Okay, I got a (semi) finished song saved as a .SEQ file. How do I turn that into a listenable (outside RB) MP3 file so I can share it?

rok,

Couple of questions need to be answered.

First are all of the "audio" parts of the song
in your Seq file.

If so you can Click Audio at top left.
Select Merge Audio and VSTi/DXi tracks to Stereo.
This will create a stereo wav file containing all parts of the
song.

I use Audacity with Lame mp3 encoder installed.
Load the wave file into Audacity.
Edit out the beginning space and end space.
Maybe edit in Fade-in and Also Fade-out.

Export from Audacity as Mp3.

Second,

If you have midi in your seq file and are using external midi keyboard or Ketron type device
you will need to play and record.

Keep in mind if midi is playing thru a VSTi the first paragraph takes care
of this.

Hope this helps a bit.

I like to leave a couple of seconds of silence at the beginning of the wav file in Audacity. Also when you choose your mp3 compression rate pick the highest rate or at least 196 and it'll sound better.

Your next question will be where to put it so you can share it. Soundclick or Soundcloud are both free to upload your song to share with the world. Once you have it there put a link to it on the users showcase forum or the off topic forum and if you'd like feedback on something specific like the mix just ask for it.

Good advice being given above. The reason for exporting as a wave file is so that when you someday lose the .SEQ files due to a computer crash, and mixed down files are of highest quality. Mp3 are not as good, and you can always make more from the wave file.

@Sundance,
I even used to have Audacity on the computer but got rid of it because I didn't even know what it was for back then. Oh well, can always download it again. Without checking much about it yet, Audacity is NOT a DAW like Reaper is, correct?

Anyhow, looking up a tutorial about Audacity on YouTube I found this 41 second video on how to use Audacity to improve vocals:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWflvukIlG4&feature=fvwrel

Now is that cool or what!!??

Oh, back to the subject. I tried what you said and, as usual, hit a snag. All I know is that the song in question, when saved in RealBand, has the extension .SEQ. So to answer your question "are all the 'audio' parts of the song in your Seq file" I have to answer "I don't know!" All I know is that when I open the song all the tracks appear where they are supposed to in RealBand. But when I try your instructions I can't see the song!! That is, (1) when I open up my bb files in RealBand I see dozens and dozens of files all of which I can open in Real Band. That also includes the song in question as well as other songs I've tinkered a bit with and all of which have the extension .SEQ. But when I do as you say I get a different window and not nearly as many files show and, in particular, NOT A SINGLE SONG WITH THE SEQ FILES SHOWS. Therefore, obviously, I can't click on any of them because they aren't listed. (I sure hope I'm explaining this well enough). I think I'm missing a step somewhere.

In the meantime, I'll download Audacity with Lame. At least I can do that. I think.

P.S. I just found out that Google Search helps for more things that I thought it did!

http://www.pgmusic.com/techfaq27.htm#20

http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=90121

P.S. And, seeker, thanks for the "Soundclick or Soundcloud" headsup. Will check them out. Already found out that the MP3 was too large to send in an email. Well, at least I've gotten that far.

Realtracks are all audio. If you're not using an external keyboard or a Ketron to output your midi sounds - In prefs>audio check reroute midi to vsc/dxi. Then don't worry about that.

Back in your seq file, under the audio tab, select Merge Audio and VSTi/DXi tracks to Stereo just as Seeker suggested. It will ask you where you want to put the new wave file. Put in the same folder where you want to save all your original song seq files, call it My Songs or whatever. Add another folder inside that main one with the song name so you can easily find all files for each of your songs (seq, wav. etc.)when needed.

Close RB. Open Audacity and choose file>open go to your file folder you made and open the file. When you're done with it export to mp3 saving it where ever you want.

@Sundance,

Apparently all is (finally) well. I did a Google and found out how to do it in Reaper and was happy as hell. However, I will certainly try out your advice soon on how to do it in RealBand as well as what I found out in a Google Search.

I joined www.soundcloud.com and uploaded the unfinished project. I need to, at least, (1) Dump the click count-in at the beginning, (2) Add a solo, (3) Cut the end, (4) add vocals.

But, hell, like I really care so much about that now! First computer recorded song by me ever!

http://soundcloud.com/kiddcarvin

I think I will continue to upload EVERYTHING I record to YouTube (why not, with almost 1,296,000+ views so far on my channel?) while also starting an AUDIO ONLY thing on SoundCloud.

Thanks so much for yer input!!

You're totally welcome and congrats on the first recording!

BTW, you can put a link to your tube channel and/or your soundcloud page in your signature so it'll show up in all your posts.

rokq22,

This is pretty clear on whats going on...
The wikipedia article is good, never etched in concrete, but informative.

https://www.google.com/#hl=en&sclien...=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=5c2ad6ec74fab5d7&biw=1231&bih=668

Later

@seeker,
Yeah, I think I tend to sometimes take some things for granted. "MP3 is a patented technology". Says a lot right there.

Both Biab and RB do include the ability to compress files to WMA. That comes free with Windows. I've used it occasionally and to me at least WMA files sound just as good as MP3's do and even though people refer to an "MP3" player most players handle WMA's as well. Follow the same instructions as above in either program and select the option that says something like merge audio to a compressed file. That is WMA and it works fine.

Bob