NWC to WAV or MP3 using free software Audacity

2005-05-07 11:43 am

NWC to WAV or MP3 using free software Audacity

1) Download and install 'Audacity' from http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download
2) For exporting MP3 from Audacity in Windows, download and install 'Lame' from http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/windows
3) Run NoteWorthy and open your nwc file.
4) Run Audacity and select "What U Hear" from the drop list as the recording device.
5) In Audacity: click on the record button.
6) In NoteWorthy: click on the play button.
7) In Audacity: click the stop button when your tune is done.

In Audacity: select File->Export As Wav... (or MP3)

If you want, you can select and then 'cut' the leading silence.

(There is another program called 'jetAudio' which will convert a list of MIDI files to WAV files very quickly, but it uses it's own synthesizer, so the output does not sound the same as NoteWorthy. See www.jetaudio.com if interested.)

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Here's a suggestion for creating a more realistic '3D sound'. (This takes awhile to do, but the effects are worth it.) Try this on a small file (a short composition with two or more instruments) first!

1) In NoteWorthy: For each staff, make use of 'Stereo Pan' on the 'MIDI' tab of 'Staff Properties'. Spread out your instruments from left (0) to right (127) as they might be when viewed on a stage.
2) Play and record each staff (yes each staff) to a separate MP3 file using Audacity. Use 'Shift F5' in Noteworthy to play one staff (the selected staff) at a time.
3) Record each staff again (yes again) after adjusting the 'Stereo Pan' of each staff by adding (or subtracting) 8. This technique will have the effect of doubling the instruments in your virtual 'band' or 'orchestra'.
4) In Audacity: Open an MP3 file, 'select-all' (ctrl-a) and apply the 'GVerb' filter found on the 'Effect' menu. (You'll have to play with the sliders to get a 'good' sound. Try setting the slider values to: 300.0, 0.1, 0.5, 0.0, -5.0, -10.0, then tweak the middle and bottom sliders slightly as needed.) Save the file.
5) Repeat step 4 for all MP3 files.
6) You should now have two 'modified' MP3 files for each staff. Merge a pair of MP3's in Audacity by opening one MP3 and importing the other (Project->Import Audio), then select 'Quick Mix' on the 'Project' menu. Save the merged sound to a new MP3.
7) Repeat step 6 for each pair of MP3's.

Now mix all of the MP3's in Audacity. (This takes awhile, so be patient.) Open one of the merged MP3's and then import each of the others (Project->Import Audio). Each MP3 will appear as a separate track. Adjust the volume sliders on each track as needed, then select 'Quick Mix' on the 'Project' menu. Save the merged sound to a new MP3.
9) Also export the MP3 to WAV if you plan on burning it to an audio CD.

Re: NWC to WAV or MP3 using free software Audacity

Reply #1 – 2011-04-09 01:25 am

What u hear is not an option.

Re: NWC to WAV or MP3 using free software Audacity

Reply #2 – 2011-04-09 05:42 am

Quote from: gbohrn – 2011-04-09 01:25 am

What u hear is not an option.

Then you don't have a Creative card or at least not one you're using Creative software with.

What you will have is an equivalent. If you hve an AC97 compliant system it will probably be called "Stereo Mix". Check the other options in Audacity, something will make sense.