# Custom audio CDs and overlapping tracks **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 28, 2000, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-audio-cds-and-overlapping-tracks/6626 "2000-01-28T17:48:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2000, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-audio-cds-and-overlapping-tracks/6626/1 "2000-01-28T17:48:00Z")
Since I’ve started to make custom CDs for myself I’ve discovered a problem with certain albums that have no silent gap between tracs. Both Realjukebox and Adaptec CD creator handle each track individually, causing annoyingly abrupt transitions. Joe Jackson’s _Night and Day_ is a good example. Even when I tried to make a straight copy the Adaptec software put an abrupt gap between songs, in some cases with a harsh static sound at the beginning of a song. Is there anyway around this? ---
**Author:** ![Arjuna34](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Arjuna34](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arjuna34)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2000, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-audio-cds-and-overlapping-tracks/6626/2 "2000-01-29T06:00:00Z")
It is completely dependant on your CD authoring software. Generally, consumer-oriented software forces a two second (or more) gap between songs, while professional software doesn’t. I think it’s becoming more common for low-end software to not have this limitation, but often the software that comes with a CD-burner is a stripped-down version of a full consumer product. The cheapest software I’ve seen that can do this is at [www.goldenhawk.com,](http://www.goldenhawk.com,) for about $50, but there are probably others out there. I’d check Adaptec’s website to see if there is an upgrade for your software, if it came free with the burner. (Note- I have no affiliation with Goldenhawk). Arjuna34 ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2000, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-audio-cds-and-overlapping-tracks/6626/3 "2000-01-28T19:12:00Z")
I use the version of Easy CD Creator (by Adaptec, I think) that came with my CD-R drive. It has the ability to “merge” two tracks into a single track and I have done this to get around the problem you describe. The “merged” track only shows up as one track on the new CD, but since the two songs run together anyway I don’t see this as a problem. I remember there is a menu option to do this but can’t remember exactly how I did it. If it would help anyone I’ll look at it tonight and see what I can find. * * * “Drink your coffee! Remember, there are people sleeping in China.” Dennis Matheson — [dennis@mountaindiver.com](mailto:dennis@mountaindiver.com) Hike, Dive, Ski, Climb — [www.mountaindiver.com](http://www.mountaindiver.com) ---
**Author:** ![HeadlessCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@HeadlessCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeadlessCow)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2000, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-audio-cds-and-overlapping-tracks/6626/4 "2000-01-28T20:29:00Z")
Some burning software has the option for setting the time between tracks hidden away in a sub-submenu. Try searching through all the option menus before you give up. ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2000, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-audio-cds-and-overlapping-tracks/6626/5 "2000-01-28T22:32:00Z")
This may indeed be a hardware issue, no offense to **Arjuna34**. Some burners will only handle a fixed gap between tracks, 2 seconds is customary. Regardless of the software you’re using, you won’t get these burners to do anything but. Don’t go buying new software until you’re sure this isn’t the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Mojo\_Rising](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@Mojo\_Rising](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo_Rising)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2000, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-audio-cds-and-overlapping-tracks/6626/6 "2000-01-28T22:33:00Z")
Here’s how to do it in Adaptec: When you hit the record button, you are given a dialog box with the option to choose the recording speed, etc. Look at the “tabs” at the top of this dialog box. Click the one furthest to the right and you will have the option to “Burn Disc in Single Pass” or some such language. This will eliminate the 2 second pauses between tracks. If you use the wizard, DO NOT choose “Make Disc Now.” This will bypass the above options dialog box and not give you the chance to change to Disc-at-Once. ---
**Author:** ![JoeyBlades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a87d85/32.png) [@JoeyBlades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeyBlades)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2000, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-audio-cds-and-overlapping-tracks/6626/7 "2000-01-28T22:57:00Z")
I don’t know about Adaptec’s CD Creator for Windows, but the Adeptec’s Toast for the Macintosh let’s you burn in a mode called DAO (Disk At Once) that is supposed to eliminate that problem. Maybe there’s an update to “CD Creator” that supports DAO.