Converting to MP3

**Santa Don** · 04-08-2009, 04:08 PM

I'm PO'd. I downloaded several tunes from ITunes and a couple of them won't let me convert to MP3 which is what I need for my show. Is there a way to get around this?

**Ronp** · 04-08-2009, 04:16 PM

A program called tunebites will work. Other than that you have to burn them to cd then convert.

**rstehle** · 04-08-2009, 04:45 PM

You can use a free program called Audacity. With it, you can not only convert to MP3, but also edit to your hearts content. :D

**Santa Don** · 04-08-2009, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by rstehle

You can use a free program called Audacity. With it, you can not only convert to MP3, but also edit to your hearts content. :D

I have one called AVS Audio Editor, but I can't figure out how to even get it over there. Evidently, It doesn't recognize the format.

Some of ITune's songs must have copy protect because there is a button there to convert to MP3, but it won't do it either.

I'll download Audacity and or Tunebites and see if I have better luck.

Thanks for the input, guys.

**cbell** · 04-08-2009, 05:04 PM

I would never advocate doing anything illegal like stripping the DRM from iTunes music, and I doubt you would either, but for your "reading" enjoyment, you might take a look at http://askbobrankin.com/drm_removal.html.

**Santa Don** · 04-08-2009, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by cbell

I would never advocate doing anything illegal like stripping the DRM from iTunes music, and I doubt you would either, but for your "reading" enjoyment, you might take a look at http://askbobrankin.com/drm_removal.html.

Chris, thanks for the url. Santa would never knowingly do anything illegal. I don't care to rip off ITunes, but I figure since I paid for it, I should be able to put it in a format I can use without sitting at my computer to listen to it. But then, copyrights and the like are a topic for another day. And believe me, I have my opinions about it.

Thanks again,
Santa Don

**jpb** · 04-08-2009, 11:48 PM

Have a play with Audacity anyway. It is great for trimming songs to get rid of the boring bits.

Jon

**omzig** · 04-09-2009, 12:01 AM

Originally Posted by jpb

Have a play with Audacity anyway. It is great for trimming songs to get rid of the boring bits.

Jon

Another very useful Audacity function is "Normalize". It works great to make all of your songs the same volume level.

**Santa Don** · 04-09-2009, 01:01 AM

Yeah, I went ahead and downloaded it and I like the looks of it. It and AVS (I already had AVS) seem to be similar, but so far, it looks like Audacity has the edge. I used AVS to cut down the Disney, "I Believe In Magic". The original was nearly fourteen minutes long and I cut it down to just over four minutes. I think it is a big improvement.

Anyway, I appreciate the input. You guys rock here on DIY.

Santa Don

**daviddth** · 04-12-2009, 10:04 PM

Don, Thats a good crop. I have cut the length of nearly every song as people want a show, not a 6 or 7 minute single-song epic. Most of my songs were cut to 2 to 3 minutes long. Considering not many people noticed the cuts (even 30 seconds cut of of We Will Rock You was not noticed!) it helped the show run that little quicker.