The Select File Format window opens when you press the Select button in the MP3 File Options step of the Export Song process.

It allows you to select a codec and MP3 file format to use for the exported song.

A Codec (compressor-decompressor) is a software module that converts a waveform to compressed data (or vice-versa).  You may have none or several of these currently installed on your system.

Controls

Codec

Specifies which codec you want to use for exporting the MP3 file.  There may be only one, or you may have several, depending on which codecs are installed on your system.

Type

Specifies which type of file you want to export.  Some codecs are capable of exporting more than one file type, but usually there will be just a single MP3 file type here which is preselected.

Sound Quality

Specifies the sound quality of the MP3 file.  Most codecs offer a wide variety of formats, generally trading off better sound quality against larger file size.

A full discussion of these formats is beyond the scope of this topic, but the following terms in the highlighted item are explained:

48000 Hz - the sample frequency of the compressed audio.  A higher frequency gives better quality and a larger file size.

320 kbps - the memory size of compressed audio in kilobits per second.  A higher values gives better quality and a larger file size.

CBR - constant bit rate compression, where each second of audio occupies the same compressed space.  Sometimes better quality can be achieved with the same file size using VBR (variable bit rate) compression, which allocates more space to complex passages of audio and less space to simpler passages.

Stereo - the left and right audio channels are stored separately.  This results in a better sound but a larger file size than combining both channels for storage in Mono.

OK

Selects the specified codec and format and returns to the MP3 File Options step.

Cancel

Closes the window without making any change to the file format specification.

Help

Opens Songtrix Help at this topic.