How to remove Track Gain from MP3

[garym]

Re: How to remove Track Gain from MP3

Nice tip. Thanks!

[Dropbear]

Re: How to remove Track Gain from MP3

Just some useful info for those who might also want to cut the "replaygain_track_gain" pseudo-tag from their original MP3 files.

I used this small program called "mp3DirectCut" from mpesch3.de together with lame_enc.dll from rarewares.org/mp3-lame-bundle.php

Note: You must use the 32-bit version of lame_enc.dll, otherwise the program will tell you that it can't find it, instead of telling you that it's not compatible. That caught me out when I used the 64-bit version !


Just load your MP3, (it also supports drag & drop) and from the "File" menu select... "Save complete audio..."

It did the job of removing the ReplayGain info from the MP3 header.

Works a treat. No re-encoding occurs, and all Metadata is retained. Only the LAME headers are modified. Perfect !

[Dropbear]

Re: How to remove Track Gain from MP3

What errors are you getting and in which application? I downloaded your mp3 and it appears fine.

Yep. Thanks mville. I've done a little bit more thinking after I posted this torrent of posts. lol. Sometimes it helps me get my thoughts around an issue. I might mull this project over for a while, before I get back here. I might be getting too hung up on the small details. I realize I'm doing things in a non-standard way. Ideally for me, (and probably only for me) by processing Music videos and regular music files in the same batch process, the 2 dBpoweramp Converters would be combined into 1 super Converter that handles both Video & Audio files perfectly, as they do separately, but alas that probably won't happen, so I need to work around that.

The MP3 file I uploaded does appears perfectly fine, and the replaygain_track_gain setting technically should be there as it is. It's just that I wanted to be able to clear it out, for my project. Anyway I've found a way to do that now, so all's good.

[mville]

Re: How to remove Track Gain from MP3

I'm finally going through my Archived Music Collection which has a lot of very old MP3 files that cause errors when re-processed. They play ok, but have errors in their headers (and sometimes [but rarely] with corrupted tags).

What errors are you getting and in which application? I downloaded your mp3 and it appears fine.

[Dropbear]

Re: How to remove Track Gain from MP3

Ok. I've found the magic command to use with the Video Converter. I also realise now that I'd be better off using the Music Converter to do most of the MP3 conversions, as it obviously uses the LAME encoder, which is far faster than if FFmpeg tries to do the encoding. I still need to use both converters because the music videos still need their cover art processed through, which the Music Converter won't do.

If I add the command -write_xing 0 to the Custom Command, it removes the ReplayGain header info. That solves that problem. I'm slowly getting there, wherever that may be. I'm too tired now to think much else about it now, but it's a work in progress, and I'm learning heaps!

[Dropbear]

Re: How to remove Track Gain from MP3

See this image: [SIZE=4]s01.geekpic.net/di-D9CWUP.png[/SIZE] (You'll have to cut & paste it, as otherwise once again it'll need mod-approval).

The attached image clickable below will probably show up as way too small. (What's up with these forum images not being able to be enlarged?! ) :/

I've [SIZE=3]highlighted the 2 bytes[/SIZE] that need nullifying to [SIZE=3]00 00[/SIZE] to fix my issue.

If anyone knows how that can be done with a script somehow, please let me know. Unfortunately, it's in a highly transient part of the header and any Tag changes will move it's position, so it's position needs to be carefully plotted, with some good MP3 knowledge. You cannot just assume it will be in a certain fixed position in the file, and of course almost every single MP3 file will have it in a different location, because of all the differing Tag/header info.

[Dropbear]

Re: How to remove Track Gain from MP3

oops. This will be a bit of a duplicate post. I edited the previous post (currently invisible) and added h t t p s to the link, forgetting that it would then need mod approval. D'oh!

So in the meantime... here it is again....

filedn.com/lpAitngRCcFH75pd2wHnfJQ/Public-Media/Alex%20Davis%20-%20Lullaby%20of%20The%20Third%20Horizon%20(using%20Sample%20Logic's%20Morphestra).mp3

Copy & paste the link to your browser, and then...

Click the "..." in the player that appears, to download the mp3 file.

I challenge you all to get rid of the "replaygain_track_gain -5.90 dB " pseudo-tag that appears when you Right-click the file using "Edit ID-Tag". Good Luck!

[Dropbear]

Re: How to remove Track Gain from MP3

Here's one of the offending MP3s:

https://filedn.com/lpAitngRCcFH75pd2wHnfJQ/Public-Media/Alex%20Davis%20-%20Lullaby%20of%20The%20Third%20Horizon%20(using%20Sample%20Logic's%20Morphestra).mp3

You should be able to download (on a pc) from the "..." shown on the player that will appear when you go to that URL.

I won't post it here as a direct clickable link, otherwise we'll have to wait until the link is mod approved.

The object (ok it's a challenge now!) is... to not have the "Pseudo" Tag "replaygain_track_gain -5.90 dB " appear in the dBpoweramp Right-click "Edit ID-Tag" popup.

