Hello to all the group. I’m a new user of Audacity (2.2.2) on Windows 8.1 Had a bit of a look through the FAQ and manual, but did not find answer to my question. Hoping fellow forum users may be able to assist me.
I’m working with MP3 files. Each one is the music from an entire audio CD. I’ve been using Audacity to manually separate or divide the file into individual songs or tracks, label each one with the song name and then export, so I wind up with separate MP3 files for each song from the CD.
I’d like to know if there is a way to have the software “see” the “silences” between each song in the large file and automatically place some sort of divider between each song, instead of having to do it manually.
I thank you for having a read and a further advance Thank You, if you are able to offer any assistance.
If you have the CD, your CD ripping application should allow you to rip the CD as separate songs.
And if it’s a popular CD, the ripping software can usually identify and tag the songs. (Although I sometimes end-up editing the tags.) If I’m just adding/editing tags I use Mp3Tag. Mp3Tag can also add the album artwork (if your ripping software hasn’t already).
It’s also best if you can avoid doing editing or production with MP3 (which is lossy compression). If you want MP3 (or AAC, etc.) i’s best to compress ONCE as the final step. Or, if you’re “stuck with” MP3 originals, it’s best to minimize the number of times it’s re-compressed.
Or, you can use MP3directCut (or similar software) that can do some simple editing without decompressing/re-compressing.
Being new to Audacity, I didn’t even notice the ANALYZE tab. Only tried the SILENCE FINDER once, but seems to work perfectly ! So a big Thank You, to you !
As for the rest of your reply, I’m working with single files that are entire albums (that someone else ripped) - I don’t have access to the CDs, or I’d use ripping software to rip separate tracks, as you mentioned. Very familiar with doing that.
As my final goal is to have all the music to load onto Apple device via I-tunes, I do the ID3 tags in ITunes. I also, as you mentioned have ITunes or other ripping software find the CD’s track names online and edit the files names in Windows Explorer, if needed.
Have now successfully used the ANALYZE / FIND SILENCE function on several “whole album” MP3 files and it works GREAT, so again, my thanks you DVD Doug for his assistance.