# Getting an excerpt from an MP3?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-excerpt-from-an-mp3/462294>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 6, 2008, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-excerpt-from-an-mp3/462294 "2008-09-06T04:16:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-excerpt-from-an-mp3/462294/1 "2008-09-06T04:16:37Z")

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This may be a really stupid question, but I am profoundly technologically impaired so please have patience. And yes, I did Google first, but maybe I’m not asking correctly.

I have an .MP3 of a song that I want to use about 45 seconds of as the ringtone for my phone. How do I lift the 45 seconds out of the 4 1/2 minute song?

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-excerpt-from-an-mp3/462294/2 "2008-09-06T05:07:13Z")

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Because mp3’s are a (highly) compressed format you have decompress them before you can edit them. However most audio editing programs can do this as well as edit the resulting uncompressed file.

Just google audio editor…

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**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-excerpt-from-an-mp3/462294/3 "2008-09-06T06:34:51Z")

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> [@Hail\_Ants](#):
>
> Because mp3’s are a (highly) compressed format you have decompress them before you can edit them. However most audio editing programs can do this as well as edit the resulting uncompressed file.
> 
> Just google audio editor…

More specifically, Audacity is an excellent editor that will allow you to do what you want. And it’s free.

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**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-excerpt-from-an-mp3/462294/4 "2008-09-06T06:36:05Z")

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If you’re using iTunes, just listen to the song and watch the time counter at the top, noting the times you want your ringtone to start and stop.

Right-click the song, and pick “Get Info”. Click the “Options” tab. Set the start and stop times to the times you noted. Click OK.

With the song still selected, go up to “Advanced” in the menu. Click “Convert selection to MP3”\*

Remember to uncheck the start and stop times in the original song’s options when you’re done.

\*If yours says something like “Convert selection to AAC”, you’ll need to change a preference. Go to “Edit” in the menu (“iTunes” if you’re on a Mac). Click “Preferences”. Choose the “Advanced” tab, and the “Importing” tab underneath. Change the “Import using” dropdown box to “MP3 encoder”.

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**Author:** ![puppygod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@puppygod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puppygod)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-excerpt-from-an-mp3/462294/5 "2008-09-06T11:46:23Z")

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There is a lightweight freeware application called mpTrim (just google it), that is designed specifically for doing thing like OP wants to do.