What is the exact procedure for compressing my files? I recorded 13 tapes nd converted them to MP3.
They used 8 GB’s of space How can I compress them? Also can I put the compressed files on a flash
drive to add to another computer with iTunes?
What is the exact procedure for compressing my files?
There is no exact procedure. MP3 compression is a tradeoff between sound quality and file size. You can compress your shows down to almost nothing, but they will all sound like a bad cellphone call.
File > Export > Format:MP3 > Options > Quality.
Audacity defaults to 128 stereo which is good but not great quality. 64 is widely regarded as the lowest you can go for a stereo show and normal people may be able to tell there’s something wrong with it. 32 for mono. Below that, the shows will start to sound seriously bubbly, gargly and honky.
Apple iTunes has a “plus” setting where the quality is 256. That or above that and most people can’t tell any difference, expert or not.
Compression isn’t free. You throw quality away when you do it.
It’s also cumulative. Every time you edit an MP3 inside Audacity, it gets worse, which is why we say never save your recorded masters as MP3.
Koz
Also can I put the compressed files on a flash
drive to add to another computer with iTunes?
Sure. MP3 files will move and play anywhere. Drag and drop. WAV files will, too.
You do have to be careful not to Save an Audacity Project. Audacity will not Save a sound file. It saves Projects and those will not open anywhere. They’re not sound files.
http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/audacity_projects.html
Koz