# MP3 Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 15, 2005, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717 "2005-03-15T22:36:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JimSox5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JimSox5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimSox5)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717/1 "2005-03-15T22:36:45Z")
I have an MP3 recording of my radio show that I want to post to my website. However, this file is gigantic. Is there any way I can break my huge, three hour MP3 into maybe hour long blocks? ---
**Author:** ![silverfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e480ec/32.png) [@silverfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silverfish)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717/2 "2005-03-15T23:46:59Z")
I gather mp3directcut is good for this sort of thing. It seems to be available [here](http://www.mpesch3.de/) I hope that helps. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717/3 "2005-03-16T00:13:30Z")
Radio engineer here. Was it recorded directly to mp3 format somehow? In my humble experience, sound files normally are recorded as PCM .wav format first, then converted. Editing a .wav file into any size chunk you wish is dead easy. If this doesn’t apply to you, please disregard… although I am unaware of any software that records directly to mp3. What are you using? ---
**Author:** ![JimSox5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JimSox5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimSox5)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717/4 "2005-03-16T00:42:09Z")
I do have a .wav file of the show as well, I just thought it might be easier to work with .mp3. How do I work with the wav? ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717/5 "2005-03-16T00:44:43Z")
What’s the advantage of having three _very large_ files v. one _gigantic_ one? Especially since in all probability to the three very large files will have a larger total size than the single gigantic file… I know that if I cam across your page, I’d just download all three files simultaneously and start listening to the first one as it downloaded (you can do that with MP3s). I’d look at trying to reduce the size of the file instead of, or in addition to breaking it apart. If it’s primarily spoken word, I’d drop it to 96kbps VBR Mono. and see what that got me. I use [Audacity](http://audacity.sourceforge.net/) for most of my sound file editing. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717/6 "2005-03-16T00:49:41Z")
> [@JimSox5](#): > > I do have a .wav file of the show as well, I just thought it might be easier to work with .mp3. How do I work with the wav? In any .wav editor, you can highlight the first hour, Save Selection As, call it Hour 1. Same with the remaining hours. Then convert each hour to mp3. If it isn’t absolutely necessary that your program be heard in stereo, you can make an mp3 that’s half of the regular sized one by setting the conversion to mono. If you have more questions about it, please feel free to ask. I edit audio all day, every day. ---
**Author:** ![JimSox5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JimSox5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimSox5)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717/7 "2005-03-16T00:52:10Z")
I have to admit, I’m terribly inexperienced when it comes to audio, editing and recording. I’m downloading **1010011010** ’s link right now, though I’m sure I’ll be back with some more questions. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717/8 "2005-03-16T01:02:46Z")
I’ll be back to answer any of your questions after spaghetti and garlic bread. My first question is, what software did you use to record the program? ---
**Author:** ![JimSox5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JimSox5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimSox5)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717/9 "2005-03-16T01:14:34Z")
I’m guessing you’re going to laugh at my unsophistication in recording methods. The show was recorded using a Dell DJ, then placed on a computer using Dell DJ Explorer. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717/10 "2005-03-16T01:46:05Z")
OK, well then I’ll download Audacity and learn it and be back. Once I learn how it’s done in that program, I can walk you through it. I’ll need to know a few things first. Is your radio show being produced in a radio studio, or in your home? Is there a computer whose sound card is connected to the main audio output of your sound gear? If yes, we’ll skip some steps. If no, I’ll tell you how to accomplish that. And that’s about as far as I can go now, until we establish what equipment you’re using. I’ll be happy to show you how to do this, it’s not difficult. ---
**Author:** ![JimSox5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JimSox5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimSox5)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717/11 "2005-03-16T02:07:04Z")
Okay, another question. What’s this Ogg Vorbis format I’ve been seeing? Is it worth my time to consider, or is its player too obscure to worry about? ---
**Author:** ![JimSox5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JimSox5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimSox5)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717/12 "2005-03-16T02:08:49Z")
It’s in a radio studio. The specifics of the equipment, however, I don’t really know. I know how to use the soundboard, and that’s about it. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717/13 "2005-03-16T02:18:20Z")
