Audio file types: Download or Export?
Choose audio formats for listening, video, CDs, and music distribution, and understand sample rate and bit depth.
Keep a high-quality source of your music in Songkeeper, then choose the copy that fits where it is going.
Download or Export?
Download original saves the exact uploaded file. Export formats… lets you choose one or more formats for the same recording. Neither changes your uploaded file or creates a new mix or master.
On a song, project share, or playlist share with downloads enabled, open the file or track actions and choose Export formats…. Select your copies and export; multiple formats arrive together in a ZIP. The original is included only if you select it.
Which format should I choose?
| Use | Choose |
|---|---|
| Listening and sharing smaller files | MP3, 320 kbps |
| Sync licensing, film, TV, and video editing | WAV, 24-bit / 48 kHz, unless otherwise requested |
| Preparing audio for a CD | WAV, 16-bit / 44.1 kHz |
| Music distribution and streaming releases | Original lossless master; follow distributor requirements |
WAV and AIFF store uncompressed audio. FLAC keeps the same audio in a smaller lossless file. MP3 makes smaller files by discarding some audio information, so use a lossless source for final delivery.
What do the numbers mean?
Sample rate is the number of sound measurements stored each second: 48 kHz means 48,000. Bit depth is how precisely each measurement is stored. 24-bit offers more precision than 16-bit; it does not make your song louder. Bitrate, such as MP3's 320 kbps, describes how much data is used each second.
48 kHz is common in video workflows. 16-bit / 44.1 kHz is CD quality, but streaming delivery is not limited to it. Services such as Spotify and Apple Music support higher-quality masters.