Converting to MP3

  • Thread starter Thread starter Maor
  • Start date Start date

How do you create a master MP3?

  • Export directly from the DAW to both wav and mp3

    Votes: 6 31.6%

  • Export a master wav, then use the same DAW and the final wav to export a 2nd, mp3 file

    Votes: 3 15.8%

  • Use a 3rd party converter program

    Votes: 7 36.8%

  • none of the above (so let me know in the thread)

    Votes: 3 15.8%
  • Total voters
    19
BroKen_H said:
My question on the music compression scheme is: Why did MP3 win out? OGG and AIF are both just as compact, and don't make your hi-hats and cymbals sound like they went through a Cuisinart.
Click to expand...

MP3 (Actually MPEG1 or 2, Audio Layer 3) was developed in 1995, about five years before OGG. It was designed to be the audio format for MPEG video and, as such, had a lot of development money thrown at it and a lot of people adopting it early. OGG was first developed in 2000 and didn't really gain traction until several years later. As open source, as good as it is, it didn't have any "supporters with money".

AIF is older again, but (except for the AIFF-C variant) is not compressed and uses file sizes similar to wave files. It was developed by Apple who are not well known for letting others use their technology.

As always, it's not the quality that determines what system is successful. It's money and market penetration.
 
Apple's proprietry nature - greed cuts off the nose to spite its face.
 
Bobbsy said:
I export to wave, do any mastering-type things required (generally just a bit of level tweaking and maybe some limiting) then make MP3 copies from the final mix track.

I just use the MP3 codec built into my DAW (Audition). Like Bouldersoundguy MP3 is just a preview copy for emailing or posting anyway--any serious work/distribution is with the wave files.
Click to expand...

This describes my process, though I use Reaper.
 
WAV for sure. The only time I had to give any site an MP3 copy was reverbnation.com. I've found iTunes to give me pretty much everything I need in that department. You could also do some basic editing, fades, and level adjustment as well.

But most sites want WAV files anyway, and convert them automatically if anyone actually wants MP3 (given a choice, I always go for Apple Lossless myself). Yeah, you could put all that extra work into converting yourself, trying to get it to sound the best it possibly can, but generally speaking, people who get MP3s aren't all that concerned with the way it sounds...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top