.WAV and MP3 Files

[yyz_u4ea]

Hello:

I recorded a 1 minute guitar piece which took up 3 audio tracks. When I converted the tracks to a single file (.wav). The file size was 12.2mb. Why so large?

When I converted the audio file from .wav to mp3 it became much smaller 1.1mb.

So if I record a full song at around 3 minutes, a .wav file would probably be 36mb...That's a lot of hard drive space...

Is there a way to make audio files smaller in .wav format? Do I need to configure something in my software....I'm using Quartz Audio Master....My buffer rate is set at 100ms.


Thanks.....

[BrettB]

Wav file is larger, due to the quality. A standard wav file makes44100 samples each second, so that's gotta be large.

mp3 is data compression: less space but less quality. You just have to live with it: wav quality with larger fies or mp3.

[Jeff_D]

10 megs per minute sounds about right- generallyl an mp3 is roughlty 1/10th that size- if you dont already have one- get a big (40-60gig) harddrive- in order to use your computers potential as a recording machine to the fullest, dont even look at mp3 format until your ready to put it on the web, and even then keep the waves. Alot people will archive projects onto cdr

[moskus]

Originally posted by yyz_u4ea
So if I record a full song at around 3 minutes, a .wav file would probably be 36mb...That's a lot of hard drive space...

As stated above by BrettB and Kremitmusic a stereo wav-file takes about 10 MB pr minute (monofiles takes 5 MB pr minute).

And you think 36 MB is much? Imagine a 24 mono-track mix, with a duration of 4 minutes. Then image you are recording in 24 bit... 1 or 2 gigs for a project is suddenly not "much" anymore.