# Manually editing my .mp3 files **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 27, 2002, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manually-editing-my-mp3-files/111045 "2002-05-27T13:53:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lateralus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@Lateralus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lateralus)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manually-editing-my-mp3-files/111045/1 "2002-05-27T13:53:15Z")
I am trying to burn mees’ a copy of Black Sabbath’s _We Sold Our Soul For Rock 'N Roll_. I individually searched for each song on Kazaa, then compiled the list in my CD Creator Program (Easy CD Creator 4). But most of the files are a couple seconds longer then the actual song, so collectively the album is 5 seconds over. Can I trim down a couple songs by 2 or 3 seconds to make it all fit? How? Do I need a program? Can I download it? Where? Thanks in advance for any help with this. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manually-editing-my-mp3-files/111045/2 "2002-05-27T14:22:31Z")
Find and download “MP3DirectCut”. It is the perfect thing that you need for this. Freeware. [http://download.com.com/3000-2169-8366009.html?tag=lst-0-1](http://download.com.com/3000-2169-8366009.html?tag=lst-0-1) ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manually-editing-my-mp3-files/111045/3 "2002-05-27T14:26:40Z")
Jesus Christ man, you know you can’t be talking about downloading the songs like that here. I missed it in your OP somehow. _Moderators:_ I hope I haven’t got in trouble by linking MP3DirectCut. It does not rip or pirate MP3s, it only trims and C&P’s music to make mixes. It’s what I use for my legal, personally-ripped MP3s from my purchased CDs (for car compilations). If this is a problem, I apologize. ---
**Author:** ![Lateralus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@Lateralus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lateralus)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manually-editing-my-mp3-files/111045/4 "2002-05-27T14:39:32Z")
You’ve got to be kidding me. They wouldn’t actually ban someone from here for saying that, would they? And BTW, thanks for the link. ---
**Author:** ![Grither](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grither/32/425_2.png) [@Grither](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grither)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manually-editing-my-mp3-files/111045/5 "2002-05-27T15:25:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lateralus \* > **You’ve got to be kidding me. They wouldn’t actually ban someone from here for saying that, would they?** Psst… You admitted that you’re breaking the law, and asked for assistance with same. That strikes me as pretty good cause to at least warn someone with a stern reference to [the rules.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=106617&highlight=rules+for+posting) ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manually-editing-my-mp3-files/111045/6 "2002-05-27T20:38:17Z")
The OP may be talking about breaking the law, but **Anthracite’s** answer seems innocent to me – after all, there are folks who rip their own CDs legitimately into MP3s and may want to do the same sort of editing. ---
**Author:** ![Mandarax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Mandarax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mandarax)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manually-editing-my-mp3-files/111045/7 "2002-05-27T21:59:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Grither \* > **Psst… You admitted that you’re breaking the law…** But he’s not breaking the law if he has a legitimate right to the music, is he? [I phrase this as a question because I’m not really sure.] If, for example, his (legitimately purchased) copy of the CD were damaged, would it not be OK for him to make himself a new copy?