Guidance for Encoding MP3s
Need help encoding your music? We're here to help!
- We recommend exporting from your DAW to WAV and encoding externally.
- We recommend LAME encoder; a good Windows frontend is winLAME.
- Audio must be 16-bit, 44.1kHz Stereo with a bitrate setting of either 192kbps CBR (constant bitrate) or VBR1 (variable bitrate, quality = 1).
- If your DAW supports exporting to MP3 and you prefer doing it that way, that's fine, just make sure it supports either 192Kbps or VBR1.
- Here's a walkthrough of encoding a WAV with winLAME:
- A.) INPUT FILES: Load your WAV file into winLAME
- B.) OUTPUT SETTINGS: Choose the output location where the finished MP3 should be placed
- C.) PRESETS: At the Presets list, select Custom Settings
- D.) LAME SETTINGS: Select High for the encoding quality, and a quality level of 1
- E.) ENCODING: Underneath "Encoding Control," click the arrow/play button, and you're all set!
