This is worth bumping. Thanks to Jesse G's instructions above--not to mention the hyperlink to the software--I was able to get the Lame encoder up and running.

Thanks, Jesse!

ORIGINAL: pharohoknaughty

Jesse

Loaded the lame processor up and works great.

Any thoughts on how to build the tag info into it?

Tags can be set up as in the example below:
lame %I -b 192 -m j -h -c --tt "%T" --ta "%A" --ty 2006 --tc "%C" %O

In this case we are setting the MP3 Title to the Project title, the MP3 Artist tag to the Project Author info, the MP3 Year tag to 2006 and the MP3 Comment tag to the Project Copyright info. We are also converting at 192kbps, using Joint stereo and setting the algorithms, via the -h switch, to -q 2 (the default is -q 5). Incorrect use of the latter switch may explain why some users are not getting as good a result as they would expect at similar bit rates.

Cheers
Tim

ORIGINAL: techtim
We are also converting at 192kbps, using Joint stereo and setting the algorithms, via the -h switch, to -q 2 (the default is -q 5). Incorrect use of the latter switch may explain why some users are not getting as good a result as they would expect at similar bit rates.

any reason for not using one of the recommended settings?

tj

any reason for not using one of the recommended settings?

Nope! We just get comfortable with what we know works. But, I'll probably start a religious war here when I say, I like the "--preset fast standard" better than my current complicated command line and it encoded faster to a smaller file. Win/win!

Principally as these recommendations are centred around using variable bit rates, which is no good if the MP3 is going to be streamed from a web site. Although default for constant bit rate is -q 5 the LAME help file recommends the -h (-q 2) setting.

ORIGINAL: jamesgxyz

ORIGINAL: techtim
We are also converting at 192kbps, using Joint stereo and setting the algorithms, via the -h switch, to -q 2 (the default is -q 5). Incorrect use of the latter switch may explain why some users are not getting as good a result as they would expect at similar bit rates.

any reason for not using one of the recommended settings?

tj

ORIGINAL: Blizzar180

ORIGINAL: Jesse G

The LAME encoder is FREE and even Scott R. Garrigus, or was it Craig Anderton, well one of them wrote an article on how to configure Sonar to use the Lame MP3 encoder. Also, when you upgrade, from an earlier version of Sonar and allow Sonar to copy its settings, the MP3 settings are copied to the next version as well.

Follow these directions:

If you don't want to unlock(buy) the cakewalk mp3 encoder, you can invoke the Lame mp3 encoder directly from SONAR 3, 4, 5. With this you don't need to first export to wav and then encode to mp3. Remember that the Lame mp3 encoder is high quality, open source and free.

Download and install the lame 3.96.1 (STABLE) encoder. ~~~~> HERE <~~~~~
If you want to select your own version of a Lame encoder, download from the ~~~> LAME ENCODER SITE <~~~~

Instructions:
Open SONAR 3, 4, 5 and go to Tools -> Cakewalk Ext. Encoder Config.
In the Friendly Name Field write: Lame Mp3 Encoder.
In the Extension field write: .mp3
In the Description field write whatever you want.
In the Path field write the path where the Lame encoder is located. That is where lame.exe and lame_enc.dll are located. I keep my Lame encoder in my C:\Program Files\Cakewalk\Shared Utilities\Lame Folder or (copy and past the extracted zip file to your Sonar shared utilities folder and then when you have to perform this step, click the browse button to find the location.
In the Command Line field write: lame -b 192 -m j %I %O
Press Save button.
Uncheck Keep Wave File.

This will export to a 192Kbps, joint stereo mp3 file. If you want 128Kbps, replace 192 with 128 in the Command Line field. The next time you click on File->Export->Audio in SONAR 3, 4, 5 you'll find 'Lame mp3 encoder' as a type of audio.

Hope this helps,

Peace

i tried that but it doesn't seem to be working. every time i click export it tells me that i have to unlock the cakewalk mp3 encoder. what's wrong?

You might have made the mistake I just made: clicking close after doing all the setup without clicking the SAVE button at the top right first.

Got it up and running, and I can't tell it apart from the Sound Forge encoder on a render of the same track at the same bit rate. Which is nice, as it saves me a step when making an mp3 to email.

i stuck to using lame after hearing how the sound forge encodes (thomsom) tend to sound less 'airy'. i only encode at least at 192 too.

ORIGINAL: Jesse G


In the Command Line field write: lame -b 192 -m j %I %O

This will give a quality level that most people can not distinguish from CD. But if that isn't enough and you don't mind the files being bigger, use the following line:

lame --alt-preset insane %I %O

UnderTow

Thanks for the tip Jesse G
I was frustrated over the muddy and lifeless sound i got out of the standard mp3 encoder in sonar.
The song i am working on sounded so nice and crispy when i played it in sonar and saved it as a wav, but when i created a mp3 out of it the sound was muddy and lifeless even at 320kbs.

With this external encoding i use the recommended setting that you wrote, and the sound is beautifull (Just like i hear it in sonar).

I had this setup in 5 and working. I installed Sonar 6 on a new computer and spent a while searching for Jesse's instructions on setting lame up which worked great before but in 6 I don't see anywhere to set it up. Just wondering if there is an update on how to do this in 6.

Thanks