Good Luck

[Dropbear]

Re: How to remove Track Gain from MP3

Hey Dropbear,

just for my understanding: why don't you use the "ID Tag Update" dsp, which is capable to delete tags without re-encoding the audio file?


Dat Ei

Hi Dat Ei. Thanks. I tried that, but as I explained in my first post, it's not actually a "Tag" as such that needs removing. It's part of the MP3 internal header structure, that needs to be modified slightly. Trust me, I tried, and I've learnt a lot (too much!) about the internal structure of MP3s ! dBpoweramp and other MP3 Tag readers simply read this header info and report the ReplayGain setting that was stored.

It's not stored as a normal tag though. I wish it was. It "appears" as a Tag, when you use the "Edit ID Tags" Right-click on an Mp3 file, but it's impossible to delete it, even if you clear all the Tags, when you retry, it'll still be there.

These are very old MP3s, and years ago people were crazy enough to use a "Hard-encoded" type of Volume Normalizing which actually modified the audio data, rather than just add some Tags as is mostly done nowadays. Non-destructive methods make much more sense, as the audio data is not changed at all.

I tried a gazillion and 1 one different Tag Editors, but to no avail.

Finally, a few minutes ago, with much trial and error, I narrowed the actual bytes down that need nullifying. Anyway it all works now, (apart from working out how to automate the changes) so I'm happy.

Thanks for your suggestion. I appreciate it.

[Dat Ei]

Re: How to remove Track Gain from MP3

Hey Dropbear,

just for my understanding: why don't you use the "ID Tag Update" dsp, which is capable to delete tags without re-encoding the audio file?


Dat Ei

[Dropbear]

Re: How to remove Track Gain from MP3

As it turns out, it was actually 2 bytes that held the "replaygain_track_gain" setting. Once those were nullified, the tag no longer appears. All good. It doesn't affect any other readings now either and the MP3 status seems perfectly healthy according to MP3 Diags. Also, Mediainfo now reports everything to be exactly the same as the original MP3 file.

* A Note to anyone else using Foobar2000 to modify the MP3 header via the "Right-click on the file" method using "Utilities--Fix VBR MP3 header..."

This will change the header for non-VBR CBR encoded files to report incorrectly that they are VBR encoded, when they were actually CBR encoded, so beware of doing it that way, even though it does successfully suppress the tag from appearing.

Now I just have to figure out how to do the scripting, to overwrite those 2 bytes automatically when I'm batch converting. Hmmm.

[Dropbear]

Re: How to remove Track Gain from MP3

Aha. I tried foobar2000, because lots of folks recommended it for being able to remove the header info for MP3 files, and it appeared to do the process, but it still didn't remove the info for me.

Anyway, using Hex Edit I found the "1 byte" that needs nulling out, to stop the messages about ReplayGain.

So, I guess I'll have to get to work writing a small script to null that 1 byte from those troublesome MP3 files. *urgh* I wanted to avoid that. Of course it's not located in a static position in the files. ie. It's very rarely in exactly the same place. The header info is so variable. It's gonna take some work! :/


EDIT: Hmmm. Unfortunately No, it's not so simple like I had hoped. It had just messed with the frame values so that the Tag editors would ignore it. It will take a quite a bit more playing around. :/

[Dropbear]

Re: How to remove Track Gain from MP3

I know I'm reviving a very old thread here, but it's right on target for me.

I'm finally going through my Archived Music Collection which has a lot of very old MP3 files that cause errors when re-processed. They play ok, but have errors in their headers (and sometimes [but rarely] with corrupted tags).

I've had no problems fixing all errors except for the "replaygain_track_gain" header Info, which dBpoweramp "Edit ID-Tag" displays. I want to get rid of that message.

I understand that these old tracks have most likely been "ReplayGain'ed" in volume permanently in the encoding, but I don't care about that. I want to simply remove all the info about it. I'd also rather not get into any debates about "Re-gaining" either.

I normally Volume Normalize when I convert from my originals which are mostly FLAC files into disposable MP3 files. I just want to edit these older "original" MP3 files without having to re-encode, and these will be saved as my new originals. I know that sounds weird, but I'd rather have so-called "originals" that don't have header/tag errors.

Then I'll be able to re-convert cleanly without getting any conversion error messages.

I've had to resort to using Hex Edit to chop out the stupid Regain header info, but it takes a lot of time for each individual one, and requires very delicate editing.

I'm hoping that someone on this forum might know of a program or App that will easily (and in a batch process) remove the "ReplayGain info" from the headers, and perhaps (but not so essentially) fix any obvious metadata tag corruptions).

Note: This is not the same as just deleting the "Tag" ReplayGain info. I can do that easily. It's the info in the "headers" that is persistently refusing to be deleted.


Any ideas??

[FrightfoO]

Re: How to remove Track Gain from MP3

Erm, just to add.. in atleast LAME 3.97 b1 (and I assume, LAME 3.97) Track Gain is calculated and written to LAME's header by Default. However, this track gain is NOT applied in any way whatsoever.

Just thought I'd give this reply here, since google found me this thread.

[Spoon-]

Re: How to remove Track Gain from MP3

It might be set in the Lame header not ID3 tag.