Audacity Program Question - How to encode in different bit rates?

I'm doing a science fair project about MP3 algorithms. I'm basically using Audacity to compress certain WAV files using different bit rates into an MP3. The thing is, I don't know how to encode in different bit rates. How can I encode a WAV file in different bit rates to make a special MP3 file?Audacity Program Question - How to encode in different bit rates?
To compress a wav file to an mp3 file of any bitrate do this. Open audacity. Edit Preferences. Click on file format. Scroll down to mp3. Click on the drop down menu. Choose the bitrate. You will see bitrates ranging from 56k (poor) to 320Mbps (the best).

When you're done, select the track(s) you wish to compress, and click on Export as mp3. The exporting will compress and save the result as an mp3 file.

Because mp3 is a proprietary format, you need an additional free program to do the conversion from wav to mp3. You can download it at http://lame.buanzo.com.ar/

Once you have installed Lame, you're good to go.Audacity Program Question - How to encode in different bit rates?
The bitrate needs to be set by the user before conversion.

If you want to convert to different bitrates it will need to be reset between each conversion.

Once the bitrate is set it effectively becomes the default for all further conversions so for your project it will need to be set multiple times.



Here's how.



Open the wav file.

Go to "file / preferences"

Click the "file formats" tab.

In the mp3 export section make a note of the default bitrate before choosing a new bitrate from the dropdown list and click OK.

Then export the wav file as an mp3.

To keep track name the file with the bitrate you chose.

It will be compressed at the rate of your choice.

You'll need to do this for each for each new compression ratio you choose.

When you've finished reset the bitrate to the original default value.