MP3
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Posted on Feb 25, 2011 09:30 am
Bigbluesman
Quasimojo
Member Since: Nov 08, 2010
Hi fellas,
I was wondering if someone could tell me why my recordings sound like crap after I convert them to mp3, and what can I do to improve the situation. Thanks in advance.
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Feb 25, 2011 09:33 am First lets get some background:
- What bitrate and sample rate are you recording the original at?
- What are you using for the conversion?
- what bit and sample rate are the mp3's being created at?
- What other setting for mp3 conversion are available that you are using, if any?
Feb 25, 2011 09:56 am OK this is where my ignorance will shine like the sun...
I'm recording at 24 bit.
when I export, It will only allow me to do it as a "riff wave" and as a umm I beleive it says broadcast wave or maybe webcast wave..darn I can't remember...I'll look at it tonight...anyway the other options will say I have to be at 16 bit or less to use. So I'v been exporting it as a "riff wave", which my media player won't play, so I then take that file and I have a free file converter that I use, which I can't remember the name, and I'v also messed with goldwave, but, not much, its more involved. After I convert that file, I'll find that the mix is off and the levels are whacked, or out of nowhere, things are clipping. I'm sure it's something I'm doing wrong, I just don't know what.
Feb 25, 2011 09:58 am I think its called Switch file converter..it has a lighting bolt that shows up when you boot it up and sample rate...like 44000 or 48000 does that sound right?
Tim NUh, at least one more time . . .Member
Since: Feb 07, 2007
Feb 25, 2011 11:23 pm Mp3s sound like crap to begin with--especially at the 128 k/bit format. I always send them down (from the WAV format) to the 320 k/bit format, at (of course) 44.1 sample rate, 16 bit. Unfortunately, the 128 k/bit, 16 bit, 44.1 samle rate is the "standard," unfortunately. Some e-mail accounts won't take anything other than the above! Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think mp3s have to have the 16bit rate. Bigbluesman, when you say they sound like crap, do you mean that they're distorted, or "smeary" (cymbals are not crisp, for instance), or just sorta flat?
Someday, the mp3 will be like the cassette--mostly gone. Hopefully.
cruxTypo SzarMember
Since: Jul 04, 2002
Feb 26, 2011 04:22 am wat exact program r u using to convert? mp3 as stated by others will inherently not sound as good as wav files, but they should be passable and not have any anomalies. It is likely teh converter ur using and with the limited settings it seems to be giving u.
Wat daw do u use? most daws will allow to export as MP3 and the quality will be much better.
always expect a certain level of high end and low end loss and just kind of muddiness in those regions to begin with with mp3, maybe a slight drop in volume and dynamics (it is compression after all). Plus, dont expect ur tracks to convert as nicely as pro tracks, as again their mastering (nowadays) factors in the conversion to mp3 and they will stand up better to the abuse.
still though, ur conversions should be passable.
Feb 28, 2011 12:09 pm I'm using guitar tracks pro 3....i just got it so i'm finding that anything i export, wave or whatever, has a bad mix. So it may not just be the mp3 thing. I just posted another song the other day, and I had to bounce the whole project over to 1 track before i exported it. I shoudn't have to do that. right? Even then it clips a little, and didn't in my console mix..Let me investigate more and gather some more info. I'll get some time this week to get in there....thanks guys
Mar 04, 2011 02:30 pm I just recently added this "cold feeling" cover tune...I bounced the whole project to one track at the very end just before I exported it. Is that an ok thing to do or no?
www.homerecordingconnecti...ic&id=10906
your thoughts on this are most welcome!
Tim NUh, at least one more time . . .Member
Since: Feb 07, 2007
Mar 06, 2011 01:13 am Do you mean you bounced it to one stereo track? I'll give it a listen.
Tim NUh, at least one more time . . .Member
Since: Feb 07, 2007
Mar 06, 2011 01:29 am It clipped a bit there in the beginning--after that, it sounded okay, but there's something else going on--the tune sounds over-compressed, or something. Your mix might just need to be turned down (track faders down, and main mix down). Are the faders way up (around, say, 0, or are they down around -20)? You might be running too hot there.
Tim NUh, at least one more time . . .Member
Since: Feb 07, 2007
Mar 06, 2011 01:32 am The thing is, if the levels are too high on a WAV file, absolutely the diminished sonic quality of an mp3 will show you something that the higher resolution WAV might not . . . .
Mar 07, 2011 02:39 pm OK...cool I'll check it out..yes i bounced like 4 or 5 tracks to just 1, then muted the rest. I'v never done that before and probably shouldnt have to.
