troubleshoot mp3 playback

[leigwar]

I'm using Windows XP, v. 1.2 stable of Audacity.

I imported an mp3 from Itunes (a 3 minute song I ripped from a CD). The playback is a high pitch squeal that lasts a second or less.

Thanks for your help, not sure what I'm doing wrong

Leigh

[kozikowski]

That's because iTunes doesn't use MP3. iTunes native music format is AAC which Audacity doesn't understand.

See if Super or Switch can convert for you -- or rip the original CD in cdex. A cdex rip will be better quality. Both MP3 ands AAC are destructive compressors and cause damage while they're working.

You can change the iTunes import preferences so it will save an undamaged WAV (or AIFF) of the CD, but then you have to convert to AAC later if you want the maximum number of songs on your iPod. That's a right-click option assuming your preferences are reset to AAC. iTunes will let you have both versions of the song at once.

Koz

[leigwar]

What I want to do is have an mp3 that I can open in Audacity to edit. I thought I needed itunes to do that - duh! obviously not

So what's the best way to rip music from a CD and put into a format that Audacity can use?

[kozikowski]

<<<What I want to do is have an mp3 that I can open in Audacity to edit.>>>

Probably not. MP3 is a compressed format that can easily cause sound damage while it's working. Far better to edit WAV sound files, particularly since the music on a CD is a really close cousin to WAV anyway.

The easiest way to rip a Music CD is the cdex program.

http://cdexos.sourceforge.net/?q=download

Once cdex is done, those music files should slide right into Audacity for cutting and effects.

You should probably change one or two Audacity preferences, too. Edit > Preferences

I think in Windows, it's Audio I/O. Audacity starts out 44100, 32-bit floating and Mono. You should change that to 44100, 16-bit, Stereo to do what you want to do. n Restart Audacity.

If you get stuck, post back.

Koz