there all a-round the square, say-in' catch me if you can."
  {{Cl|PLAY}} "o2b8o3c8d4c4o2b4a8a8g8o3c4o2e8e4g8a8g4f4e4d4c2."
  IF X = 1 THEN PRINT "There must have been some magic in that old silk hat they found."
  IF X = 2 THEN PRINT "He led them down the streets of town right to the traffic cop."
  {{Cl|PLAY}} "c4a4a4o3c4c4o2b4a4g4e4f4a4g4f4e2."
  IF X = 1 THEN PRINT "For when they placed it on his head he be-gan to dance a round."
  IF X = 2 THEN PRINT "And he on-ly paused a moment when he heard him hol-ler Stop!"
  {{Cl|PLAY}} "e8e8d4d4g4g4b4b4o3d4d8o2b8o3d4c4o2b4a4g4p4"
  IF X = 1 THEN PRINT "Oh, Fros-ty the Snow Man was a-live as he could be,"
  IF X = 2 THEN PRINT "For, Fros-ty the Snow Man had to hur-ry on his way"
  {{Cl|PLAY}} "g2g2e4.f8g4o3c2o2b8o3c8d4c4o2b4a8g8g2."
  IF X = 1 THEN PRINT "and the chil-dren say he could laugh and play just the same as you and me."
  IF X = 2 THEN PRINT "but he waved good-bye say-in' Don't you cry, I'll be back a-gain some day."
  {{Cl|PLAY}} "o2b8o3c8d4c4o2b4a8a8g8o3c4o2e8e4g8a8g4f4e4d4c2.p4"
NEXT X
PRINT : PRINT "Thump-et-y thump thump, thump-et-y thump thump, look at Fros-ty go."
{{Cl|PLAY}} "t180g8g8g4g4g4a8g8g4g4g4a4g4e4g4d1"
PRINT "Thump-et-y thump thump, thump-et-y thump thump, ov-er the hills of snow."
{{Cl|PLAY}} "t180g8g8g4g4g4a8g8g4g4g4g8g8g4a4b4o3c2c4p1" 
{{Cl|END}}'' ''
{{CodeEnd}}
{{small|Greg Rismoen 12/09/84}}


''Example 3:'' Clicking on the grid enables various notes to be played simultaneously. 
{{CodeStart}} '' ''
{{Cl|DIM}} {{Cl|SHARED}} grid(16, 16), grid2(16, 16), cur
{{Cl|CONST}} maxx = 512
{{Cl|CONST}} maxy = 512
{{Cl|SCREEN (statement)|SCREEN}} {{Cl|_NEWIMAGE}}(maxx, maxy, 32)
{{Cl|_TITLE}} "MusicGrid"
cleargrid
{{Cl|DO}}
    {{Cl|IF}} {{Cl|TIMER}} - t# > 1 / 8 {{Cl|THEN}} cur = (cur + 1) {{Cl|AND (boolean)|AND}} 15: t# = {{Cl|TIMER}}
    {{Cl|IF}} cur &lt;> oldcur {{Cl|THEN}}
        figuregrid
        drawgrid
        playgrid
        oldcur = cur
    {{Cl|END IF}}
    domousestuff
    in$ = {{Cl|INKEY$}}
    {{Cl|IF}} in$ = "C" {{Cl|OR (boolean)|OR}} in$ = "c" {{Cl|THEN}} cleargrid
{{Cl|LOOP}} {{Cl|UNTIL}} in$ = {{Cl|CHR$}}(27)

{{Cl|SUB}} drawgrid
scale! = maxx / 16
scale2 = maxx \ 16 - 2
{{Cl|FOR...NEXT|FOR}} y = 0 {{Cl|TO}} 15
    y1 = y * scale!
    {{Cl|FOR...NEXT|FOR}} x = 0 {{Cl|TO}} 15
        x1 = x * scale!
        c&amp; = {{Cl|_RGB32}}(grid2(x, y) * 64 + 64, 0, 0)
        {{Cl|LINE}} (x1, y1)-(x1 + scale2, y1 + scale2), c&amp;, BF
    {{Cl|NEXT}} x
{{Cl|NEXT}} y
{{Cl|END SUB}}

