MP3 Files

Exporting your Mix as Audio

From the Reason file menu, you can export your mix to three different types of audio file formats: Audio IFF file, WAVE file, or an MP3 file. It’s important to distinguish between uncompressed audio files (for example, AIFF and WAVE) and compressed audio files (for example, MP3 and AAC). 

You will submit an MP3 file as one of the three parts of your Final Project submission. We recommend also exporting an AIFF or WAVE file, so that you’ll have a high-quality audio file that preserves the sound of your project. This allows you to hear your project without needing the Reason application.

CAUTION: If your music contains sounds copyrighted by other people, and you don’t have permission to use those sounds, then think twice about uploading your music to a web site. That counts as distribution, and the copyright holder may hold you accountable for your use of their sound.

Exporting an Uncompressed Mix File from Reason

You first must export your mix as an uncompressed audio file, either Wave or AIFF.

  1. First, be sure that your mix never clips, and that you have left at least 1.5 dB of headroom. If you don’t know what this means, please review The Limiter, including the advice at the end of that section about the headroom required before encoding compressed audio files.
  2. Set the Song End Marker to the actual end of the sound that your sequence makes, taking into account any reverberation or delay ringoff. If you don’t do this, you may end up with lots of silence at the end of your mix file.

    Reason sequencer end marker when off-screen

    To find the End marker, look at the right side of the sequence horizontal scroll bar for the vertical symbol circled in red below.

    Scroll this part of the sequence into view until you can see the End marker in the time ruler: the small box enclosing E.

    Reason sequencer end marker when on-screen

    Drag this marker to the point where you no longer hear any sound sustaining from your last notes, such as delay or reverb tails. Please leave 2-3 seconds of silence before the End marker.

  3. Choose File > Export Song as Audio File. A “Save” dialog will open. From the Format popup menu, choose Audio IFF File or WAVE File to export an uncompressed audio file. Then press Save to save the new audio file on your desktop or some other location.
  4. Listen to your mix file to be sure that it sounds like what you expect, and that the ending does not cut off a reverb tail. Be sure the file does not contain more than 5 seconds of silence at the end. If it does, see step 1.
  5. Please do not hand in the uncompressed audio file. Keep it for your own records.

Making an MP3 File

Follow the instructions above for exporting an uncompressed mix file from Reason, except: in step #3, choose the MP3 format for your export, instead of Audio IFF or WAVE. Hand in the MP3 file as part of your Final Project submission.

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