Serious NEWBIE help please?

[Pennie77]

Hi all, I've been listening to books on tape or mp3's and get real tired of having to switch to the next
mp3 to continue.

So, I dreampt up an idea that I could download a large number of files and splice them together. Then, I
would even be able to go to bed and listen while going to sleep.

So - I've got them - I've been to the tutorials and am totally lost especially on step 1.

I put in a file and it registered that it is in, but I have no clue how to put a second mp3 file in
to "join" it as I've read (I guess I'm supposed to do).

Could someone speak baby talk and tell me 1,2,3,4 go?

I look at this software and I'm frightens! hehe - really! It overwhelms me.

I believe the tutorials plain forgot to explain how to add more audios to the first one.

I'll shut up now. Thanks for ANY help you can give! OH - I'm on Windows 7 with 1.3 Beta copy.

Pennie77

[justinburnett]

Well first of all, you can almost certainly accomplish what you're trying to do through your mp3 player, by making a playlist. Any software or physical mp3 player will let you choose a group of files and then play them one after the other. If you let us know what you're using, we can probably give you more specific instructions.

For argument's sake, you can do in Audacity what you describe. First, make sure you're using the latest version (1.3.12). You open the first file, then for the second file you go to File -- Import -- Audio and choose the second file. You should see the second file appear below the first. At that moment, if you were to play them, they would play at the same time. Use the double-ended arrow tool on the second file by holding down the cursor and sliding that second file until its beginning is at the end of the first file. Repeat the process until you've added all the files. In Audacity, it will look a bit like a staircase.

To get the file out again, you'll need to go to the File menu and choose Export. Decide whether it's going to be a wav or mp3 or whatever, use the Options button to choose the bitrate, and you're off to the races.

Again, your problem can best be solved through your mp3 player, but if you have any questions about that, or about the process in Audacity, just ask.

Take care
-Justin-

[Pennie77]

WOW Justin! Thanks for the instructions!''

I've copied and pasted them to wordpad and will follow them .

You're a great help!

Pennie77

[justinburnett]

No problem. I hope you can get things working the way you'd like. Feel free to ask any other questions if I haven't been clear enough or if something goes wonky.