How to replace music/sounds in l4d1 and l4d2 with a song/sound of your choice.

This is going to show you how to convert and replace sounds or music with the original music of l4d1 or 2. It is complicated to understand at first but it gets really easy once you do it.

Please note: If your song cuts out before it is over, that's because the song you chose is longer than the original sountrack. Nothing anybody can do about that sorry.

Have any questions or confused?
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Get the .mp3 or .wav

Obviously the first part of doing it is to get the .mp3 or .wav. When this is all done the format will be .wav because that is the format l4d2 requires.

Step 1: You will have to get the audio you want to replace. It can be any format you want it to be at first but it will be converted to .wav later.

Converting the .mp3 or .wav to a usable rate.

This part is very important because you cannot just convert the audio to .wav and be done with it. You need to set it to a specific sample rate, sample size, and channel. If you don't the audio will sound a bit slow or fast in-game.

Step 2: First of all your going to need to download the software that is going to convert the audio into a usable format and rate. It is called dbpoweramp. It is not free though but you can use this or find another program that is a complex as this. I PROMISE you this is the only thing your going to need to download in this tutorial!

Link: http://dbpoweramp-music-converter.en.softonic.com/download

Step 3: When you have dBpoweramp downloaded and installed either right click on the file you want to convert and click Convert to... in the list of options or open up dbpoweramp and it will bring you to windows explorer where you can simply double click on the audio you want to convert.

Step 4: Set converting to: as wave

Step 5: make sure to check the box Uncompressed then fill in the boxes with these

*IMPORTANT UPDATE* : It seems that a lot of audio files use a format that is different from this rate. If so, find the original file you are replacing, right click on it and chooce "Properties", go to the "Details" and you will find these settings there. Use THOSE settings, not the ones I give.

*UPDATE #2* : It seem that thanks to the magic of Windows 10, the Details tab doesn't give you these settings. Just follow these instructions.

For Music Converstions:

Channels: 2 'stereo' (CD)
Sample Size: 16 bit (CD)
Sample Rate: 44.1 KHz (CD)

For Voice Converstions:

Channels: 1 (mono)
Sample Size: 16 bit (CD)
Sample Rate: 44.1 KHz (CD)

NOTE: These are the most common used rates for music files in l4d2. These may change depending on what you are doing. In which case go to the original audio file in your left4dead2 sound foldier and right click on the file then go to properties. Then click on the tab called "Audio Properties" to view what these should be filled in as.

Step 6: Set the output foldier to where you would like. Either to the original foldier or another foldier of your choice then Convert >> at the bottom of the window.

Replacing the old audio with the new one.

This is where it all comes down. After you have the audio converted this is what you do with it.

Step 7: Go to the place where the original audio file (the one you want to replace) is stored.

Step 8: Copy and paste the new converted audio file into the foldier.

Step 9: You are going to want to take note of the name of the ORIGINAL audio file. Write it down somewhere or just memorize it. You have to memorize it EXCATLY the way it is meaning if the first letter of the name is lower case keep it that way.

Example:

left4death (original)
The end of the battle (new one)

Step 10: Rename the new audio file as the SAME name as the original file. This will make it so the game knows what song is being replaced.

Step 11: It will probably say that there is already a file with that name in the foldier. THAT IS FINE. Just click on the option to RENAME BUT KEEP BOTH FILES. It will then add a (2) at the end of the new audio file.

Example:

left4death (original)
left4death (2) (new one)

Step 12: Take the original audio file out of the foldier and put it somewhere safe in case you want to put it back.

Step 13: Now there should only be the new audio file with the name of the song you want replaced in there (the one with the (2) at the end). Rename it again only delete the (2) and the space between it and the name.

Example:

left4death (2) (new one)

And your done! In the end the foldier should look like it has the EXCACT same files as before only the original only that the sound in one of the audio files should be different. Go into the game and test out the new audio file.

Turning these mods into .vpk files

I have now uploaded a guide which will show you both how to turn these sound mods into .vpk mods, AND how to upload them to the workshop if desired.

Find it here:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=398938698

[Nicky Grimes]

File Name: themonsterswithin.wav
File Location for L4D2 levels : Within the Left 4 Dead 2 directory, go to Left 4 Dead 2 > left4dead2 > sound > music > unalive

File Location for L4D1 levels : Left 4 Dead 2 > left4dead2_dlc2 > sound > music > unalive
File Name: themonsterswithin_l4d1.wav

[doctor sex]

what's the file name of the credits theme?

[Bob]

Hi, I matched bitrate, sample size, channel, format and length with the original sound files but there are always little beep noise at the end of many tracks, is there anything I can do? Thx

[Lucas096br]

Hey everyone and the author/creator of this guide. Is this outdated? Also, how to convert KBPS to HZ or vice versa? It's troublesome the amount of HZ making the KBPS of the audio either lower or higher. I tried searching and nothing to not ask here because this is most likely not giving me an answer but here I am
I'm considering going trial and error by adding 1 to 10 HZ till it reaches 144KBPS honestly.

[Nicky Grimes]

I was able to get it to work! So Dark Audacity wasn't working when it came to replacing some audio, but original Audacity worked for me.

The main issue was figuring out which to use: Mono or Stereo.

[Actual Otter Piers Nivans]

i'm not sure if you're still available for help on this, but i'm having some difficulty trying to get a file to play! i sent you a friend request for help, but if you're no longer active for this thats okay i understand

[Nicky Grimes]

I was able to resolve the previous problem, but now I have a new issue.

When changing the jukebox music to the bitrate, sample rate, and 16-bit stereo as required - Music is tremendously slowed down in playback and in-game. I just want it to play normally, but when switching it back to the normal 14100 Hz, it also slows down in-game.

What are the steps I need to take to ensure that the music won't slow down? And what is the exact settings for it to work?

[PotatoGirl]

Music works but it doesn't loop.

[Nicky Grimes]

I was able to change the music on my end, but when others try to download it - they say it doesn't work. Is there a step that I'm missing?

[Dr.Gaming98]

Okay, so I'm trying to change the zombie horde music, but it isn't working. I'm using Windows 10 File Explorer. The steps I've taken are as follows:

1. I went to the "zombat" folder.
2. I made a copy of the "horde" file, and placed it on my desktop.
3. I opened the original "horde" file.
4. I deleted the first .wav file I saw in the "horde" folder, which was "drums01b"
5. I renamed the new .wav file I wanted to insert to "drums01b"
6. I pasted the renamed file into the "horde" folder.
7. I closed the File Explorer, and started up Left 4 Dead 2.
8. I started a single-player campaign on Dark Carnival, and went to set off a car alarm in order to summon a horde.
9. I listened closely to the music that was playing, and nothing had changed.

What have I done incorrectly? Is the file I inserted too big? Is it possible that other mods I have installed via the Workshop are conflicting with what I've done?