FFmpeg

I have copied an audio cassette converting it to MP3. Used one of the commercial devices that do that. I have a file listed as an MP3 (235K). When trying to import the file to Audacity I get a message that I need to install FFmpeg in order to do so I have read all the info provided on Audacity and followed the links to the download instruction page. For a rank novice it l;ooks like a very complicated process. Is there anything you could suggest I do to convert the file to an “true” mp3 or a way to get Audacity to import/load the file without having to go through the FFmpeg process. TIA

Harold Dowda

I assume you can play the file with Windows Media Player (or whatever software you normally use)?

Normally Audacity doesn’t need FFmpeg to open an MP3, but it can be used and it sometimes works better with “problem” MP3s.

Check the file with [u]MediaInfo Online[/u]. If it’s actually an MP3 You should see lots of information but it will include:
Format: MPEG Audio
Format Version: Version 1
Format Profile: Layer 3

Thanks for your reply. Have downloaded Mediainfo. What a neat app. Ran file through and learned it was an MPEG 1/2 Level 3. Doesn’t seem like Audacity would need a plug-in for this? Could the file size, 198 mb, all in one file (speaking voice) be causing the problem?

Thanks

Please post the full information about the file from MediaInfo.

Do other MP3s import correctly?
Try this one (it’s just a short rising tone):

Vers 2.4.2

Thanks for the reply. The chirp loads into Audacity and plays without problem in Win. Med .Player

The File I am trying to import to Audacity also plays on WMP.

The data from Mediainfo:

Container and General Info.
MPEG Audio: 199MiB, 3hr 37 min
1 Audio Stream: MPEG Audio

1st Audio Stream: 128 kb/s, 44.1 Khz, 2channels, MPEG audio (ver1) Layer 3 (dual mono)

Thank you for your help.

Try making a copy of the problem file, move the copy to your Desktop, and name it “MyTest.mp3”

IMPORTANT: Ensure that it is named exactly “MyTest.mp3” and not “MyTest.mp3.something-else”
(By default, Windows hides the file extension: https://sawtoothsoftware.com/resources/knowledge-base/general-issues/how-to-show-file-name-extensions-in-windows-explorer)

Launch Audacity (or if it is already running, exit and re-launch).
Then try to import MyTest.mp3 from “File menu > Import > Audio”.

Make a careful note of any error messages or warnings. (post them here in full)

If MyTest.mp3 fails to import, open “Help menu > Diagnostics > Show Log”. Copy the entire contents of the log and paste into your reply.

Hi,

1. I have MP3 files that need audio editing.
2. However, the FFmpeg bit is not allowing.
3. How do we download it?
4. Also, the version at my end is 2.3.3.

How do I make Auadcity work for me?

Regards
Malvika

Try updating to the current 3.0.2 version of Audacity (available via the Audacity website: Audacity ® | Downloads)

If that doesn’t fix it, please start a new topic and provide full details, including exact and full quotes of any error messages.

Downloaded 3.0.2 and used it for all attempts.

Tried to include file but got a “File too large” error

Renamed file MyTest.mp3 as directed. The name contained nothing else. Audacity would not load it. However, another mp3 loaded fine.

Errors:

"FF Mpeg not found
Audacity attempted to use FFMpeg to import an audio file but the libraries were mot found.

To use FFmpeg import go to Edit>Preferences>Libraries to download or locate the FFMpeg libraries."

“Error importing
Audacity did not recognize the type of file: C:\users\desktop\desktop\MyTest.mp3.
For uncompressed files also try File>import>raw data”

The file imported as raw data but produced only static when played

Log File:

