iPod Copying cassettes

[Howard Brazee]

I'll try that tonight. How do I get rid of spaces - such as where I flip my tape over using this technique?

Nevermind - I think that should be easy. It is interesting that doing it a song at a time sometimes gave me a place to name the song and album - and sometimes didn't. In order to copy the song to iTunes, I needed to put in the song, album and compliation (I named that the same as the album), and check to compile them together. I hope this method will avoid that compiling them together.

 

[eluk]

You get rid of the spaces by the fact that only what is highlighted is saved as mp3.
I should have pointed out that you are only offered the chance to add meta data on the first save for each project. After that before exporting you need to go to File | Open Metadata Editor.

The compilation option is from within iTunes and simply means that the album gets put into the 'Compilations' folder.

I hope you're getting somewhere now.

 

[Howard Brazee]

I recorded a smaller tape this time. I found that the easiest way to have a track for each song is to look for the start of a song, select to the end and then split. That way each track is below the previous.

I found file/export as MP3, and selected it. I got a window that had places for format, Title, Artist, Album, Track Number, year, genre, and comments. I filled in Title, artist, album, & genre, and said OK. I went for dinner and when I returned there was a MP3 file. I copied it to iTunes and I have a song that contains the whole album.

I looked for a way to open the metadata file again, but haven't found that menu item. There is a subdirectory full of .au files which I will delete after I am done with this album. I am using Audacity 1.2.6.

 

[eluk]

There are two Export options. You want the second (I think) Export Selection As MP3...

Open Metadata Editor is under File.

One track takes around a minute to export for me.

Hope I have that right, I'm on Windows at present.

 

[Howard Brazee]

I am using Windows too. My wife has an iMac - I'm saving my money. Next fall I have two toys I want - new golf clubs and a Mac..

I've tried 3 export options. Export as MP3. Export Selection as MP3, and Export Multiple. This latter creates a bunch of songs - and might work - if I name the tracks first. But I haven't been able yet to name the tracks first. Export selection for one selection at a time is pretty much what I have been doing. Export selection with all tracks selected seems to be the same as export.

What I want is track numbers and names set up so I don't need to rename everything after I drag them to iTunes - but having a single album with the correct tracks and names.

 

[eluk]

You select a track and the open the metdata editor and title it then. Each track has to be highlighted to enter the album details.

 

[Howard Brazee]

You select a track and the open the metdata editor and title it then. Each track has to be highlighted to enter the album details.

How do I open the metadata editor? I went through menus looking for this without seeing it.

 

[eluk]

I'm using 1.3.2 and it is under the File menu. I can't recall if it was different in 1.2.6.

If it is not there try looking in Help. Have you succeeded in exporting any file yet?

You want 'Edit ID3 Tags' which is under Projects.

 

[Howard Brazee]

I'm using 1.3.2 and it is under the File menu. I can't recall if it was different in 1.2.6.

If it is not there try looking in Help. Have you succeeded in exporting any file yet?

You want 'Edit ID3 Tags' which is under Projects.

I saved my old MP3 files elsewhere and upgraded to 1.3.2 beta. I imported it - there were some problems which I accepted the default.


I selected one track, edited metadata and found a menu:
ID3v1
* iD3v2
Title:
Artist:
Album
Track Number: Year:
Genre:
Comments:

Fewer More Done
TEmplate
Load... Save... Set default
==========
I entered title, artist, album, track number, & genre. I clicked on More and got a line with two fields in it. I clicked More and got another line with two fields on it.
========
So I backed out and selected all tracks and edited metadata and got the same track.

I want each track to go into iTunes consecutively with titles.

 

[eluk]

You need to enter the metadata one track at a time while it is selected. This means that each tag entry is within the mp3. Try doing one track completely and then drag it on to library in iTunes. If you get on track to work you may get to feel how it is working.

 

[Howard Brazee]

1. Split tracks so that you have just one song on the top pair of channels.
2. Select all of this and go to File | Export Selection As… MP3 (sorry this was my mistake).
3. You'll be offered a form to add Meta data. This will can also be edited in iTunes.
4. This file can now be dropped into iTunes.

It is the Meta data that tells iTunes how to organise your music.

HTH

I picked an album that doesn't matter if I don't get lossless.

I failed with version 1.2.6 - I can select one track or all but not find this.

So I ran version 1.3. I tried again - no offer of meta data, no multiple files.

I cancelled and found the 1.3 metadata editor. I filled in
Title: Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor
Artist: Lonnie Donegan
Album:1
Track Number: 1 Year:
Genre: Comedy
Comments: Dr. Demento
[____] [____________]
[Fewer] [More] [Done]
[Load] [Save] [Set Default]

I clicked on [More} to get more of those two field blank lines, and [Fewer] to get fewer. I saved the default, but I couldn't figure out what to do next.

I clicked on Export Multiple which was now not greyed out, and selected MP3 (is that the best?). It then exported 14 files, Audio Track.mp3, Audio- Track-2.mp3, through Audio Track-14.mpg.

