Rednroll has made me scared to ask ?'s.... but here goes! -Sound Forge - PC

Subject:Rednroll has made me scared to ask ?'s.... but here goes! Posted by: meskin Date:7/29/2001 3:33:00 PM everytime i save an mp3 file after messing with it, it always tells me that i have "saved it in a compressed format, and would i like to reopen it to hear any changes." Even if i dont change ANY settings, then do a "save As...", it still gives me this message. Upon reopening the file, i cant hear any audible change or distortion, but am i slowly degrading the song everytime i save it? Yes, i have checked the help section, and scoured many help threads, but to no avail. And yes, I've only been using this program for a few months. Any help would be appreciated. thanks aaron
Subject:RE: Rednroll has made me scared to ask ?'s.... but here goes! Reply by: PhilHemel Date:7/29/2001 4:48:01 PM Hi there, Yep, every time you save as MP3 the quality will degrade a little (or a lot depending on your MP3 settings!). When you open an MP3 file it is decoded to uncompressed data (like a WAV), and it is compressed again when you save it. Most file formats that achieve high levels of compression (MP3, JPG etc) only do so by throwing alot of redundant/duplicate data away, so quality is always compromised a little. Hope that helps, Phil p.s. don't be scared of Rednroll, I was a little annoyed at some of his comments too, but looking through the older forums he's helped a LOT of people (of all skill levels!!) in the past.
Subject:RE: Rednroll has made me scared to ask ?'s.... but here goes! Reply by: meskin Date:7/29/2001 6:23:09 PM Thanks Phil, that does help. I was being a little sarcastic about the rednroll comment, i have read alot of his replies, and he does offer alot of good advice. Sounds like he knows what he is doing. He's inadvertantly answered some other q's i had too. Again, thanks for the tip phil. Guess i'll try not to make too many saves on one song. aaron
Subject:RE: Rednroll has made me scared to ask ?'s.... but here goes! Reply by: beetlefan Date:7/30/2001 1:30:37 AM I would suggest that if you are going to save as mp3 to use the variable bit rate option. Opening, working on, and then saving the same mp3 again is really not recommended. Ideally, mp3's should only be created once. If I need to work on an mp3 I open it, work on it, then burn the wav to CD-R.
Subject:RE: Rednroll has made me scared to ask ?'s.... but here goes! Reply by: jgalt Date:7/30/2001 5:49:08 AM I recommend you save your "original" file as a .wav file. Make your changes to the .wav file. When you think you have the file as you want it, save it "one more time" as a .wav file and also save it as an .mp3.

Subject:Rednroll has made me scared to ask ?'s.... but here goes!

Posted by: meskin

Date:7/29/2001 3:33:00 PM

everytime i save an mp3 file after messing with it, it always tells me that i have "saved it in a compressed format, and would i like to reopen it to hear any changes." Even if i dont change ANY settings, then do a "save As...", it still gives me this message. Upon reopening the file, i cant hear any audible change or distortion, but am i slowly degrading the song everytime i save it?

Yes, i have checked the help section, and scoured many help threads, but to no avail. And yes, I've only been using this program for a few months.

Any help would be appreciated.

thanks
aaron

Subject:RE: Rednroll has made me scared to ask ?'s.... but here goes!

Reply by: PhilHemel

Date:7/29/2001 4:48:01 PM

Hi there,

Yep, every time you save as MP3 the quality will degrade a little (or a lot depending on your MP3 settings!). When you open an MP3 file it is decoded to uncompressed data (like a WAV), and it is compressed again when you save it. Most file formats that achieve high levels of compression (MP3, JPG etc) only do so by throwing alot of redundant/duplicate data away, so quality is always compromised a little.

Hope that helps,

Phil
p.s. don't be scared of Rednroll, I was a little annoyed at some of his comments too, but looking through the older forums he's helped a LOT of people (of all skill levels!!) in the past.

Subject:RE: Rednroll has made me scared to ask ?'s.... but here goes!

Reply by: meskin

Date:7/29/2001 6:23:09 PM

Thanks Phil, that does help. I was being a little sarcastic about the rednroll comment, i have read alot of his replies, and he does offer alot of good advice. Sounds like he knows what he is doing. He's inadvertantly answered some other q's i had too. Again, thanks for the tip phil. Guess i'll try not to make too many saves on one song.

aaron

Subject:RE: Rednroll has made me scared to ask ?'s.... but here goes!

Reply by: beetlefan

Date:7/30/2001 1:30:37 AM

I would suggest that if you are going to save as mp3 to use the variable bit rate option.

Opening, working on, and then saving the same mp3 again is really not recommended. Ideally, mp3's should only be created once.

If I need to work on an mp3 I open it, work on it, then burn the wav to CD-R.

Subject:RE: Rednroll has made me scared to ask ?'s.... but here goes!

Reply by: jgalt

Date:7/30/2001 5:49:08 AM

I recommend you save your "original" file as a .wav file. Make your changes to the .wav file. When you think you have the file as you want it, save it "one more time" as a .wav file and also save it as an .mp3.