Encoding and Exporting

Great news: this is the easy bit.

After you have finished the effects and tweaked everything so it sounds just right, it’s time to encode and export your work. Before you do, save a copy of what you’ve done so far. But make sure NOT TO SAVE OVER THE ORIGINAL/RAW VERSION, just in case you need it later.

Depending on your DAW, you may have been working on a .wav file up to this point. Considering what you are planning to do with your audio, you will likely have to change the file format, which is to say, the type of file it is. For example, you may need to encode it to .mp3. This is so much simpler than it sounds.

Every DAW lets you select how to encode your file when you go to export it. It is simply a matter of selecting the right options when they pop up. Let’s look at ACX’s requirements as an example.

File Type: Must be .mp3
Be 192kbps or higher Constant Bit Rate
File names should be numbered and named clearly, for example:
Section Number – Name and/or # . mp3
01-OpeningCredits.mp3
02-Prologue.mp3
03-Chapter01.mp3
04-Chapter02.mp3
05-Epilogue.mp3
Etc., etc.

Files must be smaller than 170mb

Except for the last one, all of those are options you select when your DAW prompts you to export or save your file.

Summary

All of this barely scratches the surface of audio mastering. There is so much more you can learn from experimenting on your own, watching YouTube, searching the web, and networking with friends. I want to remind readers that I am in no way an expert, but these were the resources that I found helpful when I started. Now you have zero excuses to get started.

Mastering 101

Encoding and Exporting 100%

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