{{Cl|SUB}} figuregrid
{{Cl|FOR...NEXT|FOR}} y = 0 {{Cl|TO}} 15
    {{Cl|FOR...NEXT|FOR}} x = 0 {{Cl|TO}} 15
        grid2(x, y) = grid(x, y)
    {{Cl|NEXT}} x
{{Cl|NEXT}} y
{{Cl|FOR...NEXT|FOR}} y = 1 {{Cl|TO}} 14
    {{Cl|FOR...NEXT|FOR}} x = 1 {{Cl|TO}} 14
        {{Cl|IF}} grid(x, y) = 1 {{Cl|AND (boolean)|AND}} cur = x {{Cl|THEN}}
            grid2(x, y) = 2
            {{Cl|IF}} grid(x - 1, y) = 0 {{Cl|THEN}} grid2(x - 1, y) = 1
            {{Cl|IF}} grid(x + 1, y) = 0 {{Cl|THEN}} grid2(x + 1, y) = 1
            {{Cl|IF}} grid(x, y - 1) = 0 {{Cl|THEN}} grid2(x, y - 1) = 1
            {{Cl|IF}} grid(x, y + 1) = 0 {{Cl|THEN}} grid2(x, y + 1) = 1
        {{Cl|END IF}}
    {{Cl|NEXT}} x
{{Cl|NEXT}} y
{{Cl|END SUB}}

{{Cl|SUB}} domousestuff
{{Cl|DO}} {{Cl|WHILE}} {{Cl|_MOUSEINPUT}}
    {{Cl|IF}} {{Cl|_MOUSEBUTTON}}(1) {{Cl|THEN}}
        x = {{Cl|_MOUSEX}} \ (maxx \ 16)
        y = {{Cl|_MOUSEY}} \ (maxy \ 16)
        grid(x, y) = 1 - grid(x, y)
    {{Cl|END IF}}
{{Cl|LOOP}}
{{Cl|END SUB}}

{{Cl|SUB}} playgrid
n$ = "L16 "
'scale$ = "O1CO1DO1EO1FO1GO1AO1BO2CO2DO2EO2FO2GO2AO2BO3CO3D"
scale$ = "o1fo1go1ao2co2do2fo2go2ao3co3do3fo3go3ao4co4do4fo"
{{Cl|FOR...NEXT|FOR}} y = 15 {{Cl|TO}} 0 {{Cl|STEP}} -1
    {{Cl|IF}} grid(cur, y) = 1 {{Cl|THEN}}
        note$ = {{Cl|MID$}}(scale$, 1 + (15 - y) * 3, 3)
        n$ = n$ + note$ + ","   'comma plays 2 or more column notes simultaneously
    {{Cl|END IF}}
{{Cl|NEXT}} y
n$ = {{Cl|LEFT$}}(n$, {{Cl|LEN}}(n$) - 1)
{{Cl|PLAY}} n$
{{Cl|END SUB}}

{{Cl|SUB}} cleargrid
{{Cl|FOR...NEXT|FOR}} y = 0 {{Cl|TO}} 15
    {{Cl|FOR...NEXT|FOR}} x = 0 {{Cl|TO}} 15
        grid(x, y) = 0
    {{Cl|NEXT}} x
{{Cl|NEXT}} y
{{Cl|END SUB}} '' ''
{{CodeEnd}}
{{small|Code by JP}}


''Example 4:'' Play strings starting with MB allow program code to run while music plays in background.
{{CodeStart}} '' ''
' 2012, 2013 mennonite
' license: creative commons cc0 1.0 universal
' (public domain) http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

{{Cl|SCREEN}} 12 ' the following works in other screen modes, too
{{Cl|RANDOMIZE}} {{Cl|TIMER}}

{{Cl|PLAY}} "mb l4cf.l8el4fag.l8fl4gl8agl4f.l8fl4a>cl2dl4dl4c.&lt;l8al4afg.l8fl4gl8agl4f.l8dl4dcl2f>l4dc.&lt;l8al4afg.l8fl4g>dc.&lt;l8al4a>cl2dl4dc.&lt;l8al4afg.l8fl4gl8agl4f.l8dl4dcl1f"