Is that what was supposed to happen? Why did I fill in stuff?

 

[fklehman]

I found myself in the same situation when I was looking at what to do with alot of old BBC radio programs and live concerts that I'd recorded onto Minidiscs, there seemed to be no straightforward way to get them onto my computer. If you look around online though there are several companies offering analog to digital cords. I actually had an MD deck with an optical out, so I found a USB audio adapter with a switch for choosing an analog or digital source. I used Sound Studio, I think, for the recording and conversion; saved everything as .AIFF files and burned them onto CDs before importing them into iTunes. Worked out pretty well because I didn't want to hang onto all those old MDs anymore anyway.

Edit: unrelated to OP, but the other thing I found Sound Studio (and probably Audacity etc., though I haven't used those other programs) is you can join together CD tracks that were meant to be played back-to-back, so they always come up that way when you have your iPod on shuffle. For instance, I linked together the last 4-5 track medley from The Beatles's Abbey Road as a single track so that they always play together whether my iPod is on shuffle or not. I don't know any way to bind such tracks together without doing it inside one of these programs.

 

[eluk]

...

Is that what was supposed to happen? Why did I fill in stuff?

You've actually not said what results you have got.

You fill in the metadata, it needs to be for each track just before you export, these details are then viewable in iTunes and are what is used to organise them.

 

[Howard Brazee]

You've actually not said what results you have got.

You fill in the metadata, it needs to be for each track just before you export, these details are then viewable in iTunes and are what is used to organise them.

What are those two-field lines that can be expanded and contracted?

Do I select one track at a time and fill them out? I noticed that when I imported these into iTunes, they each had track x of __, and the name of the first song and artist.

 

[eluk]

They're extra fields for your own use. I don't use them myself.

You fill in the metadata for each track just before exporting.

Let me know what you've achieved so far. I'm in the dark as to your progress and so not aware if you're making any mistakes.

You had the name of the first song only as you've not been doing each one individually before exporting. The number of tracks per album has to be entered in iTunes.

 

[Howard Brazee]

Here's my latest attempt (I am taking notes)

Open Audacity 1.3.2-beta (On my old, slow XP Pro machine)

Connect headphone output of stereo to input of computer.
Start playing, press Record.

Note how loud the song plays in graphic. Adjust and restart if necessary. Make sure the track being recorded is stereo or as you wish.

Flip tape when appropriate, click Stop when finished.

Save project. There should be one

You have one track.

1. Find where the music starts in this track by scrolling left and right and looking at the graphic.
2. Put the cursor at the start of the music.
3. Click Edit/Select/Start to Cursor. What you select will go dark.
4. Click Edit/Delete.
5. Find where this song ends by scrolling left and right and looking at the graphic.
6. Click Edit/Select/Cursor to End
7. Select Edit/Duplicate. Now you will have two tracks selected - the current track and the last track, which is a duplicate of the selected data.
8. Unselect the last track by clicking on the current track.
9. Again click where the current song ended.
10. Again click Edit/Select/Cursor to End
11. Click Edit/Delete. Now this track only has one song on it.
12. Click on the last track.
13. If this is not the last song go to step #1.
14. Delete white space on the end as in steps 9-11.

Save the project with a new name - this will take time.

Search the help for Metadata (I failed to find anything)

15. Click on the first track.
16. Click File/Open Medadata Editor
17. Choose between ID3v1 or ID3v2 (I haven't a clue)
18. Fill in Title: Artist: Album, Track, year?, Genre
(If you're lost, hit play to play this track)
19. I filled in more to see if any of it made it to iTunes
20. Click on Done (Maybe I should have clicked on Save)

Repeat for each track, updating Title, Artist, & track.

Save the project with a new name - this will take time.

Edit/Select All

File/Export Multiple
Export format: MP3
Split files based on: Labels
Name files : Using Label/Track Name
[Export]
Wait an hour for it to complete.

The file names are S.mp3, S-2.mp3, S-3.mp3...

At this point, I don't know whether to rename the files and then whether to import the folders one at a time or to add folder to library.

 

[Keebler]

Here's my latest attempt (I am taking notes)

Open Audacity 1.3.2-beta (On my old, slow XP Pro machine)

Connect headphone output of stereo to input of computer.
Start playing, press Record.

Note how loud the song plays in graphic. Adjust and restart if necessary. Make sure the track being recorded is stereo or as you wish.

Flip tape when appropriate, click Stop when finished.

Save project. There should be one

You have one track.

1. Find where the music starts in this track by scrolling left and right and looking at the graphic.
2. Put the cursor at the start of the music.
3. Click Edit/Select/Start to Cursor. What you select will go dark.
4. Click Edit/Delete.
5. Find where this song ends by scrolling left and right and looking at the graphic.
6. Click Edit/Select/Cursor to End
7. Select Edit/Duplicate. Now you will have two tracks selected - the current track and the last track, which is a duplicate of the selected data.
8. Unselect the last track by clicking on the current track.
9. Again click where the current song ended.
10. Again click Edit/Select/Cursor to End
11. Click Edit/Delete. Now this track only has one song on it.
12. Click on the last track.
13. If this is not the last song go to step #1.
14. Delete white space on the end as in steps 9-11.

