Optimize for Myspace

[Kimono]

Dare I ask, anybody got any good tips for optimizing a mastering for myspace? I've read some web forums suggesting less limiting the better. I've noticed some uploads at 128kbps have the top end turned into crackle, yet some bands have excellent quality. Is it just professional mastering vs' DYI?

 

On another hand, I've noticed Reverb Nation quality is significantly better.

 

You can compare the two side by side at:

 

www.myspace.com/thalamusofthemanatee

 

All were 128kbps uploads, rendered from 24 bit audio at 44.1...

[Skyflash36]

Try using a low pass filter at around 11khz. I've heard that this helps

cut down on the aliasing caused by the crappy myspace player at the

highest frequencies.

 

Also for some reason stuff that is over compressed tends to sound

the worst through the player,so watch out for your 2 buss or mastering.

[jsmanness]

I've noticed that the mp3's you upload should come from CD quality or 44,100/16-bit stereo wave files. For example, I initially uploaded mp3's that came from 48kHz wave files and the quality was bad once it was on MySpace. It's likely that the 24 bits instead of 16 is affecting your quality.

 

-Jon

[Kimono]

Hey cheers folks.

 

So - When I bounce from my 24 bit mix, I usually bounce both to 24 bit PCM and 128KBps mp3 at the same time. Sometimes burn the PCM using ITUNES and upload the Mp3's somewhere.

 

Does the mp3 get rendered from the 24bit , or does it go through some other temporary PCM process?

[Jope]

I've noticed that the mp3's you upload should come from CD quality or 44,100/16-bit stereo wave files. For example, I initially uploaded mp3's that came from 48kHz wave files and the quality was bad once it was on MySpace.

 

That's exactly what I found (see also http://www.logicprohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=15818). If your project is on a higher sample rate, logic will first convert it to the highest sample rate possible for mp3 coding, and this is 48kHz. So bounce to 44.1kHz AIFF and perform the mp3 coding from this file. It will increase the sound quality within myspace. On the top of this, there are other players on the internet that will play 48kHz mp3's as if they were 44.1kHz mp3's resulting in lower pitch and speed.

Always go 44.1kHz.

 

It's likely that the 24 bits instead of 16 is affecting your quality.

 

Maybe it does, maybe not. The sample rate is more important.

[Kimono]

OK .. do you recommend Logic to do the 44.1 -> MP3 conversion?

[Jope]

OK .. do you recommend Logic to do the 44.1 -> MP3 conversion?

 

Hmmm... Logic could do it... Like this:

 

1 - Bounce your song to 44.1kHz AIFF, 24-bit (at least this won't hurt if you don't care for the file size)

2 - Open a new song, set the sample rate to 44.1kHz, create an Audio Track and load the AIFF on this track

3 - Bounce this song to mp3

 

I hope this makes sense, maybe I forgot something or there is an easier way using logic...

I always use "Amadeus" for AIFF to mp3 conversion (which is more than just a converter, see http://www.hairersoft.com/AmadeusPro/AmadeusPro.html), and I'm sure there are other applications and tools around.

You can also use iTunes if you set the importing option to "mp3" somwhere in the prefs.

[teamworkmammal]

i think myspace compresses audio if the file is any bigger than 3 mb. i forget where i heard that, but i have noticed better quality audio with smaller files. also, reverbnation is a seriously awesome site. no compression, infinite uploads and tons of helpful widgets and tools.

[Jope]

i think myspace compresses audio if the file is any bigger than 3 mb. i forget where i heard that, but i have noticed better quality audio with smaller files.

 

I guess you are right, but still minding the sample rate issue helps.

[Kimono]

yup Reverbnation has great tools and widgets. I've plugged it into my Myspace site and the audio is the same as what I uploaded. That's the easy solution!