How to concatenate 2 or 3 audio files in iOS?

Question

I am newcomer in Objective-C and have experience only 5 months in iPhone development.

What I need:
I need to concatenate 2 or more audio files into one, and export result as aiff, mp3, caf or m4a format.

For example:
First audio file containing "You need", second "download" and third "document".
Every audio part depends on actions from user.

I spent 2 days without luck. That place is my last frontier.

I will very appreciate for a piece of code.

Answer 1

I have taken two diffrent mp3 files from AVMutableCompositionTrack. and these two mp3 files are stored in same AVMutableComposition.

when i will press the button the path of new mp3 will be shown by console.

-(IBAction)play
{
    [self mixAudio];    
}

-(void)mixAudio
 {
    CFAbsoluteTime currentTime=CFAbsoluteTimeGetCurrent();
    AVMutableComposition *composition = [[AVMutableComposition alloc] init];

    AVMutableCompositionTrack *compositionAudioTrack = [composition addMutableTrackWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeAudio preferredTrackID:kCMPersistentTrackID_Invalid];
    [compositionAudioTrack setPreferredVolume:0.8];
    NSString *soundOne  =[[NSBundle mainBundle]pathForResource:@"KICK1" ofType:@"mp3"];
    NSURL *url = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:soundOne];
    AVAsset *avAsset = [AVURLAsset URLAssetWithURL:url options:nil];
    NSArray *tracks = [avAsset tracksWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeAudio];
    AVAssetTrack *clipAudioTrack = [tracks objectAtIndex:0];
    [compositionAudioTrack insertTimeRange:CMTimeRangeMake(kCMTimeZero, avAsset.duration) ofTrack:clipAudioTrack atTime:kCMTimeZero error:nil];

    AVMutableCompositionTrack *compositionAudioTrack1 = [composition addMutableTrackWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeAudio preferredTrackID:kCMPersistentTrackID_Invalid];
    [compositionAudioTrack setPreferredVolume:0.8];
    NSString *soundOne1  =[[NSBundle mainBundle]pathForResource:@"KICK2" ofType:@"mp3"];
    NSURL *url1 = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:soundOne1];
    AVAsset *avAsset1 = [AVURLAsset URLAssetWithURL:url1 options:nil];
    NSArray *tracks1 = [avAsset1 tracksWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeAudio];
    AVAssetTrack *clipAudioTrack1 = [tracks1 objectAtIndex:0];
    [compositionAudioTrack1 insertTimeRange:CMTimeRangeMake(kCMTimeZero, avAsset1.duration) ofTrack:clipAudioTrack1 atTime: kCMTimeZero error:nil];

    NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSLibraryDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
    NSString *libraryCachesDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
    NSString *strOutputFilePath = [libraryCachesDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:@"output.mov"];
    NSString *requiredOutputPath = [libraryCachesDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:@"output.m4a"];
    NSURL *audioFileOutput = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:requiredOutputPath];
    [[NSFileManager defaultManager] removeItemAtURL:audioFileOutput error:NULL];

    AVAssetExportSession *exporter=[[AVAssetExportSession alloc] initWithAsset:composition presetName:AVAssetExportPresetAppleM4A];
    exporter.outputURL=audioFileOutput;
    exporter.outputFileType=AVFileTypeAppleM4A;

    [exporter exportAsynchronouslyWithCompletionHandler:^{

        NSLog(@" OUtput path is \n %@", requiredOutputPath);
        NSFileManager * fm = [[NSFileManager alloc] init];
        [fm moveItemAtPath:strOutputFilePath toPath:requiredOutputPath error:nil];

         NSLog(@" OUtput path is \n %@", requiredOutputPath);
        NSLog(@"export complete: %lf",CFAbsoluteTimeGetCurrent()-currentTime);
        NSError *error;
        audioPlayer=[[AVAudioPlayer alloc]initWithContentsOfURL:audioFileOutput error:&error];
        audioPlayer.numberOfLoops=0;
        [audioPlayer play];

    }];

}

Answer 2

Code below can be used to merge audio files.

Input files: Ids of the files to be supplied in array audioIds. Eg. audio1.mp3, audio2.mp3 … audioN.mp3 to be available in documents folder Output file: combined.m4a

     - (BOOL) combineVoices {

       NSError *error = nil;
       BOOL ok = NO;


         NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory,    NSUserDomainMask, YES);
    NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0]; 


       CMTime nextClipStartTime = kCMTimeZero;
        //Create AVMutableComposition Object.This object will hold our multiple AVMutableCompositionTrack.
        AVMutableComposition *composition = [[AVMutableComposition alloc] init];

     AVMutableCompositionTrack *compositionAudioTrack = [composition addMutableTrackWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeAudio preferredTrackID:kCMPersistentTrackID_Invalid];

     for (int i = 0; i< [self.audioIds count]; i++) {
        int key = [[self.audioIds objectAtIndex:i] intValue];
        NSString *audioFileName = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"audio%d", key];

        //Build the filename with path
        NSString *soundOne = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@.mp3", audioFileName]];
        //NSLog(@"voice file - %@",soundOne);

        NSURL *url = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:soundOne];    
        AVAsset *avAsset = [AVURLAsset URLAssetWithURL:url options:nil];
        NSArray *tracks = [avAsset tracksWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeAudio];
        if ([tracks count] == 0) 
            return NO;
        CMTimeRange timeRangeInAsset = CMTimeRangeMake(kCMTimeZero, [avAsset duration]);
        AVAssetTrack *clipAudioTrack = [[avAsset tracksWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeAudio] objectAtIndex:0];
        ok = [compositionAudioTrack insertTimeRange:timeRangeInAsset  ofTrack:clipAudioTrack atTime:nextClipStartTime error:&error];
        if (!ok) {
            NSLog(@"Current Video Track Error: %@",error);
        }
        nextClipStartTime = CMTimeAdd(nextClipStartTime, timeRangeInAsset.duration);
    }

