I am having problems importing files from itunes. It does not recognize the file type. I tried to go to File>Create New Version>Create AIFF Version. It says it converted but I still can’t import the file. I am trying to import 2 songs from iTunes and splice them together.
Thanks so much!
This should not be a problem if you use the create the iTunes file with default settings for AIFF. You can also create a WAV version in iTunes which is lossless. Click Edit > Preferences. Click on the leftmost “General” tab. Click the Import Settings button half way down on the right In the “Import Using” dropdown, choose “WAV Encoder”. Click OK and OK.
Gale
Thanks. I was able to import 2 songs I want to combine. How do I record the first part of one song and the first part of a second song consecutively and burn it to a cd? I am trying to create a cd with parts of 2 different songs for a talent show.
Thanks!
Do you mean you want to sing over the WAV files?
Assuming you want the second song to follow on from the first, press F5 on your keyboard to enable Time Shift Tool then drag the second song rightwards to the end of the first one. Press F1 to go back to Selection Tool. Then record your singing while listening to the files. You will need to use headphones to do this. If you don’t hear the files while recording, ensure Transport > Overdub is on.
When you File > Export… , the WAV file tracks and your singing will be mixed together just as you hear them in the project.
For burning to CD, export as 44100 Hz stereo WAV. See: http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/burning_music_files_to_a_cd.html .
Gale
This sounds like I’ll be changing the IMPORT settings in ITunes, rather than EXPORT. I already have the files in itunes as “purchased” as well as in playlists, etc. I just want to drop a file to Audacity so I can trim an 8 or 10 second riff to use as a lead in for radio spots.
That is the method to change the file type conversion option when you right-click a song in iTunes. It is called “Import” by iTunes because it also determines the format that iTunes rips a CD to. If you don’t like the unintuitive labelling of the iTunes interface, you may complain to Apple 
There is nothing stopping you dragging these songs into Audacity as long as Apple did not add DRM protection to them. There should not be any protection on them assuming you purchased them in the last few years.
Right-click over these songs in iTunes and choose Get Info. You should see that the songs are in AAC format (M4A) assuming you have not already converted them. To import M4A files into Audacity on Windows, you will have to add the optional FFmpeg library to your computer as described here: Audacity Manual . Once you have done that you can just drag the M4A songs from iTunes into Audacity.
If you don’t want to install FFmpeg then you will have to change import Settings in iTunes to WAV (as described above), then right-click over each song > Create WAV version.
Gale
That screen shot I posted earlier via email was after a drag and drop attempt. I downloaded and installed that FFLame thing, but I could never confirm that it became a part of Audacity.
That error said it was an AAC file. So as per my previous post in this topic, you need to either install FFmpeg or convert the file to WAV in iTunes.
There is no “FFLame thing”. You need FFmpeg to import AAC files into Audacity on Windows, not LAME.
Here once again is how to convert the AAC file to WAV in iTunes.
Gale
The underlying iTunes (design) problem here is, rather than just the “unintuitive labelling”, that Apple uses the one tool and its single preferences setting to perform two different (albeit somewhat related tasks): 1) ripping CDs and 2) converting audio files. There are use cases where it would be very convenient to have two separate settings to avoid a continual reset. Presumably if Apple cared enough they could use the same underlying tool but maintain two preferences pertaining to the relevant usage required.
Dear Bill,
I love my iPod to bits, but can you just fix … 
It ain’t gonna happen … 
WC
iTunes is reported to be the place where they put the Apple Developer newbies. No other part of the Apple environment changes so radically and so inexplicably and for no good reason without having its basic job change.
In general you can pay for the removal of Fair Play copy protection by purchasing $1.29 songs. If you have a $.99 song, chances are good it still has protection.
Koz
Click OK and OK.
Select the file to be converted, then right-click and choose “Create WAV version”. (I DO NOT SEE THIS OPTION IN ITUNES OR WINDOWS FILE VIEWER)
The newly created WAV file will appear in your iTunes library window.
Drag the WAV into the Audacity window (this does not require FFmpeg).
I sincerely apologize, but I just can’t get what I know seems quite simple to both of you. I’ll probably never bother you again if I can just figure out how to get past the on button of this app.
Thanks, Jim
In the iTunes Library window (in iTunes), hover the computer mouse over the file that you want to convert to WAV. Push the right-hand button on the mouse. In the menu that appears, click “Create WAV version”.
If it says “Create” and some other file type, such as AAC or MP3, then you have not set Import settings correctly.
Gale
I can’t get this chat to accept a screen shot, it’d be so much easier. So, I went through the first few steps of your 8 step process, then I turned itunes off and back on again to check the status of WAV, it was still set there. I then opened an album in the library and a song and right clicked on it, none of the options that appear use the word “create”, so it’s not that the WAV option is absent, there just are not any options offered.
I came to Audacity as a result of a guy at Apple telling me that it was much less complicated than Garage Band, which I’ve tried to use on and off for 2 years now. So the consensus is indeed that I don’t grasp file issues well in any format, I’m really not a moron though, I use lots of common programs like Quickbooks, Facebook, Mailchimp, etc. I struggle with them all but can usually, albeit slowly, find my way to the finish line. This Apple to Windows stuff is kicking me while I’m down.
All I want to do is make a few radio ad spots with rock riffs as a lead in.
Scratch that last post. Every other file in my library does offer that WAV create button. I guess I’ve trashed the file I was trying to use so I’ll just delete and redownload and start over, thankks again!
I guess I’ve trashed the file I was trying to use
Was it a $.99 song? If it was/is, it will not let you export for production. Your choices are burn it to a music CD and then rip the CD, or use SoundFlower and re-record it real time in Audacity.
Koz
If you need to do that in any future posts you can see how to attach the shot at https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/how-to-attach-files-to-forum-posts/24026/1 .
Gale
I decided to practice this whole process by making a ringtone; all of the help you offered did work and I was able to trim a 4 second properly eq’d tone onto a transferable track. It’s in my “Music” file on iTunes in m4r, I can look at it, play it, add it to a playlist, etc. but I can’t figure out how to put it in the “Tones” section of iTunes or the iphone5. I tried ITunes help, not surprisingly they don’t even have a topic that relates to ringtones, even tried it as ring tones.
Did anyone see this? The post above. I usually get an email after an hour or so.
In case you did not notice - this is the Audacity Forum. We do not give support for products made by Apple.
Try https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3792 .
Make sure in iTunes Preferences that you are actually displaying the Tones section in iTunes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crRJu_uszJg .
Most commercial software has response times of 48 hours - and that is only for support for their own product.
Gale