Size does matter...

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funboyuno
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2016/12/20 18:47:33 (permalink)

Size does matter...

Curious about the size of the wave files I am generating. I am recording at 48K 24 bit and in the process of transferring files it was taking forever to upload a bundle. I had about 15 tracks of audio and 15 tracks unused with no audio on them that were to be for recording drums remotely. The file was something like 1.8 GIG. I checked the size of each audio file that I had already recorded and they ALL were 37.2 meg from the busiest bass track to the track that had a couple of 5 second guitar parts. That should have only cost me a somewhere around 5-600 meg.
Just looking for a little explanation because if I am doing something wrong or missing a setting or something, I want to fix it.
 
Thanks!

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    Cactus Music
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    Re: Size does matter... 2016/12/20 19:09:06 (permalink)
     30-40 MB is about the size of most songs. Strangely enough this doesn't seem to matter if they are stereo or mono, somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I just looked at a stereo commercial wave file and then a few of my Bass tracks in the audio folder, In my case these are all 44.1 16 / 24 bit. And these are about 3 minute songs. 
    Raising the sample rate will increase the file size but not buy much, don't have any 48 files on hand but my guess is a 34MB song will become 40 something MB in size. 
    so lets say 50 MB x 15 tracks = 750 MB. And don't forget Sonar will keep even unused and deleted tracks until you use "save as" You did mention saving them as Bundle files which is also supposed to strip away unused data so it does seem strange that your double the amount?. 
     
    Oh and even if the track is silent, it will use the same data as a loud distorted guitar part. 
    I see you did this , but for others who are curious- 
    You can use "properties" to check size of each track in the audio folder. 
    Or within Sonar click "Project/ Audio Files"  
     

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    bitflipper
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    Re: Size does matter... 2016/12/20 19:16:22 (permalink)
    Depends on how you export the files. If you have a 5-second clip you want to export with the smallest possible file size, mark it in the timeline before exporting so just that portion gets exported.
     
    Given that your files were all the same size, it sounds as though you exported from 00:00:00 to the end of the project, which means you'll get all the silence in the file as well as the audio data. Silence takes up just as much space as audio in a wave file.
     
    However, if the purpose of the export is to share files with someone for a collaboration, then you have no choice but to export from 00:00:00 so the recipient can line it up properly in his project. In that case, yes, you'll often get surprisingly large files, even ones that have little audio in them. You can, however, chop them off at the end to make them smaller without sacrificing anything.


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    scook
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    Re: Size does matter... 2016/12/20 19:16:49 (permalink)
    It does not matter if a clip makes sound or not, the size of a mono wav is the product of Sample Rate x Bit Depth x Runtime. A stereo wav is 2 x Mono wav. For 48K 24 bit that works out to 17.28 MB per minute of stereo. For all the tracks to be the same length suggests all the tracks were bounce or frozen for the same time range.
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    scook
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    Re: Size does matter... 2016/12/20 19:22:33 (permalink)
    bitflipper
    However, if the purpose of the export is to share files with someone for a collaboration, then you have no choice but to export from 00:00:00 so the recipient can line it up properly in his project.

    Exporting broadcast wavs would eliminate the need to export every track from zero. If the OP is using a Cakewalk bundle, export is not involved and bundles only contained clips actually referenced in the project. It seems more like frozen or bounced tracks to me.
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    chuckebaby
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    Re: Size does matter... 2016/12/20 19:59:00 (permalink)
    Long story, short..."Housecleaning".
     
    1- Select all your tracks + clips (by holding right click and drag/lasso).
    2- Choose "Bounce to clips" from the right click context menu (the menu you get when you right click on a clip)
    3- Save the Project.
    4- Go to Utilities/Clean Audio folder.
    5- Run it and delete.
     
    Some times a 5 second clip still contains hidden data (enough for a full length track) for Example, Slip edits.
    Clean this left over junk up and it should cut your project in (sometimes) half.

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    funboyuno
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    Re: Size does matter... 2016/12/26 18:39:53 (permalink)
    Thank you all for your helpful replies. It gives me a lot to think about.
    I am trying to do a collaboration with several people and using Filezilla or Dropbox for the transfers. Many times we just send the altered wave files back and forth as they are only 2 or 3 tracks and not nearly as large as a complete bundle.
    I do appreciate the housecleaning reply as that is something that has bothered me. I have done everything there but Clean Audio Folder. I am sure I should but my fear of losing anything stops me from engaging that button. I will certainly use that option and report back about my progress.
    Thanks again.
     

    Win 10 64 bit, Intel i7 6 core, MOTU 16a interface.
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