If you have ever saved a song on your computer or phone you saved a digital music file. Maybe you wonder what exactly are all these digital music formats? In today’s digital world you probably haven’t given much thought to the various digital music files, you just want to listen to your jam. Whether you are looking for sound quality or trying to share your music in the most professional and efficient way, knowing a little bit about the formats can help you choose the best one. There are more than 4 music formats but for our purpose we will look at 4 of the most common music formats.
Lossy Compressed Files
Before we dive into the 4 music formats let’s define compression. Compression is the process of reducing the dynamic range of an audio file by removing some of the audio signal. This process decreases the size of the file and reduces the quality of the file. There is a “loss” from the original music file which is where the term “lossy” originates.
Compression can be used to soften an instrument that is too loud or curb frequencies that fall outside of the dynamic range. The change in lossy compressed music typically is not recognizable to most listeners. However, too much compression can be noticeable and make a final recording distort, sound muddy, or have a thin sound due to too much high frequency in the audio file.
mp3
Probably the most used format for music is mp3 which stands for “MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3.” Mp3 files are smaller than uncompressed files because during their creation frequencies that usually can’t be heard by the average listener are cut. Consequently, mp3 files are “lossy compressed” files. When a master file is sent for distribution, it may be changed to the mp3 music file format because this format is great for streaming when load speed is more important than quality. If you have streamed music you probably listened to mp3 files. The downside of mp3 files is their quality when compared to higher quality uncompressed files. If you need a higher quality of sound you may want to consider a different music format that retains the sound quality.
WMA
A lesser known format similar to mp3 is WMA or “Windows Media Audio” file. Developed exclusively by Microsoft for use with the windows media player. This format can be either lossy or lossless compression. The difference for lossless compression is this type of compression can be up to 70% smaller than a larger uncompressed files such as a WAV file. The reduced size makes WMA files a great option for storing music in a computer library. Further, lossless compression does not disrupt the audio quality as much as an mp3.
The downside is these files are hard to work with because they are exclusive to the Microsoft Windows OS platform. If you have these files on your computer you can convert them. There are many converters and file openers available online to help you do this. A converter I recommend is online-convert.com. You don’t have to download anything except your final converted file. The process is quick, does the job, and provides a free or paid option for those who want more features in the process.
Uncompressed Files
Before we talk about the last 2 of the 4 music formats WAV and AIFF. These files are the file of choice for sound engineers because they are an unaltered, true digital representation of produced music. There are no frequency changes or dynamic compression. Think of them as a “raw” file. Consequently, uncompressed files are large so be prepared to have ample storage space and higher computer processing speeds.
Uncompressed audio files are preferred for mastering the final version of a song. Since other effects and compression are added to prepare a song for a CD, or an upload to Spotify, Amazon, or iTunes. A clean, unaltered file is a must. In general, uncompressed files are the preferred output of professional audio production recordings. They are a sound engineer’s preference to mix. master, or send to streaming services.
WAV
As we mentioned above, this type of audio file retains it’s quality because it is uncompressed. Waveform Audio File Format or WAV files are the go to in the studio for all stages in the recording process especially mixing and mastering. Remember WAV files are larger but they typically sound clearer and louder than compressed formats. One down side with WAV files is they do not hold metadata. Metadata is the info in the song file such as the artists, song name, album name, genre, etc. Streaming services, apps, and encoders all depend on metadata to properly categorize music so users can find their favorite artist or genre.
AIFF
Developed by Apple, Audio Interchange File Format or AIFF files in terms of quality are the same as WAV files. One beneficial difference with AIFF files is they can store metadata. Recording engineers and producers using Mac computers as their tools are familiar with AIFF audio files. If you are planning to play AIFF files on your phone most music apps can’t play this format. Originally developed to work with Apple software AIFF files are just like their counterpart, the Windows OS WAV file in terms of providing the highest quality possible in a final recording.
In Conclusion
When working with audio files there are more formats. We have examined 4 of the most common audio formats. If you receive a request for a audio file from a music engineer, ask that person what format they prefer. If they prefer an uncompressed format such as WAV or AIFF you will need to use a file sharing service. Uncompressed files are typically too large to send in an email. Lossy Compressed files can easily be shared with a link using any number of services where you can upload original music. For our LeBaker Music Catalog we chose to use this site as our repository. It is all a matter of preference.
Thank you for your time hopefully this blog has clarified some things about file formats for you. Get out there and #beextraordinary
News & Reminders
-
- Have You Heard our new project “Bigger Than Me?” Click here
- Don’t forget to like and subscribe to the LeBaker Music – YouTube Channel
- Want to improve your entrepreneurial leadership skills? Click here!
- Stuck on what to give the person who has everything? How about their own original song, contact us we can help.
#LeBakerMusic, #Beextradorinary #womeninbusiness #entrepreneur #johnmaxwellteam #musicfiles #mp3s #fileformats #audiofiles #mp3vswav #AIFF #wav #mp3 #wma