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I want to play an .mp3 file without Banshee opening, it will just start on the top bar in the sound icon. The one with the Sound icon

For the record I am using Ubuntu 11.10

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for the record you don't have to use Banshee... –  Alvar Feb 6 '12 at 13:09
command line: aplay :+ –  Rinzwind Feb 6 '12 at 14:11

5 Answers 5

The fastest, simplest way to do this is with gnome-sushi (a file previewer in the Software Center) Install it and then just select the sound file and tap the space bar. You can preview many files this way, it's pretty cool. You get a little pop-up window like this:

enter image description here

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You can play a .mp3 from the terminal with mpg321 (universe). You can also create a bash script that will play your .mp3 without opening a window.

  • Install mpg321


sudo apt-get install mpg321
  • Create a new file with the .sh extension

  • Then add this code inside the .sh file:



mpg321 /PathForMP3.mp3
  • Make sure your new .sh file have execution privilege. You can use chmod +x or via the nautilus GUI (right click file, properties, Permissions tab, Tick Allow executing file as program box.)
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You can always close Banshee window by clicking on 'X'. Music file will keep playing in background. For alternative- I use Clementine, it doesn't open it's window when you click on music file, but displays it's icon in top bar just like you want it to be.

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if you close the window, the music will stop playing after just ONE song. –  Alvar Feb 6 '12 at 14:23
Depends on what's on your play-list. For me it continue playing my next playlist. –  Harshveer Feb 6 '12 at 14:30

You can use Gloobus (http://gloobus.net/). I use it all the time for different previews. All you need to do is find the mp3 file and press space, it will start playing in a focus window, once you change focus away from it, it will stop.

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There is an easier method that makes a preview of mp3, wmv, ogg and is valid also for other file formats, like txt, pdf, etc. You can install Gloobus Preview either by the developers PPA or installing Ubuntu Tweak. You can have a preview of many of your files just by pressing the Space Bar.

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