Alrighty, then. This software is a piece of cake! I had it doing what you want within two minutes of installation. As long as you’re in a radio studio, it’s probable that there is a computer connected to the board that will record the output, either from a dedicated line out, or off the air. Check with the station engineer or another host who may know. And there will be software on the computer to record and edit with. You may even suggest that they use Audacity. It’s free, and it appears to be very sophisticated recording software. Did you download Audacity, and have you had a look at it? I’ll help you set it up from the Preferences dialogue. Once we’re on the same page with it, I’ll show you the steps to import a .wav file, find the time point where you want to make the edit, and how to save that selection as an mp3. This program will do that for you automatically. The one thing I don’t see, though, is the ability to make a mono mp3 file. Stereo, yes. Multiple bitrates, yes. Mono - no. There’s other freeware for that, should you want to go that route. Is your program mainly music? Let’s get ourselves on the same page, and we’ll go from there. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717/14 "2005-03-16T03:18:26Z")
In answer to your other question, OGG Vorbis is a proprietary format, similar to, but not exactly like, mp3. If you’re going to post your show on the net, it’s a good idea to make it mp3, to be compatible with the largest number of users’ playback software. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717/15 "2005-03-16T03:36:58Z")
The OGG Vorbis _format_ isn’t proprietary, although some encoders and players might be. From the FAQ at [http://www.vorbis.com/](http://www.vorbis.com/) > [@](#): > > What licensing applies to the Ogg Vorbis format? > > ``` > The Ogg Vorbis specification is in the public domain. It is completely free for commercial or noncommercial use. That means that commercial developers may independently write Ogg Vorbis software which is compatible with the specification for no charge and without restrictions of any kind. However, the software packages we have developed are available under various free/open-source software licenses with varying allowances and restrictions. > > ``` > > What licensing applies to the included Ogg Vorbis software? > > ``` > Most (but not all) of our utility software is released under the terms of the GNU GPL. The libraries and SDKs are released under our BSD-like license. > > Note that developers are still free to use the specification to write implementations of Ogg Vorbis licensed under other terms. > > ``` ---
**Author:** ![JimSox5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JimSox5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimSox5)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717/16 "2005-03-16T03:37:56Z")
Yes, I have downloaded and got somewhat familiar with Audacity. And yes, the program is mainly music. I will check with the station manager as soon as possible (though it may be quite a while, as he doesn’t seem to be too prompt in responding to e-mails or calls). ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717/17 "2005-03-16T06:19:42Z")
My 2 cents and 3 little points regarding this issue: 1. You should try silverfish’s suggestion (mp3directcut) instead of Audacity: -mp3directcut was designed just for what you wanted to do, while Audacity is more of a general-purpose editor. -It can automatically choose 60-minute-long sections for you to split. -It will not need to decode/re-encode the MP3 file (you preserve file quality this way and the whole operation will be a lot faster). Try it! It’s easy. Once you have the program running, just scroll to the parts in the song that you want to add a split at. Click on the waveform and push the Del key on your keyboard to insert a new cue. Do that for all the splits you want, and then go to File -\> Save as split. Or you can use the AutoCue feature to split by 60-minute segments. 1. There’s no reason to convert the file to .WAV first. You can directly split MP3 files. In fact, you really should **not** convert it to .WAV because you’ll be losing audio quality once you re-encode it back to MP3. 2. As rjk pointed out, OGG is free, open-source and not proprietary. In fact, that’s probably its biggest benefit. You don’t have to deal with MP3 licensing restrictions. It also has (arguably) better audio quality for a given filesize/bitrate. Its primary disadvantage is that it’s not very widely used. fishbicycle was right, you should use MP3. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717/18 "2005-03-16T10:50:29Z")
At no point did I suggest that the OP convert his mp3 file to .wav and then back to mp3. It was incorrect of you to post that this was my intention. I have thirty years of experience behind recording equipment and procedures and am quite capable of making myself clear. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717/19 "2005-03-16T11:12:33Z")
fishbicycle, I wasn’t responding to you personally. Sorry if it seemed that way. It seemed like the discussion was headed towards editing the .WAV file, and I just wanted to point out that silverfish’s original suggestion would bypass that extra process and allow him to split the file easier. That has nothing to do with your recording experience and you weren’t unclear in anything. You just seemed to take it personally when I wasn’t even talking about you 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717/20 "2005-03-16T11:16:56Z")
OK, sorry then. I am gearing up to explain to **JimSox5** how to record his program at the station on software rather than a Dell DJ, how to edit it as a .wav and convert it to mp3. At this point, he says he isn’t very knowledgeable about it, and hasn’t used recording software yet. Since it’s right up my alley, I’m here to help. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-question/294717.md?page=2)