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Monday 27 August 2018

Compiling a CD into a single mp3

If you have ever wanted to listen to a CD-based audiobook on your iPod, there are a couple of simple ways to do that. Firstly, you can simply load all the CDs into iTunes, then play it track by track. However, you have to be meticulous about numbering each track and each CD else they get out of order.

Secondly, you can compile the audio tracks for each CD, then run each one through a piece of merge software. A couple of useful pieces of freeware to do that are Mp3 Merger (to compile the CD) and mp3DirectCut (to trim the tracks).

Mp3 Merger will compile all the tracks from a single CD. The process: import all the tracks using iTunes. Move all the tracks into a folder stored in a root directory on your harddrive as the window in Mp3 Merger is not expandable, and unless the file path and name is very short, you can't be sure that you have loaded them in alpha-numeric order (I have managed to completely scramble an audiobook this way, and learned my lesson early!). Highlight and drag all your tracks aross from that folder and drop them into the Mp3 Merger window, being careful that you have selected the first track so the list starts at the right point. Check the tracks are in order before merging. In the Output path field, navigate to where you want to store the compiled file.

The Mp3 Merger software is downloadable from here, and, unless you buy a full version, will put a sound-stamp at the beginning of each of your compiled tracks.

If you don't like having a "CD" number at the beginning of each compiled CD, you can use a piece of mp3 editing software, such as mp3DirectCut to trim that information from the beginning of each compiled CD. If you are using mp3DirectCut, it will often zoom well out so you cannot see any track detail. Use the magnify button to zoom in so you can see the track breaks etc. Highlight the area you want to remove, cut the announcement, then go to the File menu and select "Save Complete Audio". mp3DirectCut can be downloaded from here.


Reimport the compiled tracks into iTunes as full CDs, number them, add audiobook art; or repeat the compilation using Mp3 Merger into one single meta-track and reimport that into iTunes.

Done.


Sam

2 comments :

  1. Saved as a favorite, I like your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the kind feedback, Anonymous :-)

    ReplyDelete

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