Ripping MP3 from Audio CDs

JABA
12/11/2004

What is an mp3?

• An mp3 is a compressed audio file, which trades off sound quality for file size. It is the most common method of distributing music over the internet.

What is ripping an mp3?

• Ripping an mp3 is the process of converting a large, CD quality sound file into a smaller mp3 file.

What tools do I need to rip an mp3?

• Firstly, you need a computer with a CD drive (PC or Mac)
• Secondly, you need mp3 ripping software, which you will need to download and install from the internet.
• Mac OS 10 computers come standard with Itunes installed

What ripping software do I need?

• There are hundreds of mp3 ripping tools available, some free, some not
• Two of the most popular tools at the moment are Itunes and RealPlayer
• This article does not specifically recommend any of the above, they have proved popular and reasonably easy to use, have a look on the internet and you will find many others available.

Where do I get ripping software?

• RealPlayer is available at www.real.com – there is a free version,a commercial version and a trial version – best to get the free, non time limited version - look carefully for the "free" links
• Itunes is available from www.apple.com/itunes/
• Both come in PC and Mac versions
• Both sites have comprehensive help sections, and both software tools come with built in help sections

What level of audio quality should I use?

• audio quality is set by the bitrate of the mp3, which is measured in kilobits per second, the higher the bitrate, the better the quality, but the larger the file size.
• keep in mind that if you place very high quality samples on the web, people may opt only to get it rather than buy your CD
• people with low bandwidth connections may be less likely to download very large files
• for placing samples on the web, the recommended bitrate is around 64 kilobits per second