Joining several mp3 files into one file

[Irene Rankin]

I can't find this information anywhere, or maybe I just don't understand it because I'm very new at this. I have several mp3 files that I'd like to make into one file. I probably have to make them into wav files first, but I don't know what to do after that. Please give very simple directions. Thank you very much.

[kozikowski]

I probably have to make them into wav files first,

Audacity will do that automatically.

And that's the first problem. If you plan on making a new MP3, you might not want to use Audacity. Every time Audacity makes a new MP3, the sound quality goes down a little bit. If the original sound clips were highly compressed, the sound quality hit might be serious.

But assuming you're good with that, File > Import your clips one right after the other, or Shift-Click all of them (if you can).

They will appear one above the other and play at the same time.

Select all of the tracks by shift-clicking just above each MUTE button.
Tracks > Align Tracks > ...End To End.

They should "shift over" and play as one continuous piece.

File > Export. Audacity will not Save a sound file. You have to Export to get one.

Koz

[Irene Rankin]

Thank you very much. I don't want to make an mp3 file. I'll be very happy with wav.

[kozikowski]

Note that making a WAV doesn't clear up all the MP3 damage up 'til then. It just prevents the sound quality from getting worse.

Koz

[kozikowski]

You can use Edit > Select > All instead of clicking on each track to select it.
Koz