Thanks. Sound Forge Audio 15.

Sound Forge Audio Studio 15

Per Support I uninstalled the product, used Revo uninstaller to ensure all associated files were deleted, and then reinstalled. This did not fix the issue. Waiting for support to offer a different solution.

They thought it could have been a corrupted file during install.

Hi,

Could you also say what specifics you are trying to save the mp3 as...meaning the bit rate and sample rate, mono or stereo? Also, you wrote that you're not able to save as mp3, but could you say if you are able to import other mp3 files into the program? Thanks!

Sure thing. I saved a file as a .wav with 22,500 and 24 bit. I finished mastering and then went to export it as an MP3. That's when I hit the issue.

I also have MAGIX Music Maker Premium Edition 2022 installed. It exports to .MP3 without an issue.

The file has 2 stereo tracks (four tracks total). I have vocals on the first stereo tracks and music on the 2nd set of stereo tracks.

When I go to save it, it wants to save as a .wav, then I pick from the drop down (mp3) and then the TEMPLATE field becomes blank and I think that is causing the issue. If I click on CUSTOM in the "save as" window, I can then select an mp3 template but as soon as it goes back to the "save as" window it issues a message that the file format won't allow the template to be used. I've tried taking the file down to 16bit 11,500 but same this occurs. I tried raising to 44,000 but the same thing also occurs.

If I save the file as a wav, then open it with Music Maker, I can then export it from MM as an MP3. Works fine. Maybe I need to deinstall MM then reinstall SF15, then if it works, reinstall MM? Right now, support has me installing SF15-PRO version to see if the same thing occurs.

I do not think uninstalling MM will help.
Reinstall the latest build of SF AS. Some of the MP3 issues have been addressed.

k Here's what I did... I was asked by Support to deinstall SF AS and install instead the PRO version to see if that fixed things. It did not. Then I uninstalled ALL MAGIX software on my device using Revo Uninstaller to ensure all files were removed. Then I restarted. After that, I purchased CCleaner Professional and updated all drivers on the laptop (27 updated with 12 related to audio). Then I rebooted. Then I used CCleaner Pro to clean the Windows 10 registry. Then I downloaded a NEW install package of SF Audio Studio. The bit count was exactly the same as the one I was using before but I wanted to make sure I had a clean file. Then I rebooted. Then I reinstalled SF AS 15 which included Music Maker 2022. Then I restarted. Then I launched SF AS 15 and attempted the very same actions as before. I opened the WAV file (which plays fine and is not corrupt), I attempted to SAVE AS .MP3 and bang~! I got the same error "There is no template available for this format. The selected media may not support it. Would you like to try again?".. If I then click on the CUSTOM button, I can see there is an MP3 template displayed but when I select it, I receive the message: "The custom template you selected is not valid with the current project settings. It has been filtered out of the template list." I did test once again, opening the very same .WAV file in Music Maker and Exporting it to a .MP3 file and that works great and is clear as a bell. I think I've done enough on this one for now. I have to move along with the solution I have. I like the software very much so will continue to use it. If you send me a Template to install manually into some file folder (like a .dll file or something), perhaps we can try that?

So I really think perhaps some of the settings under preferences perhaps or on the file may be causing this. Let me try to create a new WAV file using default settings and see if that works.

Okay! Wow. Not sure why I didn't do this earlier! Sheesh. I created a new .WAV file (16bit 22,050 STEREO 2 Channels) and then opened it from the folder and did a SAVE AS .mp3. That worked like a champ. Then I created one (24bit 22,050 STEREO 2 Channel) and did the same thing and that worked like a champ. There is something "different" with that first WAV file. Okay, the issue arises when you have more than two tracks. Does not matter whether it is 16 or 24bit 22,050, but as soon as you have four tracks and attempt to save it as an MP3 I hit the issue.

can anyone else reproduce this?

There are limitations as to what parameters can be used when encoding an MP3. For instance, until just recently, encoding a 320kps, 44.1, Mono MP3 in Sound Forge was not possible. There are other MP3 limitations as well. The same with most lossy formats. PCM files do not have many limitations. FWIW, the 'standard' PCM format for audio only projects is 'typically' 44.1kHz/16 bit. A 22.5 kHz PCM has a (nyquist frequency) cutoff at approx 11,000 Hz .. which is rather low for most music projects. Rendering a (single channel) mono PCM file will cut the file size in half, which is fine for audio that has no spacial content, a vocal or a close mic'd snare or kick drum for instance.

Encoding mono MP3s does not cut the file size, but it increases the kps resolution x2 with about the same file size as stereo MP3. Good for a lectures or an audio book where there is no (stereo) spacial content.

Thank you rraud~! Really appreciate the information. Are you trying to say that one should not use 4 tracks and then attempt to save as an MP3 and instead mix them into a single mono track at 44.1kHz/16 bit before saving. Right?

MP3s are for final user distribution. Otherwise always save in the PCM format <.wav>.
Stereo or mono depends on the source material. VO/narration for instance is usually recorded as a PCM mono file . I would not record anything lower that 44.1/16 . 24 bits is better if you need a lot of headroom.

Thank you for the guidance. Very much appreciated.