creating custom music, need help

[Legacy_GIANTSWORD]

               

Hey guys,

 

I have run into a wall trying to get custom music on my module.  I had a friend make me a 2da to include in a hak for my module and I've converted all my songs from MP3 to BMU and put them in the music folder.  They appear in the toolset as planned but they either don't play at all or are just static with a hint of the song in the back.

 

I've tried the following-

converting the mp3's to 128kbps before converting to BMU

using audacity to export the 128kbps mp3's as constant bitrate before converting to BMU

 

I get the warning when converting my mp3's

 

"Bit rate is not constant - variable bit rate reported"

 

I get this warning regardless if I've exported the MP3 in audacity to a constant bitrate.

 

Any suggestions?  

 

Thanks in advance!

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Tiberius_Morguhn]

               

When making the CMP, I used winLAME and MP3Reduce to do all my transcoding.  I used MP3Reduce to transcode any MP3 to WAV to get away from lossy to lossy transcoding (although the MP3 to WAV and back again does introduce some issues).  Then from there, use winLAME to transcode the WAV to 128kbps MP3 with the constant bitrate option selected.  After doing that, use the MP3 to BMU utility. 

 

winLAME here

 

MP3Reduce here

 

I'm not sure why Audacity is not working for you - if you can provide a link to an MP3 you are trying to covert, I can download and try my method for you just to test.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_GIANTSWORD]

               

Thanks for the response Tiberius,

 

try this link for a song:

https://www.dropbox....elyder.mp3?dl=0

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Fester Pot]

               

I used the above music file and had no issues.

 

Although the bitrate flutters in Audacity from the original source, Exporting as MP3 to a different filename and location, then converting via MP3toBMU does not generate any "Bit rate is not constant - variable bit rate reported".

 

Reviewing the new saved MP3, gives me a consistent 128kbps/44kHz during audio playback. The BMU also remains consistent at 128kbps/44kHz.

 

When music is available as a selection in the toolset, but won't play, there are three reasons.

 

1 - the .bmu is not in your /music directory.

2 - the .bmu name does not match that of the .2da.

3 - bitrate incompatibility.

 

Review your MP3 Export Setup under Audacity Preferences - File Formats. Force the bitrate to 128 via the options.

 

Force the sample rate to 44100khZ as well under Audacity Preferences - Quality

 

I'd like to say that should do it, but please report back with your results.

 

Thanks,

FP!

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_GIANTSWORD]

               

Ok so I took that MP3 that I posted for you guys and brought it into audacity.  I then exported it forcing it to 128kbps and constant bitrate.  Then when I go to convert it to BMU it tells me bitrate is not constant.  Am I missing a step here?

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_GIANTSWORD]

               

I followed all audacity instructions as well including the forcing to 44100khz and I still get the warning when going MP3toBMU.  

 

Pretty frustrated this isn't working because it seems like it should be working.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_GIANTSWORD]

               

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt..

 

I'm trying everything I can think of to get these files 128kbps CBR and it's hit or miss.  Literally.

 

I'll take a song from iTunes as an MP3 and drop it into audacity, then I'll export it as an MP3 into 128kbps CBR and then go to convert it to BMU and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.  It's so weird.  I'll even take that same exact file that I know works and try to export it again in audacity into 128kbps CBR and then it will give me the warning that its variable bitrate.. what on earth is going on.

 

I've also been converting the MP3's to WAV's before I go into audacity to export them again and that has worked once, but then it didn't work again.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_GIANTSWORD]

               

On the fluke attempts that work and then replication of that process not working I've tried exporting it 2x over and that has worked.  Going to keep testing.

 

So it seems sometimes the export to 128kbps CBR works and sometimes it misses a sector or something and doesn't get it completely so exporting it again works.  Audio is strange.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_GIANTSWORD]

               

Maybe there is a setting in audacity that allows me to slow the export down so it has a better result.  Not really sure what to look for on this though.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_GIANTSWORD]

               

Another development:

 

I went ahead and tried out one of the files that it warned me it wasn't constant and it worked..

 

This has really been an eye opening experience lol

 

Edit: I'm on a roll I'm just powering through the warning and converting to BMU regardless.  I am using Audacity to export my MP3's to 128kbps CBR.  So far so good...

 

Eeddiitt: Got all of them converted and working.  I got a warning message on 99% of them saying they were not constant but I went through with it anyway..  Strange but it seems to be working.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Vivienne L]

               

Another development:

 

I went ahead and tried out one of the files that it warned me it wasn't constant and it worked..

 

This has really been an eye opening experience lol

 

Edit: I'm on a roll I'm just powering through the warning and converting to BMU regardless.  I am using Audacity to export my MP3's to 128kbps CBR.  So far so good...

 

Eeddiitt: Got all of them converted and working.  I got a warning message on 99% of them saying they were not constant but I went through with it anyway..  Strange but it seems to be working.

Exactly so...in my experience, the "MP3 to BMU" program gives the error: "Bit rate is not constant - variable bit rate reported" even when the bitrate is constant, so this error can be ignored.  Try out your BMUs in the toolset, if they're working they'll work in the game too otherwise convert them to Mp3s and then the BMUs again and see if they work now or not. 

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Wall3T]

               

I also found a program that lets you listen to .Bmu's. Normally NWN comes with one, but if you have one that is broken/missing/ or not there. you can grab one by googling: 'FMOD Studio' That will let you know if the BMU's are working or not