Today we are going to talk about customizing an audio file in wave format (Microsoft) for uploading it into the Internet.

What needs to be done:
     First and foremost, you need to figure out the format needed. The most popular nowadays is Mpeg Layer 3 (MP3). Why would you want to choose this particular encoding? Well, it offers a listener trouble-free playback of the file after it has been downloaded and spares him/her from installing some extra software (which is sometimes the case).
     Secondly, you need to define features of the mp3 file. Here you need to know the quality you would like your file to have after compression and it's a thinker because the better the quality, the "heavier" your file will be. 128 kbit/sec with sample rate 44100Hz is considered to be the most acceptable. You will be able to increase the quality of your sound up to 160, 192, 224 kb/s as you go along.
     Then, when you file is ready, you need to insert tags (fig.1) which are important for:
- listener (song title, name of an artist, genre etc.);
- promotion of the track;
- "contact me" purposes (through your website or webmail) ...

    fig. 1

 Note:
    You may skip the next passage if you already have a *wav. audio file with the following features: bit resolution 16 bit, sample rate 44100 Hz.
Many of those who work with such professional music software as Cubase, Cakewalk, Fruity Loops, WaveLab, Sound Forge prefer sound with high bit rate (32 bit or 24 bit) and they also like to stick to it until the final 16 bit version as it permits working with sound material without losing its quality (32 bit is 65 times more detailed than a 16 bit version). To transfer 32 bit into 16 bit you need to use a technique called "dithering". The idea is to add noise to the file so it is advisable to use it just once. However, don't be afraid of the phrase "add noise" - what it really implies is adding "your own" noise to neutralize other noises and unforseen effects of the quanting process. You can use WaveLab (it includes this Steinberg plug-in - UV22HR). All you need to do is to select "normal" and 16 there which are default, actually. After this you need to do the rendering (by pressing the "render" button) and save the file in 16 bit (fig.2).

     fig. 2

Example of MP3 encoding:
     You have a file, e.g. song.wav (16 bit, 44100 Hz). Open WaveLab (Sound Forge, Cool Edit Pro, Audition), open song.wav in it and then save it in MP3 format. Select "Save special (wave)-encoding MP3"in the "File" menu. Put the feature required in the window (128 kbit/sec 44100Hz LameEnc ) and save the file (fig. 3). It is advisable to rename th file afterwards to make it more recognizable (without having to open it) by including the song title and the name of an artist. For instance, Black Eyed Peas with their "Shut Up" would look like this: black_eyed_peas_-_shut_up. Try using English when doing this as it will save your file from being wrongly encoded.

    рис. 3

     Now let's create tags for our file song.mp3. You can do it right in the "file features" window, in the bookmark - summary (click opposite the title) (fig.4).

    fig. 4

I like MP3 Tag very much. It is free and, what is even more important, all media players read everything you record. We are not going to discuss it here as it has an easy to navigate interface. I can only add that you can record whatever you might need there - song title, name of an artist, the year of an album, track number, genre and even your comment.