Soundboard (computer program)

A soundboard is a device traditionally created in Adobe Flash that catalogues and plays many short [soundbites] and audio clips. Soundboards also provide the benefit of standardizing the format - thus no outside media player is needed.

Tradtionally, builders generally take sound clips said by celebrities and combine them into one flash creation. They are most often used in prank calls, when the caller uses the soundboard to imitate a celebrity or other well known person. The individual on the other end of the phone thinks they are actually talking to a real person. In some cases, the victim associated with the prank call has no idea who the person from the soundboard is. The soundboard used is usually irrelevant unless, for example, memorable quotes from the celebrities' soundboards are revealed, which are, in most cases, easily recognized.

The soundboard is also used to facilitate humor, highlighting some of celebrities' more unusual utterances, or allowing for juxtaposition or even "composition" of quotes and sounds that would otherwise not go together.

Yet, while traditionally a device for pranksters, the soundboard has also been used as a promotional tool for films, television shows, radio, products and more.