Import stereo track bug?

[Marsmallos]

Hello!

I'm trying to import a stereo .mp3 into my newly created project. Previously this was no problem, but suddenly audacity only imports the left speaker channel of the stereo track into a mono track, and I have found no way to make it import the entire stereo track again or the right track as a mono either for that matter

Is this a bug or how do I fix this?

[steve]

Are you sure that the MP3 file is OK?
Which version of Audacity and what operating system are you using?

[Marsmallos]

The .mp3 file is OK, it plays as usual in stereo in iTunes and using mp3val.exe (a freeware mp3-validator) on it reports no problems.

Audacity is 1.2.6
OS is Windows XP proffesional SP 3

I have used Audacity for many years and I haven't had this problem until a couple of days ago. The problems only seems to occur with the files in the folder where this mp3 is located. I have been able to properly import these files earlier. This first occured after I had recorded some audio from a headset microphone plugged into the microphone contact on the front of the computer. (I was going to mix the .mp3 file with stuff I had recorded myself)

[kozikowski]

<<<This first occured after I had recorded some audio from a headset microphone plugged into the microphone contact on the front of the computer.>>>

That's the clue. Those are mono. I bet you can track that back to the Audacity 1.2 default setup which is Mono, 32-floating, 44100. I don't know what happens if you try to integrate a mono audio file into a stereo show, or in some other way cross the standards like that.

Koz

[steve]

I'm tempted to jump ahead and suggest upgrading to Audacity 1.3.12, but it's possibly better to stick with this for a moment just to clarify the issue.

Please excuse me for being pedantic Marsmallos, but how exactly do you know that the MP3 file is a stereo file and that Audacity is only importing the left track?

The problems only seems to occur with the files in the folder where this mp3 is located.

Where did you get these MP3 files from? Are they MP3 files that you made with Audacity, or some files that you downloaded from somewhere?

Audacity 1.2 can be a bit fussy about files - you can have files that are "almost" right, and will play perfectly well in other applications, but Audacity will complain or do something weird with them simply because they are not quite right.

Am I right in thinking that Audacity will correctly import most MP3 files, but you have some MP3 files that are imported incorrectly?

[Marsmallos]

I'm tempted to jump ahead and suggest upgrading to Audacity 1.3.12, but it's possibly better to stick with this for a moment just to clarify the issue.

Yeah, I'll probably end up doing that

Please excuse me for being pedantic Marsmallos, but how exactly do you know that the MP3 file is a stereo file and that Audacity is only importing the left track?

Because when playing the exact same file in any music player program, like iTunes or WMP, both tracks are heard. The mp3 file is a song with two guitars playing, one playing chords and one playing a melody. The one playing chords is heard in the left speaker and the one playing a melody is heard in the right. When importing the song to audacity a mono track is generated, and only the guitar playing the chords is heard. And yes, the entire generated mono track can only be heard in the left speaker.

Where did you get these MP3 files from? Are they MP3 files that you made with Audacity, or some files that you downloaded from somewhere?

They are downloaded files. I have not edited them and saved a new version with audacity either. I should've noticed if I did all the export .mp3 business, having to confirm the replacing of the old file and all AND what is most important of all, I HAVE been able to properly import the very same song into audacity without getting this problem before.

Am I right in thinking that Audacity will correctly import most MP3 files, but you have some MP3 files that are imported incorrectly?

Correct. All other files are imported properly, it's just these songs in a specific folder that give me this trouble.

[steve]

Because when playing the exact same file in any music player program, like iTunes or WMP, both tracks are heard. The mp3 file is a song with two guitars playing, one playing chords and one playing a melody. The one playing chords is heard in the left speaker and the one playing a melody is heard in the right.

Well that's pretty conclusive

Hopefully Audacity 1.3.12 will not be so fussy.

If you still have problems importing them with Audacity 1.3.12 you could use a program such as Foobar2000 (a free music player - one of my favourites - that can also convert audio file types) to convert the MP3s to WAV before you import them into Audacity.