So I'm building a theremin (cool right?). Here's my Processing code:

// written at: luckylarry.co.uk
// very easy Theremin combined with processing
// sketch prints out distance to the serial port
// processing picks up value and plays notes accordingly
// no annoying speaker drone! :)  replace the sounds and delays with
// your own...
import processing.serial.*;                // import serial library so we can read the serial port
import ddf.minim.*;                        // import minim library
// define the serial port
Serial COM3;
//define minim variables:
// here we say that variable A is an audiosample etc...
Minim minim;
AudioSample GSharp;
AudioSample A;
AudioSample Bb;
AudioSample B;
AudioSample C;
AudioSample CSharp;
AudioSample D;
AudioSample Eb;
AudioSample E;
AudioSample F;
AudioSample FSharp;
AudioSample G;
// setup
void setup () {
  // set up the variables, loading in the sound files from your project folder
  // which should be the same place as where you save this sketch
  // details on using minim and audioSample are here: http://code.compartmental.net/tools/minim/manual-audiosample/
  minim = new Minim(this);
  GSharp = minim.loadSample("GSharp.wav", 2048);
  A = minim.loadSample("A.wav", 2048);
  Bb = minim.loadSample("Bb.wav", 2048);
  B = minim.loadSample("B.wav", 2048);
  C = minim.loadSample("C.wav", 2048);
  CSharp = minim.loadSample("CSharp.wav", 2048);
  D = minim.loadSample("D.wav", 2048);
  Eb = minim.loadSample("Eb.wav", 2048);
  E = minim.loadSample("E.wav", 2048);
  F = minim.loadSample("F.wav", 2048);
  FSharp = minim.loadSample("FSharp.wav", 2048);
  G = minim.loadSample("G.wav", 2048);

}
void draw() {
  // we need to declare the draw function even though we're not using it!!
}
void serialEvent (Serial COM3) {
  // get the string from the serial buffer - gets all chars until the next line break...
  String bufferString = COM3.readStringUntil('n');
  if (bufferString != null) {
    // get rid of any whitespace - sometimes the serial buffer can have blanks etc.. in the string
    bufferString = trim(bufferString);
    // convert the value to an int - we're only sending numbers over the serial port so parsing it to an int shouldn't ever be an issue.
    float inByte = float(bufferString);
    int pulse = int(bufferString);         // declare a variable to hold our value.
    println(pulse);                        // for debug print the value so we can check it.
    // remember that our pulse is in CM so if its less than 5cm then do this etc... else do this... else do this.. for as many sound samples
    if ( pulse < 5 ) {
      GSharp.trigger();
      delay(25);
    }
    else if ( pulse < 8 ) {
      A.trigger();
      delay(25);
    }
    else if ( pulse < 11 ) {
      Bb.trigger();
      delay(25);
    }
    else if ( pulse < 14 ) {
      B.trigger();
      delay(25);
    }
    else if ( pulse < 17 ) {
      C.trigger();
      delay(25);
    }
    else if ( pulse < 20 ) {
      CSharp.trigger();
      delay(25);
    }
    else if ( pulse < 23 )  {
      D.trigger();
      delay(25);
    }
    else if ( pulse < 26 ) {
      Eb.trigger();
      delay(25);
    }
    else if ( pulse < 29 ) {
      E.trigger();
      delay(25);
    }
    else if ( pulse < 32 ) {
      F.trigger();
      delay(25);
    }
    else if ( pulse < 35 ) {
      FSharp.trigger();
      delay(25);
    }
    else if ( pulse < 38 ) {
      G.trigger();
      delay(25);
    }
    else if ( pulse > 50 ) {
      // if the distance is greater than 50cm then play nothing
    }
  } // end if there's a value in the serial bufferstring
}   // end void serialevent()

I've got the sound files in my data folder, it's no longer throwing NullPointer Exception errors (which were my fault for not knowing what was going on in the first place...!). The serial port is definitely COM3. The sound files aren't particularly large. I absolutely cannot figure out what to do! Help a noob out?