backwards countdown on cd tracks

[Q4Z2X]

on some cds, between certain tracks the timer counts backwards from a certain number, and during that time there can be a kind of "hidden" song, blank space, or other stuff between the tracks. you can only hear it if you let the tracks play through completely. also if you have one of those on the first track, you can have hidden music that can only be heard by rewinding from the first track. Does anyone know exactly what this is called, and is there any cd burning software for computer that can do this?
please help,
thanks.

[jdechant]

hello...

on each CD "track" there are indexes... usually only two (index 00 and index 01) but there can be more.

when you play a CD and it goes from one track to the next (lets say track 2 to track 3), it plays from track 2 to track 3 index00 to track 3 index01.

when you specify a track to be played or jump to a track (lets say track 4), the player starts at track 4 index 01. so what is between index00 and index 01 is not played (it is common to be 2 seconds of silence)

so if you had some audio at index 00 of any given track, it would only be heard if the track before it was played back to back with that track or if someone rewound back. not really hidden, but kinda cool for transition effects

the only exception is the track 1. a CD player always starts track 1 at index 01 since it is the first track and no need to have 2 second of silence before it. now if there is any audio between index 00 and index 01, the user would have to rewind to what seems like before track 1 to hear that audio. This is a truely hidden track and can be accomplished with any CD writing software that allows you to use cuesheets to write the disks TOC (Table of Contents).

CDRWIN is probably the most powerful and flexible cd writing software for disk layout. It's what I use. There is also a small prog called CDrCue that allows for cuesheets to be easily written if you don't want to write one out by hand in notepad or something.

[blue halo]

Q4Z2X: What you are asking about is called Audio in Pause, and the best program that I have come across that can do that easily, and a whole bunch more, is Wavelab 4.0... It is a full mastering program that will allow you to creat the Audio in Pause that you are inquiring about as well as cross-fades between tracks..The kinds of things that makes your CD stand apart from the others... All of these things are done within Wavelab's Audio Montage, where you can place your tacks in whatever order you want them in, drop in you CD Track Markers etc. Wavelab also has killer mastering plugins that come with it, including a multi-band compressor, a de-noiser, de-clicker, EQs, limiters, 32-bit/192kHz capable, Phase Scope, Apogee Dither algorhythms built in, tons of metering, the whole nine freaking yards...dude, this is the shit...

[thechrisproject]

I love it when they hide tracks before the first song. I've only seen one CD with that - Less Than Jake's "Losing Streak". Anyone seen any others?

[Q4Z2X]

thanks everyone.