---
name: "createSoundSource"
type: command
status: ok
groups: ["Sounds"]
arma3_since: "0.50"
locality: {"argument": "global", "effect": "global", "server_exec": false}
source: https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/createSoundSource
revid: 377426
updated: 2026-01-02T06:45:39Z
---

# createSoundSource

*Command · Sounds · Arma 3 v0.50 · introduced in Operation Flashpoint: Elite v1.00*

Locality: arguments **global** · effect **global**

## Description

Creates a sound source of the given type (type is the name of the subclass of CfgVehicles which is pointing to the sound defined in CfgSFX).
The actual sound object created is of type `"#dynamicsound"` and could be detected with [allMissionObjects](../commands/allMissionObjects.md).
If the markers array contains several marker names, the position of a random one is used, otherwise, the given position is used.
The sound source is placed inside a circle with this position as its center and placement as its radius. Some of the vanilla classes pre-configured in Arma 3:
- `"Sound_Alarm"`
- `"Sound_Alarm2"`
- `"Sound_BattlefieldExplosions"`
- `"Sound_BattlefieldFirefight"`
- `"Sound_Fire"`
- `"Sound_SmokeWreck1"`
- `"Sound_SparklesWreck1"`
- `"Sound_SparklesWreck2"`
- `"Sound_Stream"`

Since Arma 3 v1.70 it is possible to define sounds for use with [createSoundSource](../commands/createSoundSource.md) in [Description.ext](../topics/Description.ext.md).
As mentioned earlier, the sounds needed for this command should be defined inside CfgVehicles class, which itself references CfgSFX class.
If given class searched in main config and is not found, the search will continue in [description.ext](../topics/Description.ext.md) - see [#Example 3](../commands/createSoundSource.md#example-3).

> [!NOTE]
> A sound created by [createSoundSource](../commands/createSoundSource.md) will always be looping.

> [!NOTE]
> **Arma 3:** In earlier Arma 3 versions, the sound created was greatly attenuated if the player was in first person view inside a vehicle at the moment of execution.

## Syntax

```sqf
createSoundSource [type, position, markers, placement]
```

**Parameters:**

- `type`: [String](../topics/String.md) - CfgVehicles class
- `position`: [Object](../topics/Object.md) or [PositionAGL](../topics/Position.md#positionagl) or [Position2D](../topics/Position.md#introduction) - desired placement position
- `markers`: [Array](../topics/Array.md) - if the markers array contains any markers, the position is randomly picked from array of given markers plus desired placement position.
  If any of the markers were given a Z coordinate with [setMarkerPos](../commands/setMarkerPos.md), the sound will also be created at the given Z coordinate
- `placement`: [Number](../topics/Number.md) - the sound is placed inside a circle with given position as center and placement as its radius

**Returns:** [Object](../topics/Object.md)

## Examples

### Example 1

```sqf
_soundSource = createSoundSource ["LittleDog", position player, [], 0];
```

### Example 2

```sqf
0 spawn 
{
    _alarm = createSoundSource ["Sound_Alarm", position player, [], 0]; // starts alarm
    sleep 10;
    deleteVehicle _alarm; // stops alarm
};
```

### Example 3

Arma 3 v1.70 Here is an example of suitable mission config definition:

```cpp
// description.ext
class CfgSFX
{
    class MyOwl
    {
        sound0[] = { "@A3\Sounds_F\environment\animals\birds\owl1", db-10, 1.0, 1000, 0.2, 0, 15, 30 };    // path to addon sound
        sound1[] = { "@A3\Sounds_F\environment\animals\birds\owl2", db-10, 1.0, 1000, 0.2, 0, 15, 30 };    // path to addon sound
        sound2[] = { "@A3\Sounds_F\environment\animals\birds\owl3", db-10, 1.0, 1000, 0.2, 0, 15, 30 };    // path to addon sound
        sounds[] = { "sound0", "sound1", "sound2" };
        empty[] = { "", 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 };
    };
};

class CfgVehicles
{
    class MyOwlSound // class name to be used with createSoundSource
    {
        sound = "MyOwl"; // reference to CfgSFX class
    };
};
```

```sqf
private _owl = createSoundSource ["MyOwlSound", position player, [], 0];
```

## Multiplayer

When a CfgSFX sound definition contains more than 1 sound, there is no guarantee that the sound played will be the same on every PC in Multiplayer.

## See also

[createSoundSourceLocal](../commands/createSoundSourceLocal.md) · [playSound](../commands/playSound.md) · [playSound3D](../commands/playSound3D.md) · [sideRadio](../commands/sideRadio.md) · [say](../commands/say.md) · [say2D](../commands/say2D.md) · [say3D](../commands/say3D.md) · [playMusic](../commands/playMusic.md) · [playSoundUI](../commands/playSoundUI.md)

<sub>Source: [BI Community Wiki — createSoundSource](https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/createSoundSource) (revision 377426).</sub>