Warblin Rant

DesolationAngel · #1 01-15-2015, 10:34 PM

Not expecting any answers... but... spent a goodly amount of time into recording a piece, arranging it, mixing it. Sounds pretty good to my ears. Until it gets up to Soundcloud then the introduction, which is a solo acoustic guitar, sounds terrible. Warbling like a messed up tape recorder.

I've backed off all plug ins, eq's, delays, reverbs. I've bounced it as an AIF (that was ok) and as an AAC (that was ok-ish). But when it goes up to Soundcloud... bleuch.

The original was recorded with a 4041 at the 12th and a C241 overhead, I've even dumped the second track and I'm STILL getting it... needed to walk away from the studio before I broke something.

/RANT-OFF

(I know, I know, no one can help unless I post samples... and I will... but... not... now)

RRuskin · #2 01-15-2015, 11:53 PM

The file may be fine. If you can you download it and play it back rather than stream it. If it sounds good, it's the a transmission problem between their server and your cpu.

DesolationAngel · #3 01-15-2015, 11:57 PM

I tried it with several variations of the file... I think something in their compression process is just enhancing something that is already there and making it–to my ears–awful.

Ty Ford · #4 01-16-2015, 04:39 AM

Are you uploading it as a 16 or 24-bit wav file or in a compressed format.

Regards,

Ty Ford

PS: Hi Rick

KevWind · #5 01-16-2015, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DesolationAngel

I tried it with several variations of the file... I think something in their compression process is just enhancing something that is already there and making it–to my ears–awful.

Well yes it could be in Sound Cloud MP3 (128 bit encoding), which is what SoundCloud streams files at off their web sight .
I actually have had this happen and it is exactly as you describe a warbling sound on the SoundCloud stream not present when playing the file on my studio system at the original resolution. Also if I remember it was actually in the way that low resolution 128 bit MP3 handles ( or perhaps doesn't handle well) because of missing info particularly plugin effect like reverb.

One way to find out is make the file downloadable as opposed to only streamable.
What Rick was referring to was the fact that you can upload a full resolution file just as it is on your computer
And if in your settings on Sound Cloud select it to be shared and "downloadable" it can then be down loaded at that full Resolution
Then you can simply download the file to you computer and then compare the streamed file to the download file . If it is only in the streamed file then it is in the Sound Cloud encoding/streaming etc..

If that is the case then:

Also As Ty asked what exact format was the original recording? Bit and sample rate ?
The reason I am asking is because of some extensive discussions I have read on on file format size and plugin performance and how it might relate to compressed files particularly MP3 . Understanding that MP3 takes out info in order to compress and the lower the resolution the more info is missing

I don't remember all the particular reasons but apparently based on the Science and Math the take away was that during recording many plugin effects algorithms are better suited (mathematically) to either 48 khz or 96khz files as opposed 44.1 and the reason was that even though human hearing cannot hear beyond what the 44.1 the math going in algorithm works better (less errors or something ) in 48 or 96

Ty Ford · #6 01-16-2015, 08:48 AM

Good Points Kev,

On the mp3 thing, I'm reminded that some years back when I got my first MacBook, I spent an afternoon loading in all my favorite acoustic rock CDs and making a CD with them all squished to mp3 files.

One song in particular, CSN&Y "Carry On", sounded like it was being played back through a washing machine. I found that iTunes had a setting called "ENHANCER" that was on. It was doing something screwy with the recording. I suspect that if you looked at the original recording on a phase scope, you'd see all sorts of weirdness and the ENHANCER was only making it worse. When I turned the ENHANCER off, things sounded better.

Sometimes technology is not your friend.

Regards,

Ty Ford

MikeBmusic · #7 01-16-2015, 08:53 AM

Yeah, soundcloud's system leaves a lot to be desired. I've never noticed a 'warbling', but do get their compression kicking in like a volume control being turned CCW after a low volume acoustic intro then more instruments/vocals coming in.
I've been told:
Upload full WAV/AIF files only (never MP3, because it then goes through a decode/recode compression algorithm).
Master to about -1dB (rather than the -0.3dB or -0.1dB most mastering is done to) as this will reduce the amount of the soundcloud compression effect. I have yet to experiment with this.

DesolationAngel · #8 01-16-2015, 09:07 AM

All good info, thanks... I'll do some exploring later today when I can get back in the studio. I've been using the 'Share to Soundcloud' part of Logic Pro X (rather than bouncing and uploading) and I'm not sure what that defaults to quality-wise. Also, I'm pretty sure my project is in 44.1 and not 48 (and I know it's not in 96).

I'll report back later... thanks, everyone.