Question about Zip Files and Music...

[phoenixastraea]

I suppose that I'm primarily directing this to penumbren and faerie_lissa416, the music uploading goddesses extraordinaire, but if there's anyone out there with insight, I'm all ears.

I have created a fanmix and want to zip it up.  I think I've attempted to zip up files before, but my problem seems to be compression.  This one is going to be 20ish songs and I suspect I need to find a way to compress that.  Any advice? What do you all use? Just Winrar? Anyone out there use Winzip? 

Where's that HALP cat macro when I need it?

Comments

[dfunkman.livejournal.com]

Or you could ask the pro musician who does his own digital recording and distribution:

The thing is, mp3 is already a compressed file format. (Remember that a cd = around 700MB of uncompressed wav files. Zip probably won't do much other than making a single file out of your batch of mp3's. Or possibly turning it into a multi-file compilation. But at that rate you're better off leaving them as individual mp3s.

Why do you want to zip it? Trying to send it somewhere? Just want to do it for storage?

[phoenixastraea.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the advice (and the knowledge about mp3's already being compressed!)! You smarty-pants, you! =^)

I actually have an HP fanmix (Yes, I know, shameless fangirl, I admit it) that I wanted to post here and on an LJ community.

[savemoony.livejournal.com]

20 songs will be about 75KB, which is normal. Do you have .winrar? That compresses files for you.

[phoenixastraea.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I do. I'll see how bad it is an then zip it up...

Its for a Snape/Lily fanmix I hope to post this weekend...I think you'll really like it...=^)

[savemoony.livejournal.com]

Woot Woot!!

[penumbren]

I tend to use 7zip more than anything else because it has a better compression ratio, but unless you're uploading gigs of stuff *shifty eyes*, it probably won't really matter. I usually make sure everything's in one folder, right-click it, and select "send to... compressed folder" for Windows' auto-zip (.zip); or go to "7zip... add to" for 7z; or something similar for .rar/.ace (because I have WinAce, but WinRar works the same way).

After that, just upload the one file somewhere. I prefer Sendspace, but you can also use YouSendIt if you don't need it to stick around for very long (a week, I think), or Mediafire, Divshare, MegaUpload, or RapidShare. Mind you, RS pretty much sucks, and MU is only really friendly if you have a premium account or if you're up late and use their free "happy hour premium". You can also up it through Sharebee, and pick which other sites it'll upload it to. It sounds confusing, but I promise it's really not. ;)

(And btw... 700megs of .wav files might be normal for high-/cd-quality files, but most people aren't going to be willing to download that size. I'll deal with it for FLAC, since most bootlegs or rarities that I want are only available in those, but I invariably convert them to mp3s of some lower quality. I'm not enough of a collector to want THE BEST sound quality... just NOT SHITTY sound quality, y'know? *g*)

[phoenixastraea.livejournal.com]

Thanks a million! I really appreciate the advice. I'll probably use Sendspace (seems to be the best one out there) and I'll post the mix here if you're interested! =^)

[phoenixastraea.livejournal.com]

Also, do you have any idea how to share songs downloaded via iTunes? Is that even possible? Do I have to burn it to a CD and then reupload?

[phoenixastraea.livejournal.com]

Also, do either of you happen to have Richard Marx's Right Here Waiting lying around anywhere? I'd be eternally grateful if you had it...

[darlakane.livejournal.com]

I do! Remind me later today to upload it for you, alright? (I'm currently uploading wrestling clips so chances are I've forgotten about it by the time I'm done.)

By the way, did I ever sent you an invite to my music comm? If not, I'll do it now.

[phoenixastraea.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!

And I'm not sure you did! I'd love the invite! =^)

[darlakane.livejournal.com]

Here's the song: http://www.sendspace.com/file/1luhhx I've already sent the invite. You can find it here: http://www.livejournal.com/manage/invites.bml

[phoenixastraea.livejournal.com]

You are a goddess. Thank you!

And that icon wins. =^)

[darlakane.livejournal.com]

You're welcome.

And thanks. lol. It just screamed to be made. :)