How do I connect 2 mp3 files back to back to make 1 song?

Audacity Help Forum Windows
1

Hi,

My audio software is limited as to the length of a song it can create so I basically have to divide a song into 2 parts to make 1 song. Is the following link/method the best way to combine the 2 mp3 files into 1 to make a complete song?

https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/audio_alignment_tips.html

Thank you,
yeto

2

that’s a useful page
basically you

  1. import both tracks - they will be one above the other
  2. use Tracks > Align Tracks > Align End to End
  3. Export the audio (the two tracks will be mixed for the output audio file).

WC

3

Yes, but.

That’s not the restriction. You can’t edit or do MP3 post production without introducing distortion. You can work around this by exporting the new MP3 in a much higher quality (larger files) than the originals, or don’t export in MP3. Use WAV or other perfect format.

If you export the new MP3 in the same quality and file sizes as the originals, there’s a good chance you will hear metalic/bubbly/wine glass distortion in the sound.

There is another way to do this. Stop using Audacity. Use one of the pure MP3 editors such as

https://simple-mp3-cutter-joiner-editor.en.softonic.com/

or

https://easy-mp3-cutter.en.softonic.com/

You won’t be able to do volume changes or other special effects, but if all you need is simple cutting, that’s a good way to go.

Koz

4

Thank you for taking time out of your day to reply.

I appreciate your help,
yeto

5

My software will only let me save in mp3 format. I shouldn’t need to edit the song in Audacity other than splicing the 2 parts together but if I understand your reply correctly I should still use one of the 2 links you provided and not Audacity. Is this correct?

Kind regards,
yeto

6

one of the 2 links you provided

I googled those. We used to have a preferred list, but there are a number of simple editors out there now.

Audacity doesn’t edit audio files. It edits sound content. When it gets done, it has to make a new sound file and that’s what causes problems. If you do that to MP3, it double compresses the sound. MP3 can stand one compression, and maybe on a good day, two, but never three.

If you use a pure MP3 editor, it hacks up the actual sound data and jams it back together without changing the compression. It doesn’t add damage, but the down side is the complete inability to apply effects, filters and corrections.

If you look at the user comments for those tools, everybody always complains about not being able to apply sound quality changes.

That’s the way it is.

Never do production in MP3. It’s a time bomb.

Koz

7

I understand. Thanks for taking time to explain. I will use a MP3 editor.

Thank you,
yeto

8

This process has turned more complicated than I thought it would be but I am learning a lot. I want the audio quality to be as good as possible. I have researched all morning for a non-destructive mp3 editor and I am going to try the following:

Wavosaur; Nero Wave Editor; Wave Editor and Mp3directcut

None of them specifically say they can splice back to back songs to make one song but I am hoping for the best.

If anyone has any additional information that they think will be helpful I am all ears.

I will post back my experience,
yeto

9

Once I have the mp3 sound/music track edited in a non-destructive mp3 editor would there be any problem opening the mp3 in Audacity and adding a vocal track and then exporting both tracks as a mp3 file? Would i lose anything in this process?

Thank you,
yeto

10

Yes you will - but if you are going to do this you may as well do all the work in Audacity - just ensure that you only make the new MP3 export right at the very end. If you want safety copes as you work than export temporary WAV files.

WC

11

It looks like Wavepad is going to do everything I need to do.

Wave Editor came in second but I would have had to download some extra software to to use a mic and record vocals. I think Wavosaur would have worked as well but the UI looked more complicated and outdated.

Nero Wave Editor would have worked but the download also loaded some extra computer performance testing software that I didn’t want. It was easily uninstalled but I just don’t like to deal with “sneaky” companies.

Mp3directcut would have worked but it just looked outdated.

I didn’t try Mp3gain but it looked like it would have worked. WaveShop looked good but I don’t think it is free so I didn’t try it.

I couldn’t confirm that Easy MP3 Cutter was non-destructive so I didn’t try it. Simple MP3 joiner had bad reviews so I didn’t try. Adobe Audition was not free - didn’t try.

TuneKitten -couldn’t get website to open.

I couldn’t confirm that AudioJoiner is non-destructive so I didn’t try.

Hope this maybe helps someone and thanks to all who replied. I appreciate your help. I learned a lot during this process.

Kind regards,
yeto

12

Thanks for the useful feedback yeto

WC