How to Make an MP3....

Basic Info

1. Cd Ripping

For Cd~Mp3 conversion, the cd audio has to be first coverted to a wav file. This is done in a digital method, and the quality of the result depends heavily of your sound card's "analog to digital convertor". Cd Rippers are programs that "rips" a track off of a cd and converts it digitally. For this you need a cd-rom drive that supports this kind of extraction. Here's a list of drives that support it.

2. Mp3 Encoding

Mp3 Encoders are used to "compress" wav files. Using a psycho-acoustic model, the encoders eliminates the frequencies that a human ear can't hear, therefore massively reducing the file size. (Around 1:12). There are 2 types of mp3 encoders. Fraunhofer ACM encoders and ISO based encoders. The first ones are encoders such as L3enc, Mp3 producer, AudioActive Producer that are based on the Fraunhofer codec. The second ones are BladeEnc, 8Hz, Plugger which are based on ISO source, sometimes optimized. The Fraunhofer codec-based encoders are best at lower bitrates (up to 128 kbps) and the ISO-based encoders were made for usage above that.

What you need to get started

1. Download AudioGrabber.
2. Download Mp3 Compressor.
3. Download a mp3 player.

Let's Get Started....



1. Download AudioGrabber, and install it.



2. This is what AudioGrabber's main screen looks like. You can click "CDDB" button (Penguin) to automatically retrieve Cd Information. Useful for id3 tags and not having to rename the wav files.



3. Click the "Grab" Button to start ripping the track off the cd.



4. In AudioGrabber, you can set an external mp3 program (such as BladeEnc), or use an internal codec (Such as Fraunhofer IIS Mpeg Layer-3 Codec) for cd~mp3 conversion.



5. Load and Use Mp3 Compressor to start converting the wav file to a mp3 file.



6. Load the mp3 file in Winamp or any other mp3 player.

Final Words....

If you have troubles using AudioGrabber, look at this cd-rom list to check if your cd-rom drive is capable of being ripped.  

(Thanks to MP3-2000)