17:07:52: Audacity 3.0.2
17:07:52: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries...
17:07:52: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries from system paths. File name is 'avformat-55.dll'.
17:07:52: Looking up PATH environment variable...
17:07:52: PATH = 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\iCLS\;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\iCLS\;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live;C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live;C:\Program Files (x86)\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Core-Static;C:\Program Files\Broadcom\Broadcom 802.11\Driver;C:\Program Files\WIDCOMM\Bluetooth Software\;C:\Program Files\WIDCOMM\Bluetooth Software\syswow64;C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Roxio Shared\DLLShared\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Roxio Shared\12.0\DLLShared\;C:\Program Files (x86)\QuickTime\QTSystem\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Shared;C:\WINDOWS\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\Program Files\Intel\WiFi\bin\;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intel\WirelessCommon\;C:\Program Files (x86)\HP\Common\HPDestPlgIn\;C:\Users\Desktop\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;C:\Program Files (x86)\HP\Common\HPDestPlgIn\;'
17:07:52: Temporarily prepending ';' to PATH...
17:07:52: Checking for monolithic avformat from 'avformat-55.dll'.
17:07:52: Error: Failed to load shared library 'avformat-55.dll' (error 126: The specified module could not be found.)
17:07:52: Loading avutil from ''.
17:07:52: Error: Failed to load shared library '.dll' (error 126: The specified module could not be found.)
17:07:52: Loading avcodec from ''.
17:07:52: Error: Failed to load shared library '.dll' (error 126: The specified module could not be found.)
17:07:52: Loading avformat from 'avformat-55.dll'.
17:07:52: Error: Failed to load shared library 'avformat-55.dll' (error 126: The specified module could not be found.)
17:07:52: Error: Failed to load FFmpeg libraries.
17:07:52: Returning PATH to previous setting: C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\iCLS\;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\iCLS\;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live;C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live;C:\Program Files (x86)\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Core-Static;C:\Program Files\Broadcom\Broadcom 802.11\Driver;C:\Program Files\WIDCOMM\Bluetooth Software\;C:\Program Files\WIDCOMM\Bluetooth Software\syswow64;C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Roxio Shared\DLLShared\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Roxio Shared\12.0\DLLShared\;C:\Program Files (x86)\QuickTime\QTSystem\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Shared;C:\WINDOWS\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\Program Files\Intel\WiFi\bin\;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intel\WirelessCommon\;C:\Program Files (x86)\HP\Common\HPDestPlgIn\;C:\Users\Desktop\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;C:\Program Files (x86)\HP\Common\HPDestPlgIn\;
17:07:52: Error: Failed to find compatible FFmpeg libraries.
17:08:26: File name is C:\Users\Desktop\Desktop\MyTest.mp3
17:08:26: Mime type is *
17:08:26: Opening with libmad
17:08:26: Opening with libav
17:08:31: Opening with libsndfile
17:08:31: Opening with liboggvorbis
17:08:31: Opening with libflac
17:08:31: Opening with lof
17:08:31: Opening with legacyaup
17:08:31: Error: Importer::Import: Opening failed.
17:08:59: Using internal LAME

There should be more info than that

Try again with “MyTest.mp3” (here: MediaInfoOnline - MediaInfo in your browser)

Example, this is what I get with a random MP3 from my Desktop:

General
Complete name                            : A tam, vperedi, vsyo doroga1.mp3
Format                                   : MPEG Audio
File size                                : 2.53 MiB
Duration                                 : 2 min 45 s
Overall bit rate mode                    : Constant
Overall bit rate                         : 128 kb/s
Track name                               : А там, впереди, всё дорога
Performer                                : В. Трошин

Audio
Format                                   : MPEG Audio
Format version                           : Version 1
Format profile                           : Layer 3
Duration                                 : 2 min 45 s
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 128 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate                               : 41.667 FPS (1152 SPF)
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 2.53 MiB (100%)

General Media Info random .mp3
Complete name : what.mp3
Format : MPEG Audio
File size : 618 KiB
Duration : 15 s 804 ms
Overall bit rate mode : Constant
Overall bit rate : 320 kb/s
Track name : Recognize This?
Writing library : LAME3.100

Audio
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 3
Format settings : Joint stereo
Duration : 15 s 804 ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 320 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 44.1 kHz
Frame rate : 38.281 FPS (1152 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy / Lossy
Stream size : 617 KiB (100%)
Writing library : LAME3.100
Encoding settings : -m j -V 4 -q 3 -lowpass 20.5

General MyTest.mp3
Complete name : MyTest.mp3
Format : MPEG Audio
File size : 199 MiB
Duration : 3 h 37 min
Overall bit rate mode : Constant
Overall bit rate : 128 kb/s

Audio
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 3
Format settings : Dual mono
Duration : 3 h 37 min
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 128 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 44.1 kHz
Frame rate : 38.281 FPS (1152 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 199 MiB (100%)
Random mp3.txt (1.25 KB)

I’m not sure why that file won’t import. It looks like it should, but for some reason the MP3 import library (libmad) can’t recognise it.

I think the next thing to try is to install FFmpeg. It should actually be very straightforward to do so.
Instructions for Windows are here: https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/installing_ffmpeg_for_windows.html

Use the text link to download “ffmpeg-win-2.2.2.exe” (check the file name carefully).
When downloaded, double click on the file to run the installer, and accept any default options in the on-screen instructions.
Restart Audacity.

Audacity should automatically find FFmpeg after being restarted.

If for some reason you cannot get ffmpeg to run for you, you can try converting the .mp3 to .wav using another program such as VLC.