Attempt to convert M4P to MP3

[wadlinger]

Using WIndows XP Media Center Edition, iTunes 7.6.1.9, Audacity 1.2.6. Following instructions at http://audacityteam.org/wiki/index.php? ... rom_iTunes, under "Burn to audio CD then extract to WAV/AIFF," when I get to the point of selecting the m4p tune I wish to import from CD to wav or aiff, iTunes gives me the message that the song "cannot be converted because protected files cannot be converted to other formats." Perhaps this is because the iTunes version is later than the one used at the time the write-up I followed was created?

Can anyone give me some advice? I'd be much appreciative.

Bill

[waxcylinder]

Are you actually burning a music CD from yopu M4P playlist?

It almost reads from your posting that you are just copying the M4p files to a CD and trying to import those files from the CD. When you burn a music CD you don't actually get music "files" - you get data streams controlled by a set of little management files on the CD. Making the music CD from iTunes M4P files is what strips out the DRM protection - and you should then just be able to rip from the CD as WAV/MP3 or whatever in the normal way.

If you really can't get it to work there is another way: you can play the M4P in iTunes and record it in Audacity as it plays on your PC - and then Export to whatever format you need.

WC

[steve]

For the "CD Ripping method" to work, you must record it as an "audio CD", not a "Data CD".

[wadlinger]

Thanks, Steve and WC. You were, or course, corrrect; I was burning a data cd, not an audio cd. I still have a lot to learn about dealing with sound files. Much appreciated.

Bill

[lizardtracks]

I am interested in recording songs from my iTunes with Audacity. I have tried to directly import audio from iTunes, but I end up with the songs compressed into less than 1 second! From reading other places on the Forum, it may be because they are in MPEG-4 format. I thought I had successfully converted most of the songs to MP3s, but apparently not. I figure the only thing left to do is record the songs from iTunes into Audacity, but I can't figure out the right Preferences to make this happen. I have the song playing in iTunes, but just a flat line appears during the "recording" in Audacity. Obviously, I am a complete novice, and I need a nice, friendly step-by-step how to do this. I have Windows XP Media Center Edition.

Thanks!

[waxcylinder]

See this page from the Wiki on how to import from iTunes: http://audacityteam.org/wiki/index.php? ... rom_iTunes

Or if you still can't make that work then you can try the recording route - see this page in the Wiki: http://audacityteam.org/wiki/index.php? ... e_computer

WC