{{Cl|DIM}} ccs(1 {{Cl|TO}} 9, 1 {{Cl|TO}} 2)
ccs(1, 1) = 415: ccs(1, 2) = 289
ccs(2, 1) = 185: ccs(2, 2) = 128
ccs(3, 1) = 108: ccs(3, 2) = 75
ccs(4, 1) = 70: ccs(4, 2) = 48
ccs(5, 1) = 48: ccs(5, 2) = 32
ccs(6, 1) = 32: ccs(6, 2) = 20
ccs(7, 1) = 20: ccs(7, 2) = 12
ccs(8, 1) = 10: ccs(8, 2) = 6
ccs(9, 1) = 2: ccs(9, 2) = 2

{{Cl|FOR...NEXT|FOR}} extra = 1 {{Cl|TO}} 23
  {{Cl|FOR...NEXT|FOR}} p = 1 {{Cl|TO}} 9
    gcolor {{Cl|INT}}({{Cl|RND}} * 9 + 14 - 9)
    {{Cl|_DELAY}} .04
    {{Cl|CLS}}
    gscale p
    row = ccs(p, 1)
    cl = ccs(p, 2)
    glocate row, cl
    gprint "000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000"
    glocate row + 1, cl
    gprint "0x00x0xxxx0xxxx0xxxx0x0x000x00x0xxxx0x000x000x0x0xxxx0xxxx0xxxx000x00"
    glocate row + 2, cl
    gprint "0x00x0x00x0x00x0x00x0x0x000xx0x0x0000x000x000x0x0x0000x00x0x00x000x00"
    glocate row + 3, cl
    gprint "0xxxx0xxxx0xxxx0xxxx0x0x000x0xx0xxx00x0x0x000x0x0xxx00xxxx0xxxx000x00"
    glocate row + 4, cl
    gprint "0x00x0x00x0x0000x00000x0000x00x0x0000x0x0x0000x00x0000x00x0x0x0000000"
    glocate row + 5, cl
    gprint "0x00x0x00x0x0000x00000x0000x00x0xxxx0xx0xx0000x00xxxx0x00x0x00x000x00"
    glocate row + 6, cl
    gprint "000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000"
  {{Cl|NEXT}} p
  {{Cl|SLEEP}} 1
  {{Cl|IF...THEN|IF}} {{Cl|INKEY$}} = {{Cl|CHR$}}(27) {{Cl|THEN}} {{Cl|EXIT}} {{Cl|FOR...NEXT|FOR}}
{{Cl|NEXT}} extra

{{Cl|END}}

{{Cl|SUB}} gscale (s):
{{Cl|SHARED}} gscalep
gscalep = {{Cl|INT}}(s)
{{Cl|END SUB}}

{{Cl|SUB}} gcolor (c):
{{Cl|SHARED}} gcolorp
gcolorp = c
{{Cl|END SUB}}

{{Cl|SUB}} gbackcolor (c):
{{Cl|SHARED}} gbackcolorp
gbackcolorp = c
{{Cl|END SUB}}

{{Cl|SUB}} glocate (row, column):
{{Cl|SHARED}} gposxp
{{Cl|SHARED}} gposyp
gposyp = row
gposxp = column
{{Cl|END SUB}}

{{Cl|SUB}} gprint (p$):
{{Cl|SHARED}} gscalep
{{Cl|SHARED}} gposxp, gposyp
{{Cl|SHARED}} gcolorp, gbackcolorp
' # means "use the foreground color here."
' . means "use the background color here."
' _ means "transparent - don't draw this block at all" (you can layer!)
' 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,a,b,c,d,e,f means "do color attribute 0 to 15."
' any letter after f: "use the foreground color here."
{{Cl|IF...THEN|IF}} gscalep &lt; 1 {{Cl|THEN}} gscalep = 1
pcolorp = gcolorp
{{Cl|FOR...NEXT|FOR}} p = 1 {{Cl|TO}} {{Cl|LEN}}(p$):
  {{Cl|SELECT CASE}} {{Cl|LCASE$}}({{Cl|MID$}}(p$, p, 1))
    {{Cl|CASE}} "#", "g", "h", "i", "j", "k", "l", "m", "n", "o", "p", "q", "r", "s", "t", "u", "v", "w", "x", "y", "z"
      pcolorp = gcolorp
    {{Cl|CASE}} "."
      pcolorp = gbackcolorp
    {{Cl|CASE}} "_"
      pcolorp = -1
    {{Cl|CASE}} "0", "1", "2", "3", "4", "5", "6", "7", "8", "9", "a", "b", "c", "d", "e", "f"
      pcolorp = {{Cl|INSTR}}("0123456789abcdef", {{Cl|LCASE$}}({{Cl|MID$}}(p$, p, 1))) - 1
  {{Cl|END SELECT}}
  {{Cl|IF...THEN|IF}} {{Cl|NOT}} pcolorp = -1 {{Cl|THEN}}
    {{Cl|IF...THEN|IF}} gscalep > 1 {{Cl|THEN}}
      {{Cl|LINE}} ((gposxp - 1) * gscalep, (gposyp - 1) * gscalep)-{{Cl|STEP}}(gscalep - 1, gscalep - 1), pcolorp, BF
    {{Cl|ELSE}}:
      {{Cl|PSET}} (gposxp, gposyp), pcolorp
    {{Cl|END IF}}
  {{Cl|END IF}}
  glocate gposyp, gposxp + 1
{{Cl|NEXT}} p
gposxp = 1
glocate gposyp + 1, 1 'gposyp = gposyp + 1
{{Cl|END SUB}} '' ''
{{CodeEnd}}{{small|Code by Mennonite}}


