help with mp3's!

[neilkw]

Hi

I am in the process of building a site for a band who require their mp3 files to be heard directly on their site and also available to be downloaded separately.

I have no problem in embedding them into a web page via a dreamweaver plugin so that they do not automatically play but am experiencing the problem that each file is still loading in when the page opens thus the obvious web page loading wait.

Is there a way of only loading the mp3 file when the user selects that specific one to play. Alternatively if there's another hassle free route that you know of I'd be most grateful as I am primarily a graphic designer, not programmer.

many thanks

[TheJoshMan]

Alternatively if there's another hassle free route that you know of I'd be most grateful

You could use a flash mp3 player to display the mp3's that are for listening(streaming). Then list the files as links for downloading... A very nice free and simple set-up mp3 player can be downloaded at the link below. It's pretty self explanatory, just modify the XML document to suit your playlist. This way the only thing that really takes any "Loading" time is the Flash file.

http://www.jeroenwijering.com/?item=Flash_MP3_Player

Hope this was of some use.

[neilkw]

thats very smart, cheers

[neilkw]

I have utilised this great flash mp3 player but am experiencing the problem that the mp3's are playing too slow via the player. Apparently this may be due to my mp3 files being variable bit rates and that a constant bit rate mp3 will work ok. Can anyone clarify this opinion and if so are there any directions on converting the mp3 file to a constant bit rate.


cheers

[TheJoshMan]

I don't know about everyone else... but when I convert from variable to constant bit-rates I use Sony Sound Forge... That mp3 player does have problems with variable bit rate mp3's, in fact... I think I remember reading a "warning" about that somewhere on the download page. If you do not have Sound Forge you could tell me the location of the files and I could convert them for you if you want... I'm not doing too much today... Let me know... If you'd like to email me it's "Nyne_Lyvez@Yahoo.com"

[neilkw]

ok, that would be tremendously helpful. Do you know whether itunes can perform a similar funcion?

this shows the files within the player running at the wrong speed:http://www.urbancreations.co.uk/menu/code/mp3.html and the originals are here: http://www.menuband.co.uk/menutracks.html


Really appreciate the help

[TheJoshMan]

Ok, sorry it took me so long... I was away for most of the day today. Now, I converted the bit depth of each file to 16 bit, you said you didn't want anything "too deep" so as to keep down on loading time, and I also applied "guassian dithering" to help improve the quality and shape of the sound a tad... and then I applied "-0.02db" peak volume leveling to remove the distortion from the peaks... and then saved it at "160kbs" which is considered CD Transparent Audio... but is still a reasonable file size... and now it's done... so here ya go...

Http://www.waldronar.com/Design/Muzik/converted.zip

I really hope that solves your problem... but to tell you the truth when I listened to the files on the mp3 player I didn't notice any difference in the sound from them to the originals I downloaded... But just for good measure I applied those adjustments anyhoo. Good luck!

[Xiong Chiamiov]

Of course, you could do it the old fashioned way:

<object data="song.mp3" type="audio/mpeg">[music]</object>

for web-standards browsers, and

<embed src="song.mp3" type="audio/mpeg"></embed>

for the oldies...
Not nearly as neat, but dial-upers will love you...