What Do You Need to Make a Custom Soundboard?
- Soundboard app that imports your own audio LitPads, Farrago, Soundboard Studio
- Audio files in a supported format MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A, AIFF, AAC
- A Mac, iPad, or iPhone to run the app LitPads is universal across all three
The first decision is choosing a custom soundboard app that imports your own audio rather than a meme soundboard with pre-loaded sounds. Custom soundboards start empty and become whatever the user builds, which is the entire point for musicians, streamers, DJs, and theatre professionals.
LitPads is a universal Apple app that runs on Mac, iPad, and iPhone from a single purchase. The free tier includes 3 boards with 16 pads each, all four play modes, and retrigger modes. Pro adds per-pad EQ, pitch shifting, MIDI, setlist mode, and global hotkeys for $14.99 one-time.
How Do You Import Sounds into a Soundboard?
The Files app import supports multi-file selection. Browse local storage, iCloud Drive, or connected cloud services and select multiple audio files at once. An import preview sheet lets you play each file and select or deselect individual tracks before finalizing the import.
Drag and drop on Mac is the fastest method. Drag audio files directly from Finder onto empty pads in the grid. Files copy into the app sandbox automatically. The built-in recorder captures audio in M4A format with a visual duration timer and pulsing recording indicator for creating sounds on the spot.
DRM-protected tracks from Apple Music streaming are automatically skipped during Music Library import. Only locally owned tracks import successfully. LitPads does not play streaming audio from Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube.
How Do You Organize Sounds on a Soundboard?
The recommended approach uses one board per category: a board for reactions and alerts, a board for background music and loops, a board for transitions and stingers, and a board for specialized sounds. This keeps the pad grid focused and makes finding the right sound fast during performance.
Sound search filters pads by name in real time as you type. With hundreds of pads across multiple boards, search is the fastest way to locate a specific sound. Quick Access favorites let you star frequently used pads and access them from a persistent bar at the bottom of every board.
How Do You Assign Triggers to Soundboard Pads?
Global hotkey assignment uses a record-style interface. Open Pad Settings, press the Record button, then press the desired key. LitPads captures single keys (F1 through F12, letters, numbers), Ctrl+key combos, and Ctrl+Shift+key combos. Hotkeys work system-wide, triggering sounds even while the user is in a game, browser, or streaming application.
MIDI Learn works the same way: press the MIDI Learn button in Pad Settings, then press any key or pad on the connected MIDI controller. The MIDI note maps to the pad immediately. Velocity sensitivity scales pad volume based on how hard the controller is hit. The soundboard creation guide covers advanced trigger configuration in detail.
How Do You Configure Play Modes on a Soundboard?
Restart mode stops any playing instance and starts from the beginning, which prevents overlap for longer sounds like background music or voice clips. Layer mode lets the previous sound continue while starting a new instance, creating natural overlap for drum hits and percussion using a 4-voice round-robin pool.
Board play mode adds another layer of control. Layer mode plays all pads simultaneously, which is the default for most use cases. Exclusive mode stops all other pads on the same board when a new pad fires, which is useful for background music boards where only one track should play at a time.
The customizable soundboard configuration guide covers advanced play mode strategies for different performance scenarios.
What Audio Processing Can You Apply to Each Pad?
Per-pad EQ is the most impactful processing feature for custom soundboards. Cut low-frequency rumble from field recordings, boost presence on quiet voice clips, and surgically remove problem frequencies from samples that sound muddy. The real-time spectrum analyzer confirms the EQ changes visually.
Audio trimming uses a waveform-based editor with draggable start and end handles, pinch-to-zoom up to 20x on iOS, and a playhead cursor during preview playback. Trimming is non-destructive: the original file is preserved and trim points are stored as metadata.
How Do You Use a Custom Soundboard During a Live Performance?
Musicians performing on stage typically use iPad with a MIDI pad controller for the most tactile experience. The 4-column pad grid with dynamically sized pads in landscape fills the screen. Haptic feedback on each tap confirms the trigger without looking at the display.
Streamers typically use Mac with global hotkeys assigned to function keys. Sounds fire during gameplay without switching windows. Audio ducking automatically lowers background music when an effect fires. The guide to the best soundboard apps covers the full range of performance setups across different use cases.
Marcel Iseli is an indie developer, DJ, and music producer with over 20 years behind the decks and in the studio. Rooted in hip hop culture, he collects drum machines, samplers, and vintage audio gear. LitPads grew out of that obsession: decades of triggering samples on hardware led him to build the software equivalent he always wanted.