Understanding Audio File Types
In the world of audio, you are going to come across many different audio file types. With that being said, nosotros will mention several here that are very mutual to the majority of DAWs. They tin can be categorized into iii main groups.
- Uncompressed audio formats: WAVE, AIFF & PCM
- Lossless audio formats: FLAC, WMA, ALAC
- Lossy audio formats: MP3 & AAC
It is essential to sympathise the difference betwixt uncompressed and compressed audio file types. Lossy or compressed file types similar MP3s throw away audio information to reduce the file size. When we compress the file, it becomes significantly smaller than the original one. This has its advantages when distributing the content. However, when you lot are recording audio or downloading samples, ever shoot for the best quality you tin can become. The reason for this may be self-evident to y'all – but it is critical for me to explain.
When yous showtime with a lossy compressed audio source (similar MP3 or AAC), further compression will compound the effect of the thrown away audio information. This can actually damage the file. It as well makes whatever processing yous did basically useless. So, information technology is all-time to try to preserve as much as you tin can from the outset. Notice how compound compression has damaged the second example below.
It is an industry standard to deliver your concluding audio file (ii-mix) to mixing and mastering engineers in an uncompressed format. They simply cannot and volition non piece of work with compressed files. Have a await at these ii waveforms. They are the same operation rendered to ii different qualities – WAV and MP3. The blue waveform on top is the MP3.
A few more terms y'all will come up beyond when you deal with audio file formats are Sample Charge per unit, Bit Rate & Bit Depth. Nosotros will cover these below.
SAMPLE RATE
The sample rate is the number of times the sound is sampled per second. For example, CD audio has a sample charge per unit of 44100 Hz. This ways that the audio is sampled 44100 times every 2d. The sample rate is measured in "Hertz" – a unit of measurement of frequency describing cycles per 2d.
Standard CD-quality audio uses a sample charge per unit of 44.i kHz (chiliad means times m). Sampling Rates range from 8000 Hz (very, very depression quality) up to 192 000 Hz (very, very hello quality). The disadvantage of very high sample rates is that they evangelize huge files – not to mention – people cannot hear improvement later on 44100 Hz (Encounter Blog: Why Waveforms?).
BIT DEPTH and BIT RATE
Chip Rate and Flake Depth are two more of import aspects of digitized sound. From the export (or render) window in your DAW, yous will probably be able to choose from sixteen, 24, and 32 bit. SoundBrige allows these 3 options as well as a 32bit float option. This refers to Bit Depth – the number of possible values to correspond a sample of the signal with. Professional studios unremarkably offering scrap depths of 24 and 32.
In digital multimedia, Fleck Rate refers to the number of $.25 within a unit of measurement of playback time to represent a continuous medium (such as audio) and describes the character of the sample.
MORE Nigh LOSSY FORMATS LIKE MP3
Yous tin can customize the degree to which the MP3 will retain or lose data during the encoding and pinch process by tweaking the scrap settings. Lower fleck rate means the encoder will discard more or sound information during the compression process, which volition affect audio quality on playback. Bit Rates for MP3 files range from xvi kilobytes per 2nd (kbps) to 320 kbps.
A Sample Rate of 44100 Hz and a Fleck Depth of 16/Chip Rate of most 320 kbps is known every bit the Red Book standard for sound CDs.
Here is a comparison of lossless and lossy files with their associated quality vs size.
For professional sound quality, record and return sound at a rate of at least 44.100 kHz and a depth of 24 bits. This way, any further processing such as mixing and editing will not event in any deposition.
If you must encode/record to MP3, aim for 320 kbps – 32bit bladder.
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