Music For Web, Compression Options

[add9]

Hi
I like this forum. So many interesting questions and answers.
I haven't read every post so I am not sure if this has been up before, but......

I have been asked to make the music for a new online-adventure-game.
No problem, love to do it, but HOW???

When I bounce down my arrangement it is usually 60-70 MB in waw-format. Way to big for the web.
Mp3's can be used in a few places, but is also too big.

Is there anyone who have experiences in compressing large stereo files down to "nothing" without loosing too much quality?

I have just started to experimenting with Flash.
Is there a better program?
Do you have any good tips for me, please...?


*tearing out her hair*

[filarion]

The bottom line is, if ogg or mp3 are still too big, you´ll need to sacrifice quality. I wouldn´t recommend flash, but that´s a personal matter.. Maybe making it mono will be enough saved space already. Wierd though that 6 MB compressed as mp3 is still too big for a downloadable game these days

[add9]

Yes, I know that I must sacrifice some quality, but I will try to save them as stereo files.
All the hyperdraw and panning... Love it

It has still not been decided by the technicians involved in this project what standard to be settle with. But I know that the smaller the audio files are the better...

*sighs*

[kaboombahchuck]

I know this may sound stupid, but have you concidered sending it as a midi file?

[add9]

I think midi files sucks
I hope to get better quality

[Synthetic]

also consider reducing your sample rate from 44100khz to something like 22000khz is another option. If you use a filter or shelf EQ... you can roll off a little of the frequency at the top end and same on the bottem end and then use a compressor on the whole file and it still should sound ok but you will not have quite the dynamic range it once had. Also considering reducing bit depth from 16 to 12 or 8 bits maybe too. I know as an artist or musician you want the best sound quality possible but if you have to reduce file size... then something has to give

another idea is try to develop smaller looped material... create something that sounds interesting by layering things and make a turnaround sort of at the end so that when it loops is seems almost seemless... then use a few of these smaller files for different scenes or areas of the game rather than one big file. This is something I noticed in some of the smaller marketed games.

[add9]

Yeah....here was some good advises

I am working in 24 bit, and yes that makes my files bigger *duh*

Then, when it comes to the compressing...
Well, I have to be better at it. It often seems to be too much, but maybe taking the input level a bit down in the compressor might help...?

And when it's coming to EQ, I think I have a tendensy to like too deeps sounds in the bass area. Must do something about that *sigh*

Yes, and I have thought about looping some of it....
G'z, this is the opposite way of thinking

Thank you Synthetic BTW, your site is cool, I will listen to some of the material later.

If someone knows about a good programme to make the files as tiny as possible, please let me know...?

[deleted]

Ok add9, do you want to stream your file? Or allow simple file download?

The best format to stream ATM is real... IMHO.
It's the better ratio size/quality, especially with video included, and it's supported on most platforms (reading only), at the olpposite of quicktime and crosoft things.

If you can't stream, like Filarion said, better convert the master mix in mono (hey, half the size here! Untill you use many stereo "effects"), and play with the rate (64kbps?) or VBR (variable bit rate). Toggle the settings by yourself, and hear the changes ;-)

Ogg is really nice, cause it's an open format (ie. no copyright, or such, like mp3), and it sounds great, but it's still not spreaded enough.

Hope this help. Bye.

[add9]

Thank you
I have a whole lot of experimenting to do

Fortunately I have no deadline yet. The graphics people have just started their work.
I will let you know when the demo is up and running.
I know that the writers is influenced with their love for the MYST-games, so it might be some good puzzels there....and hopefully good music too

I guess I will go for mono... and for 12 bit. It is usually just musician that hear the difference anyway

Again, thanks for helping! I might come back asking again...


Rebecca

[Synthetic]

thanks Rebecca on the site compliments... unfortunately, my graphic design skills surpasse my musical abilities... must be because I work 8 hours a day in advertising field doing graphics and only get a few hours here and there to do the music role...I am trying to change that though

oh... and experimenting, even though time consuming, is sometimes the only way to figure out what works best for your situation. Good luck with your soundtrack

[MrD.]

If you'd like to stream music , RealAudio is a format to cosider.. Allthough many people hate their player the files size they achive is pretty small.
And with mp3 you can get really small files. Simply download any free mp3 convertor (if you're ona mac- you got a free one with your OS : Itune) and expriment with setting. Since the game is intended to people with fast conection anyway (I can't see anyone with a 28kb modem playing on the net) you can try 128kb, which is a good enough quality and quite a small size (about 3.5mb for 4-5 min , if I'm not mistaken)

Good luck...

[add9]

Progress
A company in the U.S.A called Chaoitcom is now working on a programme for streaming music. They can get an mp3 file sized 7.5MB down to just 24kb
A telecompany here in Norway, together with Nokia, are interested getting hold of it for the use of streaming music for mobile phones. The next step is the net.
I have, sort of, started a communication with Waves. I want them to create a plug-in that can convert mono files into stereo. But if this streaming programme is released, my headache is over




"Working haaaaard for the money..."