Problem when encoding

[Dj Cruk CHIKIN]

-Whenever I encode any module into .mp3 format... the volume seems too be a little bit too low. I hear other songs that i didnt encode and seem to be much louder than the encoded ones.

--- Is there another way to adjust volume other than the main volume in the general tab?
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-Another problem is when i encode, mpt goes berserk and says theres an error and closes down.

---Is there a way to avoid or solve this?
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Version--
Open Modplug Tracker version 1.17.02.28 (1.17RC2)
Build Date: Sat Aug 20 00:13:04 2005

Lame encoder ver. 3.98 (it happens with every version I've tried)

[LPChip]

Modplug will also have a lower volume when exporting to wav. Its just how mpt does things.

I recommend to export to wav, then open in another audio editor, tweak it like normalise, and export as mp3 there. The quality will be higher, and you have more flexibility. For instance, you can produce your song by applying EQ/Compressor/Limiter etc to make it even better (assuming you know what you're doing)

[Sam_Zen]

I don't even demand from OMPT to have an export function to mp3. As long as it can save the song as a pure wav-file, it's fine by me. If I choose to convert this original to a mp3-version, I will do this with a dedicated converter-program.

I say 'original', because while all this talking about mp3, more and more one aspect is vanishing from the agenda :
Mp3's (and Ogg's) are destructive compressions. So it's not just an equal choice between two formats, wav or mp3.
A mp3 is a derivate of a wav, so a kind of sub-level.

[Dj Cruk CHIKIN]

Ah, good ideas... One problemo though I'm on Guest account with no other audio editors

[qbg]

Ah, good ideas... One problemo though I'm on Guest account with no other audio editors

You could increase the sample volume...

Now in XP (and others) Start->Run->sndrec32.exe  Now you should have a very basic wav editor that will let you change the codec of the wav file...

[Dj Cruk CHIKIN]

AHHH SOUND RECORDER ... good idea man thanks alot .... but now how will i convert the large wave file into mp3? hmmm--------

well i found a way... just burn to a cd.. then convert hehehehehehehhee

[LPChip]

AHHH SOUND RECORDER ... good idea man thanks alot .... but now how will i convert the large wave file into mp3? hmmm

In sound recorder, save as wav, choose as codek: mp3 compression. It will have the extention of a .wav file, but its an mp3

[Snu]

doesnt it only save as crappy very low quality mp3s tho, lp?
i suppose you could save as a wav, edit that, then open that in mp3 and THEN export as an mp3...
anyway tho, id suggest using a wav writer vst like tapeit instead of mpt's writer, since you can tweak the levels and watch for clipping.
also to increase the volume of the original track, you could route the whole track through a mastering plugin with gain/compress/limit (like stardust).

[DavidN]

It depends on the MP3 codec that Windows uses as its default - in my case, yes, you're right, as it only goes up to 56Kbps. I've also got an OGG codec in the list that I didn't know about, though!

[Sam_Zen]

I'm on Guest account with no other audio editors

In that case the first thing you need is to have all the used samples of the module in perfect condition, so as loud as possible for example. One can always set a sound softer with a code, while amplification of the source brings up more background noise in the total.

It will have the extention of a .wav file, but its an mp3

Really so ? What a crap. This proves once more the false hope for reliable tools from the basic OS.

I did a small test by saving a pattern to a wav with different settings of the sliders on the general tab.
Defaults : Initial global volume 64, VSTi volume 100, Sample volume 100.
I didn't include in the test the VST volume, not used, but I guess it behaves similar to the sample volume.
Ranges :
Initial global volume : 0 - 128
VSTi volume : 0 - 500
Sample volume : 0 - 500
If I change the global volume to 128, the saved wav indeed is as twice as loud.
The same works lineair for the sample volume. But it has a bigger range, so better resolution to set things optimal.
And settings of both volumes adds up.
So I also tested the direct export to mp3 by OMPT (Took a little longer, because I can't save a single pattern like that). The same result. All (three) sliders are valid for the final volume of the output file.
So, if you don't have 'alien' tools, and you can't depend on the badly programmed ms-tools, you should find the optimalisation inside the possibilities of OMPT itself.

2Wong
Should OMPT need an export utility to a compressed format, I would fancy the OGG-format, not MP3.
Because it's open source and sometimes better.

[LPChip]

Oh how stupid of me...

Indeed... If you have another codec installed (usually done when you have divx installed) you can save as wav with the proper MP3 codec, and in such cases, you can export with the right settings (eg. 320k 44100, 16bit, stereo.)

[Dj Cruk CHIKIN]

In the General tab... I increased the sample volume to 222. Thanks qbg for the tips. Seemed easy enough.