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Leopard Reference
System-level Mac OS X services streamline the development process for audio developers, and for application developers who incorporate audio into their products. Core Audio provides native multichannel audio in a manner scalable for future high-resolution formats. The Audio Unit API provides a plug-in architecture for both DSP and for MIDI-based virtual instruments. MIDI services provide multiport MIDI capability.

An introduction to audio development in Mac OS X.   Essential information for developers working with audio in Mac OS X.   C and Objective-C API references organized by framework.
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Apple Core Audio Format Specification 1.0 (HTML) (PDF)
Specifies the Apple Core Audio Format (CAF) for audio files.
Apple Applications, Core Audio 2006-03-08
Audio Codec Services Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the programming interface for configuring audio codecs and for encoding and decoding audio data.
Core Audio 2007-10-31
Audio File Services Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a C programming interface for reading and writing audio files.
Carbon, Cocoa, Core Audio 2008-07-08
Audio File Stream Services Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for reading non-random access audio file streams.
Core Audio 2008-10-15
Audio Queue Services Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a high-level programming interface for recording and playing back audio data.
Carbon, Core Audio 2008-07-08
Audio Toolbox Framework Reference (HTML)
Describes the Core Audio API to access audio files and convert between linear PCM and compressed audio formats.
Core Audio 2006-11-07
Core Audio Data Types Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes data types and constants used throughout Core Audio.
Core Audio 2008-11-19
Core Audio Framework Reference (HTML)
Describes a C API that interfaces with audio hardware and includes data types used throughout Core Audio.
Core Audio 2006-11-07
Core Audio Glossary (HTML) (PDF)
Defines general digital audio terms as well as terms specific to Apple's Core Audio technology.
Carbon, Cocoa, Core Audio, Games, General, Hardware & Drivers, MIDI 2008-07-07
Core MIDI Framework Reference (HTML)
Describes a C API for Mac OS X MIDI system services.
Core Audio, MIDI 2008-04-08
Core MIDI Server Framework Reference (HTML)
Describes the Mac OS X MIDI driver interface.
Core Audio, MIDI 2008-04-08
Disc Recording Framework Reference (HTML)
Describes the Objective-C and C API for burning audio and data CDs and DVDs.
Carbon, Cocoa 2008-04-08
Disc Recording UI Framework Reference (HTML)
Describes the Objective-C and C API for presenting a user interface when burning audio and data CDs and DVDs.
Carbon, Cocoa 2008-04-08
Extended Audio File Services Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an interface for reading and writing audio files with automatic format conversion.
Core Audio 2008-09-09
FireWire Audio User Library Framework Reference (HTML)
Describes the API that supports user-space access to FireWire audio devices and enables the creation of virtual FireWire audio devices.
Hardware & Drivers 2008-04-08
I/O Kit Framework Reference (HTML)
Describes the I/O Kit classes that support non-kernel access to I/O Kit objects through the device-interface mechanism.
Hardware & Drivers 2009-03-04
Kernel Framework Reference (HTML)
Describes the APIs and classes (including I/O Kit families) that support kernel-resident device drivers.
Hardware & Drivers 2009-01-06
MIDI File Format (HTML)
Describes the QuickTime implementation of the MIDI file standard.
Carbon, MIDI, QuickTime 2002-09-17
NSSound Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an object that loads and plays audio files.
Cocoa 2008-10-15