Save the project with a new name - this will take time.

Search the help for Metadata (I failed to find anything)

15. Click on the first track.
16. Click File/Open Medadata Editor
17. Choose between ID3v1 or ID3v2 (I haven't a clue)
18. Fill in Title: Artist: Album, Track, year?, Genre
(If you're lost, hit play to play this track)
19. I filled in more to see if any of it made it to iTunes
20. Click on Done (Maybe I should have clicked on Save)

Repeat for each track, updating Title, Artist, & track.

Save the project with a new name - this will take time.

Edit/Select All

File/Export Multiple
Export format: MP3
Split files based on: Labels
Name files : Using Label/Track Name
[Export]
Wait an hour for it to complete.

The file names are S.mp3, S-2.mp3, S-3.mp3...

At this point, I don't know whether to rename the files and then whether to import the folders one at a time or to add folder to library.

howard, congrats on going through this process. it will be worth it in the end.

that said, if you ever buy toast 7 or 8 from roxio, CD spin doctor is part of that package and the process isn't as difficult as this one seems to be. just a thought for the future. my suggestion means no disservice to eluk either b/c he's been great at helping you.

best of luck,
keebler

 

[Howard Brazee]

I give myself an allowance which is used for my toys, my wife's presents, and gasoline. My big toys I'm saving up for are a Mac Pro and new golf clubs. I might buy some software if it comes with both Windows and Mac installation for the same price. Otherwise, it will be on hold until I upgrade.

 

[eluk]

You do not need to waste so much time keep saving projects. Save at the beginning, I do one project per side saving them as title_a & title_b. This I do as I had a few crashes early on and this saves losing everything.

1. The first icon in the toolbar will take you to the start.
2. Find end of first track.
3. Click Edit/Select/Cursor to End.
4. Select Edit/Duplicate. *
5. Go to previous track and Click Edit/Select/Cursor to End and then Click Edit/Select/Delete.
6. Repeat until you have each item on a separate track.
7. Go to track 1 and edit for dead space at either end off track or indeed add space if required.
8. Double click in track to select all. Now when all is highlighted Click File/Export Selection as…/MP3… on first export you are offered the metadata editor. Fill in Album, artist, etc. (ID3v1 should suit you) it will then save asking you to give it a title. This will be saved within your project.
9. Repeat 8 for each track. NOTE: after selecting the track you have to open Metadata Editor and fill it in before exporting Selection as…
10. When all are exported create a folder such as <Album Title> under Music and move the MP3s there. This can then be drag & dropped to iTunes.

* You maybe able to use Select Edit/Split here. I found it does not work on my Mac, but may do in Windows. If it does it will cut out all the deleting necessary when using 'Duplicate'.

With the ones that you have exported - in iTunes select the track and right click 'Get info' and you can rename them there.

You seem to be getting there. Hopefully with not having to keep saving everything you will get through things much quicker.

 

[Howard Brazee]

You do not need to waste so much time keep saving projects. Save at the beginning, I do one project per side saving them as title_a & title_b. This I do as I had a few crashes early on and this saves losing everything.

Once I have figured it out, I won't be making these extra saves. But those will save time in my trial and error as I won't have to go back to the beginning to restart. So I went to my split copy to go to...

8. Double click in track to select all. Now when all is highlighted Click File/Export Selection as…/MP3… on first export you are offered the metadata editor. Fill in Album, artist, etc. (ID3v1 should suit you) it will then save asking you to give it a title. This will be saved within your project.
9. Repeat 8 for each track. NOTE: after selecting the track you have to open Metadata Editor and fill it in before exporting Selection as…
10. When all are exported create a folder such as <Album Title> under Music and move the MP3s there. This can then be drag & dropped to iTunes.

* You maybe able to use Select Edit/Split here. I found it does not work on my Mac, but may do in Windows. If it does it will cut out all the deleting necessary when using 'Duplicate'.

With the ones that you have exported - in iTunes select the track and right click 'Get info' and you can rename them there.

You seem to be getting there. Hopefully with not having to keep saving everything you will get through things much quicker.

Split didn't seem to do anything. Following your directions, the metadata editor did not open automatically.

Is there any advantage in filling out metadata now instead of from within iTunes?

 

[eluk]

So I went to my split copy to go to...

Split didn't seem to do anything. Following your directions, the metadata editor did not open automatically.

Is there any advantage in filling out metadata now instead of from within iTunes?

I found that split didn't work in the latest version and so I put about duplicating and erasing.

I would open enter the metadata before exporting. I found doing here rather than in iTunes was a bit easier. It will work the same doing in iTunes afterward although they all get entered with the project name and it can be tricky keeping track of them as you're editing the tags (metadata).