SMRC-1041: Indivisible Original Game Soundtrack

[TerraEpon]

So....

This seems to be a transcode.....I suppose to be expected from the same developer as Skullgirls.

https://imgur.com/a/PgwF4pA

As you can see, cuts off hard just under 21k and the demuxed 16bit version (using SoX) looks exactly the same.

[BlazingAbyss]

Originally Posted by TerraEpon

So....
This seems to be a transcode.....I suppose to be expected from the same developer as Skullgirls.

Were the Skullgirls soundtracks transcodes as well? I've never heard anyone mention them being as such. Granted, I think the only one that was ever released in a lossless format was the original soundtrack back when it was still available through CD Baby.

Regardless, it's disappointing to hear that we've gotten another transcode, hopefully they rectify it at some point in the future. Then again, maybe we'll just get another weird Bloodstained incident where only the GOG release is fixed in order to feature actual lossless quality. Speaking of which, I'm still hoping that they'll sort that out for the steam release.

Also, I thought you had to provide WAV files when submitting albums for Bandcamp, how do you even mess that up, did they convert lossy files into WAV and then submit them or something?

[Efendija]

It doesn't have to be a transcode. At least not where the relevant sound data is missing. I don't see the compression blocks to begin with. Some engineers do choose the 21 kHz (or lower) cut-off. Reason being that it's closer to the upper limit of human hearing range (20 kHz).

For reference, 320 kbps MP3 file of the song:

Spoiler:

If the FLAC/WAV looked something like this, it would certainly be an impactful transcode.

[Toad King]

One of the Kickstarter rewards appears to be a CD soundtrack, they could have just been sourced from that.

https://twitter.com/FagooStew/status...75708104204288

[Ramza]

I've been listening to this, and I'm going to be honest when I say I don't fully understand the conversation here about waveform and transcoding -- but with that said, I did get a very strong sense that there was a "flatness" to the sound. Like ... all songs, and all voices within the songs (each instrument), they're all normalized and sound like they're all the same volume. That volume being ... loud. It's all just there, in your face.

But looking at the waveform image that Ef posted, it looks like there is variation in dynamics, just ... within the track, it feels like everything is packed together. Like, I never hear a soft flute and a loud drum at the same time, or vice versa. If that makes sense.

That might be an entirely separate issue from transcoding or the 21kHz cut-off. Just thought I'd put my listening-ear impression out there and see if it has anything to do with what you're discussing.

... does it? ^_^

[TerraEpon]

Originally Posted by BlazingAbyss

Were the Skullgirls soundtracks transcodes as well? I've never heard anyone mention them being as such. Granted, I think the only one that was ever released in a lossless format was the original soundtrack back when it was still available through CD Baby.

Regardless, it's disappointing to hear that we've gotten another transcode, hopefully they rectify it at some point in the future. Then again, maybe we'll just get another weird Bloodstained incident where only the GOG release is fixed in order to feature actual lossless quality. Speaking of which, I'm still hoping that they'll sort that out for the steam release.

Also, I thought you had to provide WAV files when submitting albums for Bandcamp, how do you even mess that up, did they convert lossy files into WAV and then submit them or something?

The CD Baby version of Skullgirls was emphatically a transcode and I even had to pressure them into refunding my order about it. It later got a full release that was fine (https://vgmdb.net/album/77463)

As for how it happens, well I dunno but it happens ALL THE TIME on pretty much every digital platform out there. Idiots who don't realize that up-converintng Mp3s won't give back what they lost or whatever the case.

[TerraEpon]

Originally Posted by Efendija

It doesn't have to be a transcode. At least not where the relevant sound data is missing. I don't see the compression blocks to begin with. Some engineers do choose the 21 kHz (or lower) cut-off. Reason being that it's closer to the upper limit of human hearing range (20 kHz).

Sure but they why the hell would they they 24bit files if they are just gonna do that?

[razakin]

Seems that the CD release is same kind, cut off at 21 kHz if I quickly checked right. So guess it's a design choice of the engineer then?

[TerraEpon]

Honestly I'm confused now. I have come across CDs from a long time ago, well before Mp3s were a thing (at least one anyone used) that had a lower shelf and I alwasy assumed it was because of recording tech that couldn't go that high. It boggles me a bit why anyone would do that in 2019.
The big thing is that a have a couple programs that are meant to automatically detect transcodes. They aren't great, because in one of the programs it would claim some of said CDs (again old ones....proper pressed CDs from late 80s/early 90s) are transcodes. The other one would consider them fine.

Now here's the extra confusing part -- the one that likes to consider old music upsamples considers Indivisible fine, while the other program considers all but three tracks transcodes.

So I dunno. I know I'm not an expert but having had a number of previous issues with game music being transcoded (Skullgirls, Bloodtained, Hat in Time, the Shantae games just to name some that had a release with the issue) I really want to get to the meat and be sure.

[Datschge]

It may well be transcoded from OGG Vorbis (very commonly used as sound format in PC games) or one of the newer formats, those don't contain the obvious artifacts that MP3s visibly display.