''Example 5:'' This example uses [[PRINT]] to good effect as string spacing is ignored by PLAY:
{{CodeStart}} '' ''
{{Cl|WIDTH}} 59, 28
{{Cl|PRINT}} &lt;nowiki>
x$ = x$ + "   o3    l4         t         0120c    ml&lt;f1   ,a      1,  "
x$ = x$ + "   >c    1,        mnf        .e  8f   am  l&lt;   e1    ,g   "
x$ = x$ + "   1,    >c       1, mn       g.   f8  ga   8g   8m  l&lt;    "
x$ = x$ + "   f2.,a2.,      >c   2.      ,m  nf   .f  8a     ml&lt;f     "
x$ = x$ + "   ,a,>c,mn     >cd2.,&lt;f2     .,d2     .,&lt;b        -2      "
x$ = x$ + "   .m    lb    -,>d,f,mn>d    ml       &lt;c          1,      "
x$ = x$ + "   &lt;a    1,   f1         ,m   n>       >c          .&lt;      "
x$ = x$ + "   a8    af  ml           c1  ,&lt;       e1          ,g      "
x$ = x$ + "                                                           "
x$ = x$ + "      1,m      n>  g.f8ga8g8m  l&lt;                   f1     "
x$ = x$ + "      ,d1,     &lt;b  -1           ,m                 n>      "
x$ = x$ + "      >f .d    8d  c&lt;            f2               .,       "
x$ = x$ + "      a2  .,   c2  .,>f2.         ml      &lt;      b-        "
x$ = x$ + "      ,>   d,  f,  mn>dml          &lt;c    1,&lt;    a1         "
x$ = x$ + "      ,f    1, mn  >>               c.  &lt;a 8a  fm          "
x$ = x$ + "      lc     2.,&lt;  e2                .,g2   .,mn           "
x$ = x$ + "      >g      .f8  gml&lt;b-,>d,         f,     mn            "
x$ = x$ + "                                                           "
x$ = x$ + ">d      ml  &lt;&lt;f2.,a2.,         >         c2.,m       n>  c."
x$ = x$ + " &lt;a    8a   ml                &lt;e,        g,  >c      ,m  n>"
x$ = x$ + "  cm  l&lt;    &lt;b               -2 .,       >d   2.     ,f  2."
x$ = x$ + "   ,mn>     d2.ml&lt;          &lt;b   -,      >d  ,f      ,m  n>"
x$ = x$ + "    dm      l&lt;&lt;f1,         a1,>c1,mn     >c.&lt;a       8a  fm"
x$ = x$ + "    lc      1,            &lt;e1,g1,mn>g    .f  8g      a8  g8"
x$ = x$ + "    ml      &lt;&lt;           b-         1,   >d   1,           "
x$ = x$ + "    f1      ,mn>f.d8dc  l1           ml  f,    c,    &lt;a  ,f"&lt;/nowiki>
{{Cl|PRINT}} x$;
{{Cl|PLAY}} x '' ''
{{CodeEnd}}{{small|Code by Luke}}


''See also:''' 
* [[SOUND]], [[DRAW]]
* [[_SNDRAW]] (play frequency waves)
* [[_SNDOPEN]] (play sound files)


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