How to Embed Audio Without Volume Controls in WordPress From Another Website
Too often we run into the issue of needing to fit an audio player into a small container on a website yet we want to maintain the full functionality of the device. To accomplish this we need to utilize several tools to strip down all the audio features to the bare essentials while still keeping the player responsive and functional (at least on desktop). Let’s take a look at how we can do this!
The Problem
Audio is certainly the answer to all our prayers when it comes to content these days. From podcasts and audiobooks to YouTube and Twitch streams, we have more options than ever when it comes to consuming content. However, since mobile devices utilize a small amount of the resource-hungry device’s storage, it is extremely difficult to fit all of this content into a small area.
The problem is the lack of compatibility when it comes to mobile browsers and desktops. When a user clicks play on a YouTube video or listens to a podcast via Overcast, the full functionality of the device should display. Yet, on a mobile device, we often see a small, quiet rectangle with no controls displayed when the video or podcast is played.
Now, whether you run a podcast or a blog with a lot of short-form content, you might not always need to fit an entire podcast episode or a long-form feature into a small area. That’s why we need to take a more strategic approach to this problem. Instead of focusing on a singular piece of content, let’s take a look at how we can fit a variety of content into a small space while maintaining full functionality on desktops and responsive, clickable play buttons on mobile devices.
The Solution
While it’s certainly easy enough to just write a small piece of JavaScript to emulate the behavior of a regular audio player, it’s not quite as easy to pull off the responsiveness and full functionality on a mobile device. Fortunately, there is an easy solution to this problem. We need to utilize several plug-ins and a little bit of JavaScript to accomplish this. First, let’s install and activate the MaxCDN WordPress plugin. Next, we’ll need to visit the MaxCDN website and download the WordPress app. Once the app is installed, we can connect to our WordPress site and begin configuring the player.
Once the app is connected to our WordPress site, we can click the gear icon in the top right corner to access the settings page. Here, we can enter the information needed to identify ourselves as a WordPress user and then begin configuring the audio player.
To begin with, let’s enter our basic information and then click the blue Get Started button. This will activate the WordPress app with the default settings. Next, let’s visit the Theme Options page and scroll down to the Audio Settings section. Here, we will enter a shortcode for a WordPress audio player with a few HTML elements and some custom CSS. This will help make our audio player more presentable to users.