Second Life Forums Archive - Making Sound Files Smaller in Audacity

Bodhisatva Paperclip

Tip: Savor pie, bald chap

Join date: 12 Jan 2007

Posts: 970

03-21-2009 06:15

Is there a way to make smaller WAV files with Audacity apart from just making them shorter? I'm building a device that plays a series of sounds and if they are much out of synch with the rest of the object the effect will be lost. My thinking was that small files would load fastest. I've also read over a thread here about precaching sounds which may be helpful with the device's final installation. But for taking it out for demonstration purposes it would sort of lessen the fun if I have to say "Now stand here for a minute while the sound loads."

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Lauralynne Cuddihy

Registered User

Join date: 28 Nov 2006

Posts: 163

03-21-2009 06:18

If you export it as an mp3 file it will be much smaller. You can also find free wav to mp3 converters that will condense the file for you and make it smaller.

I like to use:

Free Mp3WmaOGG Converter

Google is your friend!!

Bodhisatva Paperclip

Tip: Savor pie, bald chap

Join date: 12 Jan 2007

Posts: 970

03-21-2009 06:25

I thought I could only upload WAV to SL

EDIT: Thanks Lauralynn but I checked and this does seem to be the case

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Chosen Few

Alpha Channel Slave

Join date: 16 Jan 2004

Posts: 7,496

03-21-2009 17:25

If your source audio is mono, the file will be smaller than if it's stereo. Beyond that, there's not really anything you can do, since SL requires a specific sample rate, bit depth, modulation type, and format (44.1KHz, 16-bit, PCM, WAV, respectively). There aren't really any corners to cut.

It doesn't really matter, though. When you upload a sound, it gets compressed. Just as with textures, the source file never leaves your local hard drive. It gets copied to a compressed file, and the copy is what's uploaded. The compressed files that are stored server side are very tiny.

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Almia Thaler

IMA Shyguy!! 0o0

Join date: 3 Jun 2008

Posts: 173

03-21-2009 18:34

go with Chosen Few's words. sound stuff in sl is pretty much limited to sound effects but of low quality due to the ...sigh compression thing its crazy i tell you.

Bodhisatva Paperclip

Tip: Savor pie, bald chap

Join date: 12 Jan 2007

Posts: 970

03-21-2009 19:21

I spent a bit of time today messing with this and came to the conclusion that something un-obvious was happening. 1.6Mb files weren't acting that big on the grid. I did end up shortening most of the clips for other reasons, but in testing the device it's working better than I had thought it would because of my file size worries. Thanks again for everyone's input.

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Taeas Stirling

Registered User

Join date: 4 Sep 2004

Posts: 74

03-22-2009 00:09

I've never tried it but I had a guy tell me he had better luck playing sounds at 0 volume in the state entry, than using precaching .

Seshat Czeret

Registered User

Join date: 26 May 2008

Posts: 152

03-22-2009 01:24

If it's played via a script, use llPreLoadSound.

http://lslwiki.net/lslwiki/wakka.php?wakka=llPreloadSound

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Bodhisatva Paperclip

Tip: Savor pie, bald chap

Join date: 12 Jan 2007

Posts: 970

03-22-2009 05:46

Taeas and Seshat, I'm looking at both of those options for the device's final design. The thing is, it will be just sitting there waiting for an avatar to find it so a trigger for precaching would be needed. In playing all the sounds at 0, it would pretty much need to do so continuously. I know this isn't the scripting tips forum

but would that latter option be a waste of sim resources?

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Ponk Bing

fghfdds

Join date: 19 Mar 2007

Posts: 220

03-22-2009 06:05

It's got nothing to do with the sim, it's between the asset server and the viewer.

Taeas Stirling

Registered User

Join date: 4 Sep 2004

Posts: 74

03-22-2009 13:00

just use collision with a trigger prim to start the sound loading process of your choice. Have it run through once, then wait for the next collision.

Bodhisatva Paperclip

Tip: Savor pie, bald chap

Join date: 12 Jan 2007

Posts: 970

03-23-2009 05:00

From: Taeas Stirling

just use collision with a trigger prim to start the sound loading process of your choice. Have it run through once, then wait for the next collision.

I think this may be the best solution for the final deployment. Thanks!

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Chosen Few

Alpha Channel Slave

Join date: 16 Jan 2004

Posts: 7,496

03-23-2009 06:26

Another option instead of collision could be a proximity sensor. Have it trigger whenever an avatar comes within a certain distance from the object. It saves you a prim.

