CTEL CD > MP3 procedureSetting the default music folder/file organization:First thing that needs to be done is to set the default folder for where iTunes will be putting the new MP3 files. This will only need to be done once for any a particular project.

1. Open iTunes, if it is not open already2. Go to iTunes > Preferences (see Image Capture 1)3. Go to the Advanced Preference Pane (see IC 2)4. Check to see if the new MP3 files will be put the correct

folder.

IC 2: The Advanced Preference Pane

In the image capture above (IC 2), the existing location for the Music folder is on the hard dive “Music”, and in the folder “Music”. To change the location, click on the outlined Change button in IC 2. A new window would show up, letting me choose a new folder.

5. Music Folder OrganizationAt this time it is a good idea to think about how the you would want to organize the Music folder. iTunes has two options, to organize the Music folder into a directory of folders using the MP3 information (see IC 3), or to just dump them all into one directory. Checking/un-checking the “Keep iTunes Music folder organized” outlined checkbox shown in IC 2 changes that behavior.

IC 1: Going to the Preferences

IC 3: How iTunes organizes the MP3 with the "Keep iTunes Music folder organized" checkbox selected

Encoding the music:1. Open iTunes, if it is not open already2. Insert the Music CD

IC 4: iTunes with an unknown Music CD mounted

iTunes will mount the Music CD, but none of the information for the album will be present (see IC 4).

3. Input Artist-Album-Song information.

IC 5: Selecting "Get CD Track Names"

This information is important in that it will go into the new MP3’s ID3 tags. There are two ways to get this information. One is to fill in the necessary information by hand. The other is to go to Advanced Menu > Get CD Track Names (see IC 5). iTunes will then query the CDDB database. If multiple entries are found, then you will be able to choose the one you want to use. iTunes will then use that information to fill in the empty fields (see IC 6). You are still free to edit any information that iTunes inserts into the fields.

IC 6: Filled in Artist-Album-Song information

4. Adjust the Start/Stop times.

IC 7: Selecting the song “Jump Jive An’ Wail”

The Start and Stop times will tell iTunes where to start and stop the MP3 encoding. If the Start and Stop times do not need to be adjusted, Step 4 can be skipped. Select a song that will be converted into an MP3 so the start and end times can be adjusted (see IC 7). Press Command + I, Right click (or Ctrl + click for you one button mouse people out there) over the selected song and select “Get Info” (see IC 8). It will open a new window. Select the Options tab (see IC 9).

IC 9: The Options tab in the “Get Info” window.

Select the text field next to “Start Time:” and input the time of where you want the song to start. The same goes for “End Time” (see IC 10). The checkboxes will automatically check themselves when a change is made the textboxes.

IC 10: Changing a song’s “Stop Time”.

IC 8: Selecting "Get Info"

This process will need to be repeated for every song that needs start and stop times adjusted.

5. Select the encoding bit rateGo to iTunes > Preferences (see IC 11), and

select the Importing Pane (see IC 12). This is where we will tell iTunes how we want the MP3’s to be encoded.

IC 12: The iTunes Importing Pane.

For example, lets say that this song needs to be encoded into a 16kbps mono MP3.

a. Select “Custom” found under the “Setting:” drop down menu (see IC 13). This will bring up a new window that contains the MP3 encoding options (see IC 14).

IC 13: Selecting the "Custom" option

IC 11: Going to the

IC 14: The MP3 Encoder options

b. Select from “Stereo Bit Rate” 32kbps. This number reflects the sample rate for those files that will be encoded in stereo. Since this file will be encoded as mono, its bit rate will be half of that rate, or at 16kbps.

c. I have found that it is best to leave the Sample Rate at “Auto”. iTunes does a good job in choosing the best option for a particular sample rate.

d. Select Mono from the Channels dropdown menu. Since we have chosen to make the MP3 mono, the Stereo Mode dropdown menu is not available (see IC 15).

IC 15: Choosing Mono

e. I have found that un-checking “Filter Frequencies Below 10 Hz” option helps make the MP3 loose some of its “tinny” sound that is caused by encoding the file at low sample rate (see IC 16).

IC 16: "Filter Frequencies Below 10 Hz" turned off

f. Click on OK The suggested bit rates are: For voice: 8kbps Mono, 16 kbps Mono For music: 16 kbps Mono, 32 kbps Mono, 64 kbps Joint Stereo (see

IC 17-19)

IC 17: 16kbps settings IC 18: 32 Kbps settings IC 19: 64 Kbps settings

6. Encode into MP3Once the desired encoding settings are set, select the songs that will be encoded into MP3’s by Command + Clicking each song (see IC 20).

IC 20: Selecting the songs to encode

Once the desired songs are selected, Right Click or Ctrl + Click on one of the selected songs, and select “Convert Selection to MP3” (see IC 21)

IC 21: Selecting “Convert Selection to MP3”

During the encoding process, iTunes may start playing the songs that are being encoded if “Play Songs while encoding” is checked in the Preference’s Importing Pane (see IC 12). The progress of the encoding will be show in the upper display (see IC 22) and with an orange circle with a moving wavy line next to the song being encoded.

IC 22: The encoding progress

iTunes will make a “ding” sound to let you know that it has finished encoding the files. The selected files will also have a green circle with a white check in it to tell you that it finished that particular song (see IC 23).

IC 23: iTunes showing that it has finished encoding

The newly encoded MP3s will appear in the main library.7. Re-encode the selected files in the other bit rates

Steps 5 – 6 will have to be repeated for every different bit rate.