ON THE EDGE

The Help Page

Playing our audio files
Working with our audio files
Uploading your files and comments to us
Using the Upload Page

Playing our audio files

To play the audio from a workshop or someone's remix contribution, you can either:
i) click on the Real Audio file link and if you have Real Player 5.0, 5.1 or G2, then Real Player will launch and you will hear the music quickly.
or
ii) You can click on the MP3 file link and the file will download onto your computer. You may be asked where to save it. To play the file you will need to have an MP3 player. We recommend WinAmp for PCs running Windows and MacAmp or SoundApp for Apple Macintosh computers. If you already have a player the file may play automatically once it's downloaded.

Mac Users with a Netscape browser may need to change the preferences for the browser.
In Netscape Navigator or Communicator select Preferences from the Edit menu. Click on "Navigator" and then "Applications". This is where you configure Navigator's helper applications. Scroll down until you see "audio/mpeg" and double click on it.
Look in the text field for "Suffixes". If "mp3" is not included, click in the field after the last suffix (usually "mpeg") and type a "," followed by "mp3". Then click the "Application" button so that it has a black dot in it. Click the "Choose" button and locate the MP3 player on your computer that you want Netscape to launch after an MP3 file is downloaded (e.g. SoundApp or MacAmp). Click OK to get out of all dialog boxes. Now each time an MP3 file is downloaded, Navigator/Communicator should play it using the MP3 player you selected.
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Working with our audio files

We anticipate people working in MIDI/Audio music sequencer packages to add to, re-arrange or remix the audio once downloaded. Examples of such packages include Steinberg Cubase Audio (or VST), Emagic Logic Audio, Cakewalk, Opcode Vision DSP, Opcode Studio Vision and MOTU Digital Performer.

All of these packages work with high quality audio in either .AIF or .WAV formats. (Most Macintosh packages also use Sound Designer II format). You will therefore need to convert the downloaded MP3 into either .WAV for Windows PCs or .AIFF for Macintoshes. To do this you need an MP3 decoder We recommend you use MMWave MP3 Decoder for Windows and SoundApp for Macintoshes.

Do not change the resolution (number of bits) or sample rate when you convert. All of the posted files are 16bit, 44.1kHz mono files. Make sure you have plenty of disk space before you decode. A 1 minute file will take up about 5Mb of disk space.

In your MIDI/Audio software you will have to work at 16bit and 44.1kHz.
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Uploading your files and comments to us

Preparing your files
Once you have mixed your work down to tape (unless you're able to create a mix straight to disk) you will need to get the mix back into your computer. The resultant file should be either .WAV or .AIF format. Please ensure that it is 16bit, 44.1kHz and mono.

You will then need to convert the file to MP3 before sending it to us. To do this you will need an MP3 encoder. We recommend Amplifier MP3 Encoder for Windows or MPecker Encoder for Macintoshes. The "layer" setting should be Layer III (MP3 actually stands for MPEG2 Layer III) and the bit rate 128kbps. Both of the recommended decoders should default to this, so unless you change the settings in 'Preferences' or 'Options' you shouldn't need to do anything other than drag and drop your file onto the icon of the encoder application.

Using the Upload page

Look at the Upload Page if there is no "Browse..." button then you are using an old web browser. You'll need at least Netscape Navigator 3.0 (although Navigator or Communicator 4 are better) or Internet Explorer 4.0 or above.

Fill in as many of the fields on the form as possible. The "name" field is essential. Don't worry if you don't have an email address, but you MUST tell us which workshop or satellite project you were or will be in or, if you're doing this at school, what school you're attending.

You can send us just comments or just a re-purposed sound file, or both.

If you're sending an audio file, you MUST get the file name right or it won't work. So use the "browse" button to find the file on your computer rather than typing the file name in. Please make sure that your file has the .mp3 extension on the end of the name or the file may get rejected.

Take your time and use the "Clear.." button to start again if you're unsure. When you click the "Send..." button you may be asked for the name and password again. It's the same one you used to get in.

The upload page is for re-working of files downloaded from the "Online Workshop". This is not a general music promotional site, so don't send us unrelated files please. Please remember what you (should have) read on the disclaimer page - YOU are responsible for ensuring that no copyrights are being broken in the publication of your file. So no indiscriminate sampling please.

If you still need help after using this page, then send an email to info@hyperjam.co.uk.