Adding Custom Main Menu Music

In this guide I will show you what you need to know in order to add a main menu startup theme in Counter-Strike Source.

Audio file requirements

First of all, you have to make sure the audio file you want to use meets the following requirements:

- The audio file has to be .mp3 format.

- The audio file's sample rate has to be 44100 Hz (44.1 kHz): this is the sample rate that CSS supports. Otherwise you'll get an error in the console that looks like this:

Invalid sample rate ('xxxx') for sound 'xxxx'

- The audio file should NOT have any cover art.

- The audio file bitrate can be about 320kbps. Nonetheless, 128kbps is what has worked for me. If you will be using the converter provided select for a static bitrate, NOT a range.

If it's necessary to perform one (or more) of these changes in the audio file, this[www.online-convert.com] online converter does the job.

Deleteing sound.cache

Before adding the audio file into the game folder, you might need to delete the files named sound.cache from these two directories:

Counter-Strike: Source/cstrike/custom/my_mods/sound/
Counter-Strike: Source/cstrike/sound

Deleting these files will not affect the game at all, these are just temp files that the game generates. Once you launch CSS, these will be created automatically.

Adding the audio file in the game directory

In order to add the audio file in the game, you need to go to your CSS folder. In my case that directory would be:

C:/Program Files (x86)/Steam/steamapps/common/Counter-Strike: Source

When you get there, go to /cstrike and then to /custom.

Inside custom, you need to have a folder like /my_mods that has the following path inside: my_mods/sound/ui

If that path is not currently there, create it.

Once done that go to my_mods/sound/ui and put the audio file inside this folder. The audio file must be renamed to gamestartup1.

the result of the audio file path should look like this:

C:/.../Counter-Strike: Source/cstrike/custom/my_mods/sound/ui/gamestartup1.mp3

Bonus: you can add two more songs by naming them in the same way (gamstartup2, gamestartup3).

Questions? Suggestions?

If you have any questions or suggestions be sure to write them in the comments section.

Thank you!

[d3adllyk1dd]

bro, it's working, thanks man

[joe cummings]

It worked! Thanks!

[DarkSide360]

This method also works for hl2 deathmatch :P

[uVerin]

You need music with 44100 hz, convert your music to this hz and this will work

[Topchikuss]

Thank!

[SamXID]

I seem to have a problem. I have tried everything:
-changing the name to gamestartup01.mp3, then gamestartup1.mp3
-i changed the bitrate to 128k and got rid of all metadata tags
-i have tried all folders and none seems to work
-running it in the console just says: ] play ui/gamestartup01.mp3
Failed to create decoder for MP3 []
Failed to create decoder for MP3 []
*** Invalid sample rate (0) for sound 'ui\gamestartup01.mp3'.
Help?

[Crazzy_ChickenZ]

Thanks, it works.. also Happy New Year <3

[λmolinae]

papi

[shu'ulathoi]

En efecto mi rey

[dumpst3rm4n]

So I COULD put a rick roll music..