Easiest shortcut for STarKos SKS file -> Mp3

[mr_lou]

Yes, my apologies for this topic. I've been spending lots of time on Google lately searching for a ton of other stuff, so now I need a break from Google. Thus trying the lazy method instead: Ask

Basically I'd like to have my STarKos tracks available to me in Mp3 or wav format. And I know I can do this by creating a YM from the SKS file using tools on the STarKos disc. And then I can probably use some other tool to convert the YM into Mp3... or what?

Can you tell me how you usually do this? Thanks.

[redbox]

Or record the WAV in WinAPE...?

[mr_lou]

Or record the WAV in WinAPE...?

heh, good suggestion. Will try that. But I'm very picky about accurate playback. Most emulators doesn't playback the correct volume for each channel. I know Arnold doesn't, which I'm using on Linux. Will report back if WinAPE does.

[robcfg]

If you want exact quality, then just connect the audio jack of the cpc to the line in of your sound card and record it directly to wav.

[mr_lou]

Just tested. WinAPE doesn't produce accurate enough sound for me.

If you want exact quality, then just connect the audio jack of the cpc to the line in of your sound card and record it directly to wav.

Yea, that would require me to move either my PC or my CPC, or else buy a portable audio-recorder. I might end up doing one of those 3 things yes.

[redbox]

There are YM plugin-ins for WinAmp and you could configure WinAMP to write out a WAV (just change the output plug-in to the built in Disk writer) instead of playing it.

[mr_lou]

hehe, trying to create a YM with the STARK2YM tool, wanted me to insert a disk with 552kb free. 
I have a YM2WAV command line tool installed on my Linux box. I wanted to try that out. But I guess I have to find some other way to create the YM file first.

[Grim]

Arkos Tracker can import SKS file and export the song as WAV file too (not sure if the tracker can run on Linux with wine, mono or whatever tho). But if you're after accuracy, nothing so far beats recording directly from the audio jack of the CPC.

[mr_lou]

Ok then. Buying a portable audio-recorder then.

[mr_lou]

Well, I realized that I did infact have a looong cable, so my CPC can be in one room while my PC is recording the audio. :->

Next "problem" is, that the CPC is in stereo. Stereo is fine, but not when using headphones.
This is why the ModPlug Player for Windoze offers a semi-stereo playback feature, where it mixes the audio a little bit. Something like this:
Left channel keeps 75% of the audio, and puts the remaining 25% on the right channel.
Right channel keeps 75% of the audio, and puts the remaining 25% on the left channel.
Center channel then has to be reduced to 75% as well.

That way it's still stereo, but now it isn't that annoying listening to with headphones.

But how to do this? Any audio wizards out there who knows?

So far I've been looking at the hundreds of extensions for Audacity, but haven't found any that does what I'm describing. I could have missed it though.

If you have an idea, please share it.

[Bryce]

Do it with hardware, ie: a simple audio-mixer.

Bryce.

[redbox]

Left channel keeps 75% of the audio, and puts the remaining 25% on the right channel.
Right channel keeps 75% of the audio, and puts the remaining 25% on the left channel.
Center channel then has to be reduced to 75% as well.

Can't see why you have a problem with this - my 11 year old copy of Cool Edit Pro has Pan/Expand and Channel Mixer transforms...?

You could do it with a small cheap mixer (Behringer?) like Bryce suggested but more hardware in the chain usually degrades the audio quality.

[mr_lou]

I found a way using Audacity.

First, split up the stereo recording into 2 tracks. Then create another empty stereo track, and split that up too. Then simply copy the RIGHT channel of the recording into the LEFT channel of the empty track, and reduce volume. And LEFT channel into RIGHT channel of the empty track, reduce volume. Then mix it together again. :-)

Result is a CPC track you can listen to with headphones, and get a stereo effect that's not completely separated.
Example:
http://dewfall.dk/other/Darkness.ogg

[robcfg]

Nice tune!


Glad you managed to record it properly. 

[redbox]

Example:
http://dewfall.dk/other/Darkness.ogg

Sounds really good - authentic and clear.  Nice job