**** MP3 FILES!

[sidriley]

Is it possible to have a newer LAME version than what Audacity ver.1.2.x can handle? I keep trying to export in mp3 format, but the file ends up at about 25 bytes. I've reinstalled Audacity, re-downloaded the LAME .dll file and installed it proper, and tried exporting selection as. Oh, and I'm running Vista home premium, btw. Thanks.

[waxcylinder]

From reading other posts on the forum, I believe that it is possible to have versions of LAME and Audacity that are out of step.

Workaround: export your files as WAVs and find an external piece of software that will convert WAV=>MP3 - you should find some free s/w that you can download over t'interweb (even iTunes can do this for you - but is a sledgehammer to crack a walnut - unless you want to use iTunes as your player s/w too).

BTW: if you are planning to load the MP3 files onto an iPod - then you would be better off exporting as WAV and converting with iTunes with AAC (as bitrate for bitrate AAC gives better quality than MP3). You may, of course, prefer the portability of MP3 - your choice.

WC

[sidriley]

From reading other posts on the forum, I believe that it is possible to have versions of LAME and Audacity that are out of step.

Workaround: export your files as WAVs and find an external piece of software that will convert WAV=>MP3 - you should find some free s/w that you can download over t'interweb (even iTunes can do this for you - but is a sledgehammer to crack a walnut - unless you want to use iTunes as your player s/w too).

BTW: if you are planning to load the MP3 files onto an iPod - then you would be better off exporting as WAV and converting with iTunes with AAC (as bitrate for bitrate AAC gives better quality than MP3). You may, of course, prefer the portability of MP3 - your choice.

WC

Well, (very) unforunately, I don't have an Ipod, which really sux, considering I got an iHome for x-mas. Anyways, let's stay on topic. Thus far on my search for free music s/w, all I've found is Audacity. The rest are pay-only, and I'm 16 and w/out a job, so money's REALLY tight. Not to mention that pretty much anything you buy online requires a credit card or checking account, neither of which I have. Also, you compare the compression and quality of AAC and MP3 formats. Question: If I set the bitrate for MP3 at 320kbps, is that as good as AAC? I honestly have no idea, but I can tell you that one upside of Audacity is its burden, or lack thereof, on system resources. It, unlike SOME music s/w <cough:iTunes:cough> uses AT MOST 4% of RAM, and with 2 processors, the load on processor isn't really an issue, so it's my favorite. Thanks for the advice, though. That's more than my friends give me. They just stare at me, confused, when I talk about music editing programs and other computer topics. Does anyone know where I can get an older ver. of the LAME DLLs? I'm not really sure about the new Audacity beta. It's the "beta" part that scares me.

EDIT: I guess I'll give the beta a shot, just for the hell of it. Wish me luck.

[sidriley]

Sorry 'bout double-posting, but I just wanted to say...boy, am I an idiot! I failed to realize that the MP3 format doesn't support files with a bitrate of 320kbps and a sample rate of 22050 hz. Wow, I feel dumb. Luckily, I'm using the beta to convert, and it's working perfect. Although, I'm curious as to why in the previous ver. when I would change that same value, my music would speed up insanely. Any ideas?

[kozikowski]

You can have 1.2.x and 1.3.x on your machine at the same time. Don't try to run them both at the same time.

Beta Software in this case in misleading as this is the final version before 1.4.x, a stable release which will be along shortly.

Typically, if the lame program fails, it's because it won't load or Audacity can't see it. Not that it produces damaged files. In other words, you have some warning...normally.

Vista and Leopard did create some interesting problems.....

Koz

[kozikowski]

Audacity will load a lot of files it won't play. If it does hit a really compressed, unknown audio file, it plays as if it were uncompressed. So your two hour AAC file might play in fifteen seconds flat. Just the thing for your fast-paced, hectic lifestyle.

Koz

[sidriley]

Fortunately, the beta has been stable for me, thus far, whatever that means. I'm guessing that it's got something to do with crashing. Anyway, yeah. It even withstood a partial HD repartitioning, and the installation of a 2nd (and more reliable) OS, Ubuntu. Besides, I'm kinda liking the beta better.

About LAME, it shows the ver. as like, 3.94, or some crap like that. (I'm at school, not in front of my compy.) So it can find it, it's just a craptastic LAME version.

About the uncompressed "15-second" music, I got two words for ya, Koz.

Damn straight.