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!
  
# We recommend exporting from your DAW to WAV and encoding externally.
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* As our [[Submission Standards and Instructions]] mention, audio must be '''16-bit, 44.1kHz stereo''' with a bitrate of either:
# We recommend LAME encoder; a good Windows frontend is [http://winlame.sourceforge.net winLAME].
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**'''192kbps''' (constant or average bitrate) *OR*
# Audio must be 16-bit, 44.1kHz Stereo with a bitrate setting of either '''192kbps CBR''' (constant bitrate) or '''VBR1''' (variable bitrate, quality = 1).
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**'''VBR1''' (variable bitrate, quality = 1).
# 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.
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* Both of these settings produce good results; VBR1 results in higher quality, but 192kbps may be easier depending on your software or personal workflow.
# Here's a walkthrough of encoding a WAV with winLAME:<br/>
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* 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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* '''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.
  
<div class="column" style="width:42%;height:375px;">
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== winLAME Encoding Walkthrough ==
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<div style="float:left;margin:8px;width:48%;">
 
:A.) INPUT FILES: Load your WAV file into winLAME
 
: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 class="column" style="width:42%;height:375px;">
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<div style="float:left;margin:8px;width:48%;">
 
:B.) OUTPUT SETTINGS: Choose the output location where the finished MP3 should be placed
 
: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 class="column" style="width:42%;height:375px;">
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<div style="float:left;margin:8px;width:48%;">
: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 class="column" style="width:42%;height:375px;">
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<div style="float:left;margin:8px;width:48%;">
: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 class="column" style="width:42%;height:375px;">
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<div style="float:left;margin:8px;width:48%;">
 
:E.) ENCODING: Underneath "Encoding Control," click the arrow/play button, and you're all set!
 
: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>
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<div style="clear:both;"> </div>

Latest revision as of 20:42, 17 February 2012

Guidance for Encoding MP3s

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:
    • 192kbps (constant or average 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.
  • 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!
  • We strongly recommend the LAME encoder; a good Windows frontend is winLAME. Additional frontends are listed at 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

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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