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Making Sound Files Smaller in Audacity
Bodhisatva Paperclip Tip: Savor pie, bald chap Join date: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 970	03-21-2009 06:15 Is there a way to make smaller WAV files with Audacity apart from just making them shorter? I'm building a device that plays a series of sounds and if they are much out of synch with the rest of the object the effect will be lost. My thinking was that small files would load fastest. I've also read over a thread here about precaching sounds which may be helpful with the device's final installation. But for taking it out for demonstration purposes it would sort of lessen the fun if I have to say "Now stand here for a minute while the sound loads." _____________________ I've trademarked the apostrophe. You're in trouble but you are not.
Lauralynne Cuddihy Registered User Join date: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 163	03-21-2009 06:18 If you export it as an mp3 file it will be much smaller. You can also find free wav to mp3 converters that will condense the file for you and make it smaller. I like to use: Free Mp3WmaOGG Converter Google is your friend!!
Bodhisatva Paperclip Tip: Savor pie, bald chap Join date: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 970	03-21-2009 06:25 I thought I could only upload WAV to SL EDIT: Thanks Lauralynn but I checked and this does seem to be the case _____________________ I've trademarked the apostrophe. You're in trouble but you are not.
Chosen Few Alpha Channel Slave Join date: 16 Jan 2004 Posts: 7,496	03-21-2009 17:25 If your source audio is mono, the file will be smaller than if it's stereo. Beyond that, there's not really anything you can do, since SL requires a specific sample rate, bit depth, modulation type, and format (44.1KHz, 16-bit, PCM, WAV, respectively). There aren't really any corners to cut. It doesn't really matter, though. When you upload a sound, it gets compressed. Just as with textures, the source file never leaves your local hard drive. It gets copied to a compressed file, and the copy is what's uploaded. The compressed files that are stored server side are very tiny. _____________________ . Land now available for rent in Indigo. Low rates. Quiet, low-lag mainland sim with good neighbors. IM me in-world if you're interested.
Almia Thaler IMA Shyguy!! 0o0 Join date: 3 Jun 2008 Posts: 173	03-21-2009 18:34 go with Chosen Few's words. sound stuff in sl is pretty much limited to sound effects but of low quality due to the ...sigh compression thing its crazy i tell you.
Bodhisatva Paperclip Tip: Savor pie, bald chap Join date: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 970	03-21-2009 19:21 I spent a bit of time today messing with this and came to the conclusion that something un-obvious was happening. 1.6Mb files weren't acting that big on the grid. I did end up shortening most of the clips for other reasons, but in testing the device it's working better than I had thought it would because of my file size worries. Thanks again for everyone's input. _____________________ I've trademarked the apostrophe. You're in trouble but you are not.
Taeas Stirling Registered User Join date: 4 Sep 2004 Posts: 74	03-22-2009 00:09 I've never tried it but I had a guy tell me he had better luck playing sounds at 0 volume in the state entry, than using precaching .
Seshat Czeret Registered User Join date: 26 May 2008 Posts: 152	03-22-2009 01:24 If it's played via a script, use llPreLoadSound. http://lslwiki.net/lslwiki/wakka.php?wakka=llPreloadSound _____________________ My blog: http://seshat-czeret.blogspot.com/ My shop: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Achlya/199/185/102
Bodhisatva Paperclip Tip: Savor pie, bald chap Join date: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 970	03-22-2009 05:46 Taeas and Seshat, I'm looking at both of those options for the device's final design. The thing is, it will be just sitting there waiting for an avatar to find it so a trigger for precaching would be needed. In playing all the sounds at 0, it would pretty much need to do so continuously. I know this isn't the scripting tips forum but would that latter option be a waste of sim resources? _____________________ I've trademarked the apostrophe. You're in trouble but you are not.
Ponk Bing fghfdds Join date: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 220	03-22-2009 06:05 It's got nothing to do with the sim, it's between the asset server and the viewer.
Taeas Stirling Registered User Join date: 4 Sep 2004 Posts: 74	03-22-2009 13:00 just use collision with a trigger prim to start the sound loading process of your choice. Have it run through once, then wait for the next collision.
Bodhisatva Paperclip Tip: Savor pie, bald chap Join date: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 970	03-23-2009 05:00 From: Taeas Stirling just use collision with a trigger prim to start the sound loading process of your choice. Have it run through once, then wait for the next collision. I think this may be the best solution for the final deployment. Thanks! _____________________ I've trademarked the apostrophe. You're in trouble but you are not.
Chosen Few Alpha Channel Slave Join date: 16 Jan 2004 Posts: 7,496	03-23-2009 06:26 Another option instead of collision could be a proximity sensor. Have it trigger whenever an avatar comes within a certain distance from the object. It saves you a prim. _____________________ . Land now available for rent in Indigo. Low rates. Quiet, low-lag mainland sim with good neighbors. IM me in-world if you're interested.

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Making Sound Files Smaller in Audacity