    // create the export session
    // no need for a retain here, the session will be retained by the
    // completion handler since it is referenced there
    AVAssetExportSession *exportSession = [AVAssetExportSession
                                           exportSessionWithAsset:composition
                                           presetName:AVAssetExportPresetAppleM4A];
    if (nil == exportSession) return NO;

    NSString *soundOneNew = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:@"combined.m4a"];
    //NSLog(@"Output file path - %@",soundOneNew);

    // configure export session  output with all our parameters
    exportSession.outputURL = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:soundOneNew]; // output path
    exportSession.outputFileType = AVFileTypeAppleM4A; // output file type

    // perform the export
    [exportSession exportAsynchronouslyWithCompletionHandler:^{

        if (AVAssetExportSessionStatusCompleted == exportSession.status) {
            NSLog(@"AVAssetExportSessionStatusCompleted");
        } else if (AVAssetExportSessionStatusFailed == exportSession.status) {
            // a failure may happen because of an event out of your control
            // for example, an interruption like a phone call comming in
            // make sure and handle this case appropriately
            NSLog(@"AVAssetExportSessionStatusFailed");
        } else {
            NSLog(@"Export Session Status: %d", exportSession.status);
        }
    }];

    return YES;
}

Answer 3

You can use this method to merge 3 sounds together.

- (BOOL) combineVoices1
{
    NSError *error = nil;
    BOOL ok = NO;


    NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory,    NSUserDomainMask, YES);
    NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];


    CMTime nextClipStartTime = kCMTimeZero;
    //Create AVMutableComposition Object.This object will hold our multiple AVMutableCompositionTrack.
    AVMutableComposition *composition = [[AVMutableComposition alloc] init];

    AVMutableCompositionTrack *compositionAudioTrack = [composition addMutableTrackWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeAudio preferredTrackID:kCMPersistentTrackID_Invalid];
    [compositionAudioTrack setPreferredVolume:0.8];
    NSString *soundOne  =[[NSBundle mainBundle]pathForResource:@"test1" ofType:@"caf"];
    NSURL *url = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:soundOne];
    AVAsset *avAsset = [AVURLAsset URLAssetWithURL:url options:nil];
    NSArray *tracks = [avAsset tracksWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeAudio];
    AVAssetTrack *clipAudioTrack = [[avAsset tracksWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeAudio] objectAtIndex:0];
    [compositionAudioTrack insertTimeRange:CMTimeRangeMake(kCMTimeZero, avAsset.duration) ofTrack:clipAudioTrack atTime:kCMTimeZero error:nil];

    AVMutableCompositionTrack *compositionAudioTrack1 = [composition addMutableTrackWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeAudio preferredTrackID:kCMPersistentTrackID_Invalid];
    [compositionAudioTrack setPreferredVolume:0.3];
    NSString *soundOne1  =[[NSBundle mainBundle]pathForResource:@"test" ofType:@"caf"];
    NSURL *url1 = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:soundOne1];
    AVAsset *avAsset1 = [AVURLAsset URLAssetWithURL:url1 options:nil];
    NSArray *tracks1 = [avAsset1 tracksWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeAudio];
    AVAssetTrack *clipAudioTrack1 = [[avAsset1 tracksWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeAudio] objectAtIndex:0];
    [compositionAudioTrack1 insertTimeRange:CMTimeRangeMake(kCMTimeZero, avAsset.duration) ofTrack:clipAudioTrack1 atTime:kCMTimeZero error:nil];


    AVMutableCompositionTrack *compositionAudioTrack2 = [composition addMutableTrackWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeAudio preferredTrackID:kCMPersistentTrackID_Invalid];
    [compositionAudioTrack2 setPreferredVolume:1.0];
    NSString *soundOne2  =[[NSBundle mainBundle]pathForResource:@"song" ofType:@"caf"];
    NSURL *url2 = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:soundOne2];
    AVAsset *avAsset2 = [AVURLAsset URLAssetWithURL:url2 options:nil];
    NSArray *tracks2 = [avAsset2 tracksWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeAudio];
    AVAssetTrack *clipAudioTrack2 = [[avAsset2 tracksWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeAudio] objectAtIndex:0];
    [compositionAudioTrack1 insertTimeRange:CMTimeRangeMake(kCMTimeZero, avAsset2.duration) ofTrack:clipAudioTrack2 atTime:kCMTimeZero error:nil];



    AVAssetExportSession *exportSession = [AVAssetExportSession
                                           exportSessionWithAsset:composition
                                           presetName:AVAssetExportPresetAppleM4A];
    if (nil == exportSession) return NO;

    NSString *soundOneNew = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:@"combined10.m4a"];
    //NSLog(@"Output file path - %@",soundOneNew);

    // configure export session  output with all our parameters
    exportSession.outputURL = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:soundOneNew]; // output path
    exportSession.outputFileType = AVFileTypeAppleM4A; // output file type

    // perform the export
    [exportSession exportAsynchronouslyWithCompletionHandler:^{

        if (AVAssetExportSessionStatusCompleted == exportSession.status) {
            NSLog(@"AVAssetExportSessionStatusCompleted");
        } else if (AVAssetExportSessionStatusFailed == exportSession.status) {
            // a failure may happen because of an event out of your control
            // for example, an interruption like a phone call comming in
            // make sure and handle this case appropriately
            NSLog(@"AVAssetExportSessionStatusFailed");
        } else {
            NSLog(@"Export Session Status: %d", exportSession.status);
        }
    }];


    return YES;


}