MP3 file not playing in PE2

[Jayell]

I downloaded a song from iTunes. I burned it to CD .. ripped it back as an MP3 (have done this numerous times before). It plays fine in Windows Media Player all the way through. But when I import the MP3 file into PE2, it plays for about 10 seconds, then nothing (and the clip also shows a straight line where the music stops). Have tried it several times with no success. I have completed this process with other iTunes selections into PE2 numerous times in the past successfully. I'd try the burn and rip process again .. but the original seems to have gotten away from me.

[Steve Grisetti]

You may need to convert the MP3 to a WAV file. You can do it with the free download Audacity.

[Jayell]

Will try that in the morning, Steve. I suppose I'm degrading quality a little .. but much better than not being able to use that song at all.

[Jayell]

OK .. so I exported it in Audacity as a WAV file and it worked fine. I also went back and exported it (from an MP3) to an MP3, changing the name. That worked fine, too. OK, so don't try to explain it to me, it'll just confuse me

[Chuck Engels]

I don't know if anyone could explain it if they wanted to Jayell
Seems to be one of those strange things that happen sometimes.
Glad you found a solution

[Bill Hunt]

Jayell,

One suggestion that I would make to your workflow is to do the conversion to WAV directly from the CD. The iTunes song, M4p has already been heavily compressed. If you include another heavy compression (MP3) in the workflow, the quality, as you note, will degrade. Then, depending on exactly what you use to convert to WAV, their will likely be a touch more loss. It would be best to use your Audio program (seems to be Audacity) to rip from the CD (CDA format) directly to WAV and Import that into PE.

For some reason, Adobe programs often have problems with MP3's. As you found, most work, but then some, just do not. If quality Audio is an issue for me, and it usually is, I'll keep things in, or immediately convert to, WAV. Make sure that it's PCM-WAV 48KHz 16-bit, if you are going out to a DVD. This will also save your NLE having to do any conforming, as it's already in the proper form.

About the only Audio that I keep in MP3 is SFX from some of my libraries, as that is the format that much of that is delivered in. If the library also offers WAV, that is the version that I'll use, even if it's for a "squeaky door."

Hunt

[Jayell]

Thanks for the additional info, Bill .. and welcome to the group from a fellow Arizonan.
You say to convert directly from the CD .. but I didn't know I had a problem until I'd downloaded from iTunes, burned to CD .. then ripped back to an MP3 (by then I'd gotten rid of the original iTunes MP4). I store in MP3 simply to save a little space .. and have never had problems before in PE2. If I do, I'll started burning, then ripping back to WAV as you suggest. Unfortunately my ears aren't capable of discerning a couple degradations

[Bill Hunt]

There have been a lot of reports of MP3's not always playing in many Adobe programs. Some will, without a problem, and then some will not, regardless. No one has come up with a good reason for the ones that will not work. Someone on the Encore forum had 5 that were perfect, but 2 that were "bad." These were all from the same source. Go figure.

Because iTunes' M4P's are heavily compressed, to start with, I do not use another compressed format. I will arrange a Playlist in iTunes (usually try to get several pieces of music for multiple Projects), and then burn to a CD (usually a CD RW). The files are now in CDA format on the CD. I bring that into Audition and rip to WAV. To date, this has worked perfectly. Once in Audition, I'll set my levels, and do whatever else I need to, before I Export out as a WAV to my Audio folder in that/those Project(s). These always Import into Premiere, or Encore, without any problem.

In general, I do not use any MP3's, with the exception of some of my SFX files from various SFX/Foley collections. These are usually lower fidelity usage and often very, very short. I do not use MP3 for any music, but that is just me. Many do, and have few problems, until that one specific MP3 won't load, or work.

Thanks for the welcome,

Hunt