Converting .webm to mp3 audio file

Audacity 3 Help Forum Windows
1

Hi,

I’m not sure if this is an appropriate question for this list but Googling the question “how to convert .webm to mp3” it listed Audacity as a solution.

It used to be easy to download an mp4 videos and using VLC Media Player (2.2.4) to convert that video to an audio mp3 file.

Now, I can’t see any MP4 choices in download. I’m using Firefox (latest ver) extension/add-on Ant Downloader in Windows 7.

A little screen pops up listing file size-artist name-music title but not the format type among the 4 options to download.

I don’t see how I can expand that little window so I can see which file format is which in the download list.

Anyway, after I download the .webm file I open VLC like I’ve done before and try to convert that file to an mp3.

I click Media>Convert then choose ADD and load the .webm file.

I then click Convert/Save and choose .mp3 and then I choose the destination folder - C:\Music and name the file by date - artist and music title and remove the .webm format at the end. I then click Save and all I ever see is the word “Streaming” in that VLC Playlist window pane.

I’ve waited as long as 52 minutes to see if it ever stops Streaming but it does not.

It creates a file on my hard drive with the .mp3 extension but the file size is 0KB.

If I open the .webm file in VLC to play (not convert) it displays the video but no sound.

Is there a way to download the MP4 to videos anymore? Hw do I dot hat using FF and Ant Downloader or other extension?

If all videos are now .webm can VLC convert them? If so what steps do I need to add to the steps I already take to convert .webm to mp3?

How long should I expect that conversion to take? MP4 to MP3 took less than 30 seconds.

Thank you so much for your help!

2

NOTE - I’ve never used webm.

The Internet says the audio should be Vorbis or Opus.

If VLC can’t play it, it’s not decoding (decompressing) it and it won’t be able to convert it. Have you got the latest VLC?

I assume you’ve installed FFmpeg for Audacity? It looks like FFMPEG is supposed to support webm and Opus, but maybe not Vorbis.

SUPER can convert (or extract the audio from) most audio/video formats. But if you install it, be careful about what boxes you check it because the free version wants to install crapware, And, run your anti-virus/anti-malware after installing it.

Or you can [u]record the streaming audio[/u] with Audacity as it plays.

Now, I can’t see any MP4 choices in download. I’m using Firefox (latest ver) extension/add-on Ant Downloader in Windows 7.

A little screen pops up listing file size-artist name-music title but not the format type among the 4 options to download.

I don’t see how I can expand that little window so I can see which file format is which in the download list.

That depends on the particular website. Some sites make it easy and may offer you a variety of formats, and other sites (YouTube for example) try to stop you from downloading.

How long should I expect that conversion to take? MP4 to MP3 took less than 30 seconds.

That depends on the file size and the speed of your computer.

3

I have the latest VLC.

Got ffmeg installed and run Audacity.

So, Audacity will play a webm file and while playing that file records it as an mp3?

Audacity will not convert an .webm file into a mp3 file like VLC is supposed to?

Thank you.

4

So, Audacity will play a webm file and while playing that file records it as an mp3?

No… If Audacity can open the file you can export to any format Audacity supports.

But from what you’re saying, I’m assuming Audacity can’t open and play it.

If you can play the file from your web browser or otherwise get the sound to come-out of your speakers Audacity can record the “analog” signal. Then again, once you get the digital audio into Audacity you can export to MP3 or any format that Audacity supports. (You have to install the optional LAME encoder if you want MP3, or if you wish you can export to WAV and use the MP3 conversion/encoding application of your choice.)

5

I’ve used this online converter …
http://www.online-convert.com/
As the file will be sent across the internet, online conversion is not suitable for anything confidential.

6

As you say, the SUPER installer has now become bundleware that makes it very hard not to install unwanted applications. We’re not going to recommend it any longer.

Audacity can import audio from WEBM videos if you install FFmpeg.


Gale

7

I have ffmeg installed to run Audacity.

I don’t know why VLC won’t work on webm files.

Can you pls share the steps in Audacity to convert a downloaded webm file to MP3 audio?

I’m having to bounce around at the library so I appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

Thank you!

8

If Audacity is capable of reading a video file, just drag & drop a copy of it into Audacity.
[ drop in the large dark-grey area where the waveform appears ]

9

And to export from Audacity as MP3, install LAME if you have not already done so. See FAQ:Installation, Startup and Plugins - Audacity Manual.


Gale

10

Hi Gale,

OK, I installed Lame back in 9/2015. I tried opening the webm file in Audacity and got the error message that Audacity does not recognize webm – to try importing as Raw Data.

So, I did File>Import>Raw Data and it appeared in the purple area. I then chose File>Export>MP3 and it exported appearing as an mp3 file on my hard drive. When I tried to play that “MP3” file in VLC Media it’s just loud static noise, no music.

What steps can I modify to ensure Audacity correctly converts webm downloads to an MP3 and then be able to play it sounding like music?

Thank you.!

11

All LAME does is let you export MP3 files.

Import Raw Data is only for uncompressed audio data, not for videos.

To import WEBM videos, install or reinstall FFmpeg.


Gale

12

I have ffmpeg installed and Audacity has been working fine for editing.

I just get that weird message when I try to import a webm file.

I’m not at a PC with Audacity installed now so I can’t can’t check but which choices should be able to make to import the webm file?

I recall that wasn’t an option when I clicked import which is why I chose Raw Data.

Can webm be imported as another term besides webm? Can if be imported under another terminology?

Thank you.

13

Can you play the file at all on your computer? You said VLC didn’t work, right? …Maybe the file is no good? Can you play it from the Internet? Like I said, if you can play it you should be able to record it as it’s playing.

Can webm be imported as another term besides webm? Can if be imported under another terminology?

The internet says the audio in a webm file should be Vorbis or Opus. But, that probably won’t help because there should be information in the file header telling the decoder (FFmpeg, etc.) what the format is, so you shouldn’t have to do it manually. It’s just like playing an audio or video file on your computer… You don’t have to tell the computer what format you’re playing…

I recall that wasn’t an option when I clicked import which is why I chose Raw Data.

Compressed data is very similar to encrypted data and the raw compressed data just looks like (and sounds like) scrambled garbage (or noise) unless it’s properly decoded. And with an audio/video file, you’d be converting the video data into sound which is also going to sound like random noise. You need the decoder (FFmpeg, etc.) to decompress the audio and separate it from the video.

I have ffmpeg installed and Audacity has been working fine for editing.

FFmpeg is for compressing/decompressing/converting files. It’s not for “editing”. If you open a compressed file in Audacity, it gets decompressed when you open it, and then Audacity can edit the de-compressed/reconstructed PCM data.

So, I did File>Import>Raw Data and it appeared in the purple area. I then chose File>Export>MP3 and it exported appearing as an mp3 file on my hard drive. When I tried to play that “MP3” file in VLC Media it’s just loud static noise, no music.

If the audio gets read & decompressed properly it should play from within Audacity. If it sounds like static when you play it in Audacity it’s going to sound like static when you export it.