Wiki: Difference between revisions of "Encoding Guidance"

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Need help encoding your music? We're here to help!
 
Need help encoding your music? We're here to help!
  
* As our [[Submission Standards and Instructions]] mention, audio must be '''16-bit, 44.1kHz stereo''' with a bitrate of either:
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# We recommend exporting from your DAW to WAV and encoding externally.
**'''192kbps''' (constant or average bitrate) *OR*
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# We recommend LAME encoder; a good Windows frontend is [http://winlame.sourceforge.net winLAME].
**'''VBR1''' (variable bitrate, quality = 1).
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# Audio must be 16-bit, 44.1kHz Stereo with a bitrate setting of either '''192kbps CBR''' (constant bitrate) or '''VBR1''' (variable bitrate, quality = 1).
* Both of these settings produce good results; VBR1 results in higher quality, but 192kbps may be easier depending on your software or personal workflow.
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# If your DAW supports exporting to MP3 and you prefer doing it that way, that's fine, just make sure it supports either 192Kbps or VBR1.
* While some Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) allow exporting a song directly to MP3, we recommend exporting to WAV and then encoding with a separate application. This allows the most flexibility and also ensures you've got a backup WAV copy of your song if you need to re-encode!
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# Here's a walkthrough of encoding a WAV with winLAME:<br/>
* '''We strongly recommend the [http://lame.sourceforge.net/ LAME encoder]'''; a good Windows frontend is [http://winlame.sourceforge.net winLAME]. Additional frontends are listed at [http://lame.sourceforge.net/links.php http://lame.sourceforge.net/links.php]
 
* If your DAW supports directly exporting to MP3 and you prefer doing it that way, that's fine, just make sure it supports either 192Kbps or VBR1!!
 
* A walkthrough of encoding a WAV with winLAME is available below for reference.
 
  
== winLAME Encoding Walkthrough ==
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<div class="column" style="width:42%;height:375px;">
 
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:A.) INPUT FILES: Load your WAV file into winLAME
<div style="float:left;margin:8px;width:48%;">
 
''':A.) INPUT FILES:''' Load your WAV file into winLAME
 
 
[[image:VBR_Encoding_-_Step_1.png|400px|Step 1: Load your WAV file into winLAME]]
 
[[image:VBR_Encoding_-_Step_1.png|400px|Step 1: Load your WAV file into winLAME]]
 
</div>
 
</div>
<div style="float:left;margin:8px;width:48%;">
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<div class="column" style="width:42%;height:375px;">
''':B.) OUTPUT SETTINGS:''' Choose the output location where the finished MP3 should be placed
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:B.) OUTPUT SETTINGS: Choose the output location where the finished MP3 should be placed
 
[[image:VBR_Encoding_-_Step_2.png|400px|Step 2: Choose the output location where the finished MP3 should be placed]]
 
[[image:VBR_Encoding_-_Step_2.png|400px|Step 2: Choose the output location where the finished MP3 should be placed]]
 
</div>
 
</div>
<div style="float:left;margin:8px;width:48%;">
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<div class="column" style="width:42%;height:375px;">
''':C.) PRESETS:''' At the Presets list, select Custom Settings
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:C.) PRESETS: At the Presets list, select Custom Settings
 
[[image:VBR_Encoding_-_Step_3.png|400px|Step 3: At the Preset list, select Custom Settings]]
 
[[image:VBR_Encoding_-_Step_3.png|400px|Step 3: At the Preset list, select Custom Settings]]
 
</div>
 
</div>
<div style="float:left;margin:8px;width:48%;">
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<div class="column" style="width:42%;height:375px;">
''':D.) LAME SETTINGS:''' Select High for the encoding quality, and a quality level of 1
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:D.) LAME SETTINGS: Select High for the encoding quality, and a quality level of 1
 
[[image:VBR_Encoding_-_Step_4.png|400px|Step 4: Select High for the encoding quality, and a quality level of 1]]
 
[[image:VBR_Encoding_-_Step_4.png|400px|Step 4: Select High for the encoding quality, and a quality level of 1]]
 
</div>
 
</div>
<div style="float:left;margin:8px;width:48%;">
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<div class="column" style="width:42%;height:375px;">
''':E.) ENCODING:''' Underneath "Encoding Control," click the arrow/play button, and you're all set!
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:E.) ENCODING: Underneath "Encoding Control," click the arrow/play button, and you're all set!
 
[[image:VBR_Encoding_-_Step_5.png|400px|Step 5: Underneath "Encoding Control," click the arrow play button, and you're all set!]]
 
[[image:VBR_Encoding_-_Step_5.png|400px|Step 5: Underneath "Encoding Control," click the arrow play button, and you're all set!]]
 
</div>
 
</div>
<div style="clear:both;"> </div>
 

Revision as of 20:20, 17 February 2012

Guidance for Encoding MP3s

Need help encoding your music? We're here to help!

  1. We recommend exporting from your DAW to WAV and encoding externally.
  2. We recommend LAME encoder; a good Windows frontend is winLAME.
  3. Audio must be 16-bit, 44.1kHz Stereo with a bitrate setting of either 192kbps CBR (constant bitrate) or VBR1 (variable bitrate, quality = 1).
  4. If your DAW supports exporting to MP3 and you prefer doing it that way, that's fine, just make sure it supports either 192Kbps or VBR1.
  5. Here's a walkthrough of encoding a WAV with winLAME:
A.) INPUT FILES: Load your WAV file into winLAME

Step 1: Load your WAV file into winLAME

B.) OUTPUT SETTINGS: Choose the output location where the finished MP3 should be placed

Step 2: Choose the output location where the finished MP3 should be placed

C.) PRESETS: At the Presets list, select Custom Settings

Step 3: At the Preset list, select Custom Settings

D.) LAME SETTINGS: Select High for the encoding quality, and a quality level of 1

Step 4: Select High for the encoding quality, and a quality level of 1

E.) ENCODING: Underneath "Encoding Control," click the arrow/play button, and you're all set!

Step 5: Underneath "Encoding Control," click the arrow play button, and you're all set!

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