Thursday, April 16, 2009

Pro Tips! Converting MP3 & CDA Files

MP3 files are the most well-known format of audio file. On Voice123, MP3s are used most commonly for the following:
  1. Uploading a demo onto your Voice123 profile, which you can do in the My Demos section, while you create your profile. MP3s on Voice123 profiles have to be 96 kbps, and under 3 MB (Megabytes) in order to be uploaded.
  2. Uploading MP3s for auditions, which you would do as a Premium Subscriber to Voice123, while using SmartCast. Auditions can go as high as 10 MB in file size, but still have to remain 96 kbps.
  3. When you are directly invited, and asked to send an MP3 through the private messaging system. The private messaging system has a file size limit of 2 MB.

So, I asked talented professionals on our Voice123 Premium Forums, to describe how they upload MP3s, or if they have had their demos on a CD, just how they transferred the CDA file to an MP3 format. You can find their answers here, and read below:

John Broniecki
"When converting from wave to mp3 I usually use iTunes 'advanced/convert selection to mp3 function'. If for some reason I don't do it that way I'll import the file into Logic Pro and then export from Logic as an mp3.

With a CDA file, you could just upload it as a data file (off your CD). I would most likely compress to a .zip or .sit before doing so."

Rodolfo Fernandez
"Converting WAV to MP3? Use iTunes in either Mac or PC platforms, which should import WAV's and then you can set iTunes preferences to convert your files to several different formats, including MP3. CDA's, or CD Audio discs, can be opened for playback in iTunes as well, and there is a dedicated button on the lower right corner of the window that says "Import CD".

When you click on that button, iTunes will import and convert the entire CD Audio disc to the format you've previously selected in Preferences > General > Import settings button.

You may also convert individual tracks from a CDA disc by selecting them individually and then going to the Advanced menu and selecting "Create --- version", where "---" will appear as the file format you've chosen in the preferences menu."

Lee Gordon
"The way I convert WAV's to MP3s is pretty simple. I open the WAV in Cool Edit and save it as an MP3. Job done."

Kelly Klemolin
"Regarding CDA to mp3: Try Adobe Audition. Open the file from the CD, save as an mp3."

Mark Fletcher
"I use Sound Forge 9.0 for everything. I bring in WAV or any other format and the mix and save to MP3. This allows me to deal with different sampling rates that may be present on files provided to me. I like to convert as little as possible to maintain quality."

David Swinehart
"...converting a .wav or .aif to the .mp3 format is as simple as importing the raw file into your audio editing software (I use Apple Logic), and running either an export or bounce in .mp3 format. The export will output exactly what you put in, while the bounce function will provide the ability to normalize the audio file as it's being converted - which is often useful in our line of work. As for converting CD's, one of the best encoders out there for .wav, .aif, or .mp3 files is actually iTunes (free on any computer). You just have to ensure that your encoding options are set up correctly to encode in the correct file type, and that you disable copy protection so that the files may be sent to clients and used on any computer."

Juan Salcedo - GM Voice123.com
"Another easy way to convert audio files, when you don't want to install software in a borrowed computer or are away from your PC, is to use file conversion services online. It's very easy to do, there are many free providers online, just google for 'online media converters'."


If you have a particular topic that you would like to know more about, or maybe content you would like to submit as an article, shoot us a message on the Voice123 Premium Forums!

We hope you have found this useful, and we thank the Voice123 voice over talents, who were generous in contributing their knowledge to this article!

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Steven Lowell
Public Relations Manager
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1 comment:

Rony said...

Hi! I have done this to convert CDA to MP3:
http://runakay.blogspot.com/2011/03/having-cda-files-on-cd.html