How to: Get the best sound with uploaded audio/video files - 04/07/13 03:34 AM
BACKGROUND
Most web sites that host audio and video files use their own compression tools to prepare a file for their site. Because of this, when a compressed file (say, mp3 at 128 kb/s) is uploaded, it will routinely undergo a second compression as part of the upload process. This second compressing often reduces audio quality significantly.
The below techniques are what I use to try and minimize reduction in quality due to a site's compressing procedures.
YOUTUBE & VIMEO
I once read that a user should prepare the upload file such that it is as good a quality as possible prior to the upload. To this end, I do the following.
One
I add audio to my video production as a normalized, uncompressed wav file (44.1 kHz).
When I normalize the file, I use GoldWave and if there are some transient peaks that would severely impact on my normalizing, I simply normalize to +1 or +2 dB (rather than 0 or -0.3 dB) so that these transient peaks are cut off (i.e. clipped). This is a form of "brickwall limiting". Such peaks are usually due to drums and minor clipping doesn't seem to impact noticeably on the percussion's sound.
Two
I save the video with graphics compression set at 8 Mb/sec (sometimes 15 Mb/sec), and stereo audio compression set at 44.1 kHz and 320 kb/sec using the AAC or AC3 codec (Vimeo recommend AAC). I save my original, pre-uploaded files as mp4 using the h.264 format.
With the above settings, a three minute song usually gives me a final file in the vicinity of 100 megabytes to upload. It's big, but it seems to be treated more kindly by Youtube and Vimeo than smaller files.
I've also noticed that using the above settings seems to produce a good quality of audio irrespective of whether Youtube is set at 240, 360, 480, etc.
SOUNDCLOUD, etc.
I always save my audio as an compressed wav file at 44.1 kHz. I then upload that file.
For a 3 minute song, this is usually a 30 megabyte file.
LINK TO A SONG USING THE ABOVE SETTINGS
The below link will take you to a post where there are links to Youtube, Vimeo and Soundcloud. It's the same song and I have used the above settings to create the file that was uploaded.
...link to "Dare To Dream The Impossible"
Regards,
Noel
Most web sites that host audio and video files use their own compression tools to prepare a file for their site. Because of this, when a compressed file (say, mp3 at 128 kb/s) is uploaded, it will routinely undergo a second compression as part of the upload process. This second compressing often reduces audio quality significantly.
The below techniques are what I use to try and minimize reduction in quality due to a site's compressing procedures.
YOUTUBE & VIMEO
I once read that a user should prepare the upload file such that it is as good a quality as possible prior to the upload. To this end, I do the following.
One
I add audio to my video production as a normalized, uncompressed wav file (44.1 kHz).
When I normalize the file, I use GoldWave and if there are some transient peaks that would severely impact on my normalizing, I simply normalize to +1 or +2 dB (rather than 0 or -0.3 dB) so that these transient peaks are cut off (i.e. clipped). This is a form of "brickwall limiting". Such peaks are usually due to drums and minor clipping doesn't seem to impact noticeably on the percussion's sound.
Two
I save the video with graphics compression set at 8 Mb/sec (sometimes 15 Mb/sec), and stereo audio compression set at 44.1 kHz and 320 kb/sec using the AAC or AC3 codec (Vimeo recommend AAC). I save my original, pre-uploaded files as mp4 using the h.264 format.
With the above settings, a three minute song usually gives me a final file in the vicinity of 100 megabytes to upload. It's big, but it seems to be treated more kindly by Youtube and Vimeo than smaller files.
I've also noticed that using the above settings seems to produce a good quality of audio irrespective of whether Youtube is set at 240, 360, 480, etc.
SOUNDCLOUD, etc.
I always save my audio as an compressed wav file at 44.1 kHz. I then upload that file.
For a 3 minute song, this is usually a 30 megabyte file.
LINK TO A SONG USING THE ABOVE SETTINGS
The below link will take you to a post where there are links to Youtube, Vimeo and Soundcloud. It's the same song and I have used the above settings to create the file that was uploaded.
...link to "Dare To Dream The Impossible"
Regards,
Noel