Using ALSA applications are allowed to open the device blocking access for others. In such cases other applications throws exception like this one:
Device or resource busy
This issue can be solved using «dmix» ALSA native plugin.
Put the following to asoundrc file (i.e. ~/.asoundrc or /etc/asound.conf):
pcm.dmixed { type asym playback.pcm { type dmix ipc_key 5678293 ipc_perm 0660 ipc_gid audio slave { pcm { rate 48000 # can also be 44100 type hw card Intel # your card } } } } pcm.!default { type plug slave.pcm "dmixed" }
Most likely you have another audio-card device, change the line marked with «your card». To know the name you can look at /proc/asound/cards.
Application that still holds the output device should be restarted to take effect of new configuration.