Getting file size down

Pat Kelly · Post by **Pat Kelly** » 22 Sep 2006 9:48 am

I've started using the windows inbuilt sound recorder to listen to my playing to assist in self criticism. Trouble is the file size is very large (12Mb for a two minute grab.) Certainly too large to e-mail. I noticed guys posting tracks all the time that are much smaller than this. Any advice? I don't need great quality and I don't have much to spend.

Pat K

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 22 Sep 2006 12:35 pm

most of the tracks that folks post are MP3's.

There are several programs that can reduce the PC wave files to MP3. Musicmatch comes to mind as one of the most popular. I think around $30 bucks..

There may even be a free download somewhere on the net. Search MuisicMatch and I think they have a free trial download.

You can select several different MP3 compressions, the smallest being the least quality and the largest being a better quality.

For EMAIL or streaming ( listening over the net ) I have found that keeping the file size 750k and no larger than 1 meg as most appropriate.

good luck

t

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 22 Sep 2006 12:40 pm

Audiograbber, a free (and very good) CD ripping program also has a function that will convert between wav and MP3.

Do a google search for audiograbber.

Will Holtz · Post by **Will Holtz** » 22 Sep 2006 3:50 pm

For some additional space savings, you might consider using mono files in addition to mp3 compression.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 23 Sep 2006 2:41 am

If you wish, there is a FREE way of converting files.
1. Burn the track to an audio CD, obviously as audio,.
2. Import the track via iTunes as an mp3, set the quality in the iTunes preferences.
If you haven't got iTunes, you should get it.
You will have a very organised library system as well.
Baz

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Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 23 Sep 2006 8:11 am

U use WM (Windows Media Player) and the .wma files are half the size of .mp3 files for the same sound quality. Set the RIP process to 192kbps and you won't be able to tell it from the original. For smaller files set the quality lower. Open your sound file using WMP, go to the RIP tab and tell it to RIP the song. You are there!

Greg

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 23 Sep 2006 10:51 am

Pat, Windows sound recorder renders your recording to the wav. format which is ten times the size of mp3 format so you need to convert this wav file to mp3 format. Musicmatch juke box is a free download and has a converter built into it. You can select a lower bit rate to make the file size smaller for internet posting and you'll hardly notice the difference.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Andy Sandoval on 23 September 2006 at 11:53 AM.]</p></FONT>

Pat Kelly · Post by **Pat Kelly** » 23 Sep 2006 11:11 am

Thsnks fellas,

There are several suggestions posted pointing me in direction I was hoping for. I should be able to get the result I want using software I already have and using the info posted.

Thanks again

Pat K