TUTORIAL: Getting LAME MP3 Encoder to Work With SONAR

I wrote this little tutorial, because I'm somewhat sick of seeing threads on how to get LAME to work with SONAR, so here it is.


Getting LAME MP3 Encoder To Work With SONAR


Heres what you do to make the LAME MP3 Encoder work with SONAR 6 and 7, as well as any other Cakewalk DAWs. (?)

First, press the windows key (usually left to the alt key), and R key together, type in the prompt that appears:

C:\Program Files\Cakewalk\Shared Utilities\EncoderConfig.exe

press enter. A new window should appear.

In the "Friendly Name" box, write: LAME MP3 Encoder
In the "Extension" box, replace .*** with .mp3.
In the "Description" box, write "LAME MP3 Encoder", though this is not a requirement. You can write whatever you wish.

Now, before we continue, I assume you've downloaded LAME: http://www.free-codecs.com/download_soft.php?d=2762&s=22. If not, follow these steps:

Press the Windows Key, and R together, and in the box that pops up type this

iexplore C:\Program Files\Cakewalk\Shared Utilities\

and hit enter. A new box should pop up. Right click in that box, and go to New > Folder. Enter "lame" (without quotes) into the folder name box, which by default should say New Folder. If you can't name it, then right click on it, and click rename, and type "lame" (without quotes).

Copy all the files from the .zip file (lame.exe, and everything else) into the lame folder you've created. Simply drag and drop the files from the .zip onto the lame folder which you've just created, or double click on the lame folder, and drag and drop the files from the .zip into there. Whichever you prefer.

Going back to where we left off:

In the "Path" box, type this in:

C:\Program Files\Cakewalk\Shared Utilities\lame

Now, under the "Command Line" box, type in the following:

lame -b 48 -m j %I %O

You can replace 48 with whatever bitrate you want. Hit save, and close, and you're done.

When you go to File > Export > Audio, you should see LAME MP3 Encoder under "Files of type:".
Please note that the Sample Rate in the exported does NOT apply. (?)
Also, please note that the Bit Depth DOES still apply. (?)

If you'd like to have multiple sample rates, without having to go into the EncoderConfig each time to edit it, follow the same steps, pressing new, and typing in "LAME MP3 Encoder - 48k". You can replace 48k with whatever sample rate you want. The extension box should be replaced with .mp3, description - put whatever you want, in path, type: C:\Program Files\Cakewalk\Shared Utilities\lame
In command line, write:

lame -b SAMPLE RATE HERE -m j %I %O

Replace SAMPLE RATE HERE with whatever sample rate you want. Make sure to use only the first two, or three numbers corresponding to the sample rate you want. Hit save, and close, then you're done!

Written by Adam Nobumoto

Adam

(P.S. I still need to confirm a few things, so whenever you see a "(?)", that means I'm not too sure, and need to make sure this is correct. Please tell me if it is, or if it isn't when you see it.)


You may post this tutorial at any site you wish, as long as you give credits to me.

I've learned too much.

(Thank you homeschooling! )

ORIGINAL: dbmusic

TL, DR

I lol'd.

And why not take the faster route, than exporting to .wav, and such?

You're welcome.

I wrote this little tutorial, because I'm somewhat sick of seeing threads on how to get LAME to work with SONAR, so here it is.

Adam you've gone to all this trouble (Which is admirable of course) but did you know that the Pro Audio 9 came with a Frauenhof (SP?) MP3 Encoder which doesn't need all this confusing command line stuff (Not that I dont love Command line things but in the right places) and works with Sonar 7 out of the box ?

I took the liberty of adding your instructions to the already existing instructions on the SONAR User's Wiki online. They are linked here at the bottom of the page: SONAR MP3 Export.

Sorry but I wouldn't add it so quickly to the SONAR User's Wiki online, techead.

lame -b 48 -m j %I %O

You can replace 48 with whatever bitrate you want. Hit save, and close, and you're done.

48 as an example for a BITRATE is very bad..really confusing..48 is usually associated with the SAMPLE RATE of 48Khz so why using that as an example there?

then also using the same command line ( with the -b option) but this time calling it "sample rate"..

lame -b SAMPLE RATE HERE -m j %I %O
Replace SAMPLE RATE HERE with whatever sample rate you want

I think there are some terms and options you got to learn better, Adam..
still, thanks for trying and i'm sure you will improve it later.

Which version of SONAR? I'm not too sure about this.

so i followed the steps and got the file exported. i first exported it at 32 bit depth. It sounded like aliens were coming down from mars. So i tried it again at a 16 bit depth, but it sounded crappy compared to the 32 bit depth wave file i had already exported. but the wave file was 114 MB and the mp3 was only 1.93 MB. So how can i get a smaller file that still sounds decent. I really have no idea what i am doing so any help would be appreciated. I am trying to make it smaller so i can send it to my friends. So how do i do that without damaging the quality? And what size files do professionals use on albums and what kind of files are they? thanks for the help.

ORIGINAL: fsunolesfan11

so i followed the steps and got the file exported. i first exported it at 32 bit depth. It sounded like aliens were coming down from mars. So i tried it again at a 16 bit depth, but it sounded crappy compared to the 32 bit depth wave file i had already exported. but the wave file was 114 MB and the mp3 was only 1.93 MB. So how can i get a smaller file that still sounds decent. I really have no idea what i am doing so any help would be appreciated. I am trying to make it smaller so i can send it to my friends. So how do i do that without damaging the quality? And what size files do professionals use on albums and what kind of files are they? thanks for the help.

When you export, select the export preset you made with EncoderConfig.exe. The bit/sample rate must have the exact same value or you'll get an alien coming down from mars sound. Export a .mp3 at 192k, in both sample, and bitrate, and (what I do), set it to 16 bit. I think it means that your audio card can't support 32 bit though. Mine can, it just takes forever to export.

You can't remove it from the list. And yeah, for the author, title, and such, you just have to add after all the gibberish before %A Whatever you want here %T Whatever you want here too.

how to get LAME to work with SONAR

This looks helpful Adam. Like you said, a lot of people are asking about LAME.
I've been using the MP3 encoder that came with Cakewalk ProAudio 9.

Any differences between that and LAME? or are they the same thing?
I'd make the change in a heartbeat if any advantage.

I'm actually tired of changing all the defaults every time I want to export something.

Or you could just spring for the $20 and download the activation, or $30 and download the encoder...
but then I've got $30, easy come, easy go.

My real question thought, is how do you get LAME not to sound like cr4p at any bitrate less than 192. I use a different(*1) encoder than LAME I want to encode at 128.

I do have the activation for it on my ProAudio 9 disk (if you were talking to me).
I always bump the bitrate to 160 and slide the quality to "highest" everytime manually. Sounds like you recomend at least 192 for LAME. If others agree I might as well stay where I am. Anyway to change the defaults?

but I use the Creative converter for 128 with much better results than LAME

Creative makes an MP3 encoder?

I've been lurking and poking at this, on again, off again for years. I never really put a lot of effort into the understanding because I could always find another way of doing it. I really sat down and tried to get this to work but evidently, I'm made of inferrior materials.

I'm running 7.x pro and I have managed to export audio using the "Lame" configuration but my play back is strictly a hiss/white noise sound. Nothing intelligible what so ever.