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Is there a difference in listening quality between music recorded as an MP3 disk versus as an Audio disk. I'm working on a clarinet solo and wanted the best sounding CD. I know all CD players don't play MP3's but most do now.
I'm using old NERO to make CD's. Is there something better?
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It depends on input source, but if the sound "masters" are 16bit 1411kbs 44.1khz wav files, then the CD Audio will sound the best.
MP3 files are 320kbs, 256kbs, 128kbs ... (all sorts of options). However, it will be tough for most folks to be able to easily tell the difference between 256kbs (and up) MP3 files and WAV files. An audio CD is limited by the total time of the recording -- well everything is expanded to "WAV" size. An MP3 CD just holds files, so if you have all 256kbs MP3 files, you can get 5x more songs on there. However a lot of audio devices can't play MP3 disks.
I hope this helps a little.
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MP3 is a type of audio compression as is the WAV algorithm. Using MP3, there is a trade of between file size and audio quality. Using higher bit rates, as Kemmich suggets above, will improve the sound quality. Use at least 256kbs to avoid compression induced audio artifacts (ringing or echos)....this is especially true if you have sharp attacks in your music (for example staccatos in your case). The type of encoders used by your software also has an effect on quality. If you have the option, record MP3 at the highest bit rate possible at 256 or higher, or better yet record as a wave "lossless" You will also get better audio quality if you or others using your CD use digital outputs on your audio card versus "line out" audio outputs.
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I'm listening now to the difference between my MP3 version and my original Wave file that came from my Zoom H2. I can record on the setting 96/16 bit.
This was great information.
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Thanks, it was a significantly better sound using the Wave file. Since I didn't need to have a smaller file when putting it on a CD, it made for a better quality disk.
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I listened again to the sound quality and would like a better sound since my clarinet has a harsh quality.(and I'm NOT Benny Goodman) Would it improve if I used a more recent version of Nero. I have a Nero OEM 6 from a while ago.
But I also want to re-record my solo in a carpeted room and try to get a better sound.
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No. Nero is just the vehicle that writes data, ANY data, to a CD. The different versions just add features. As long as you tell Nero to just write it as a data file and not a music CD you will retain the brightness. As soon as you compress to MP3 you start losing quality. The trade off for smaller file size is brightness. If you have no reason to care, leave them as WAV files, as they are uncompressed.
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Quote:
I listened again to the sound quality and would like a better sound since my clarinet has a harsh quality...
Hi joan,
I would be more suspect of something other than use of mp3 compression or bitrate or even using full on .wav format pcm digital recording here.
Likely the harsh quality of sound you are referring to is a matter of microphone, settings, microphone preamp, mic placement and the acoustics of the room.
Recording wind instrument like clarinet, it is very easy to set the mic input too 'hot' and thus get an overdriven kind of sound. First thing to try here is backing off of the Record input volume setting until you obtain a recording that sounds more like the clarinet does in the first place. This might also include placing the mic a bit further away from the horn as well. Keep in mind that the sound of woodwind instruments does not emanate from the bell as it does with a "closed" wind instrument such as trumpet or trombone, etc. - because the clarinet works on the half-wave, literally changing the physical length of the instrument via the holes and pads and fingers, the sound actually emanates from different areas of the instrument body at different times, depending upon the note played and the resulting fingering. The sound will thus emanate at different points along the body of the clarinet. A mic placement slightly away from and also above the instrument area is more likely to be able to capture those different points more evenly than a mic placed closer to any one part of the instrument.
A good starting point for setting the Record input level is to play as loudly as you can while checking the all-important VU meter on the recording device. When you are playing very loudly and the VU meter is hovering somewhere around the -6 dB point or so, that is likely to be close to the "sweet spot" for digital recording.
--Mac
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Thanks Mac, I'm using my Zoom H2 recorder and I will make some adjustments and re-record my solo. One element that needs to be considered is the accompaniment part which I'm playing through my Logitech speakers with subwoofer as I'm playing the Clarinet solo.
1.Adjust the Mic Gain (to Low)
2.Put the Zoom up on a higher table or cabinet and farther away.
3.Check the VU Meter and get 06dB point
I have these settings on my Zoom H-2 which I had set to off. Should I have these other choices selected.
Monitor on/off
Lo Cut on/off
AGC/Comp on/off
AGC has 2 choices 1. General 2. Speech
Comp has 3 choices 1. General 2. Vocal 3. Drum
Limit has 3 choices 1. General 2. Concert 3 Studio
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I set up my carpeted front room as a sound studio. Using the acoustic panels from behind my upright piano, I have a nice place for recording my clarinet now. I put my Zoom up on a high stool to get it above my head level and farther away from me. I set it to low gain and recorded a test solo this afternoon. It seems to be improving the quality of my clarinet sound. I'm going to get a final version this week.
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Since you are playing along to a backing track, it would be much better if you used headphones (the closed type that fit over your ear, or earbuds) than your Logitech speakers with subwoofer. Otherwise, you are recording the backing along with your clarinet, and that will not give you as good a sound.
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Thanks Matt, When people use headphones while playing can you still hear yourself and the recording that you are listening at the same time? Another option might be to listen to a metronome beat through headphones and then match it up with the recording later.
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The best way, such as what would happen in a studio, is to have your own playing sent into the mix. When I record, I have a mixer so that I can adjust the level of every instrument, including myself.
If you can't do that, a trick is to move one of the earpieces so it does not cover your er. You will hear yourself in that ear and the backing track in the other.
Using a click track (the metronome) is another topic.
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>>>...I set up my carpeted front room as a sound studio. Using the acoustic panels from behind my upright piano, I have a nice place for recording my clarinet now...>>>
Now you are getting someplace. Paying attention to the room, acoustics, and mic placement are essential to producing a good tone on the recording. Keep trying different combination - there is no magic formula.
You will get better control over your results if you can have the backing tracks delivered to your recorder by wire rather than through the microphone on the Zoom. You need a mixer to do this.
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Okay, Joan, you REALLY need a mixer here thatyou can plug an actual mic into. The best you will ever do with any kind of handheld will be audio about the quality of those awful youtube videos people make of their friend playing at the local bar. Tinny, grainy, overdriven, distorted...
None of it will be free or even cheap, but the results will be of much higher quality. This is a job for Mr Craigs List and his wife Ms E Bay. A small 8 channel mixer and a decent quality mic will do wonders for you here.
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Thanks for all these suggestions. I completed the CD of my clarinet solo just using the Zoom H2 with the improved mic placement and settings. I don't plan on doing this very often. My main reason for getting this recording was because my clarinet teacher is having a recital in February and I will be leaving next week for 3 months of golfing, walking the beach, etc. She said she would play my recording during the recital so that was the start of my search for the best recording I could get with the equipment I already had. It actually improved the sound greatly over the first Mp3's that I made. I switched to wave files and better room acoustics.
I learned a tremendous amount from this project and it was worthwhile to me.
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