musikone

Why can't I drag and drop files into the List of files to convert area? switch 1.33

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Perhaps the gods are not smiling upon you

Musikone

I would like to pull individual tunes from archived internet radio broadcasts. Can that be done with Wave Editor? If so, where can I find instructions on how to do it? I am relatively old so I need very left-brained, detailed instructions.

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Here are three possible ways to interpret what you are asking; this is known as answering a question with a question.

(1) Is the "archived radio broadcast" that you are referring to an audio file currently in your possession?

(2) Is this a file that is currently available at a web site, and you would like to have it in your possession?

(3) Is this a streaming radio broadcast from a web site, and you wish to convert this stream to a file in your possession?

Select the one which applies and report back.

Musikone

(Since I am older than you are, which is all that counts, I am qualified to provide you with detailed, right instructions)

I have one CD that I ripped using Exact Audio Copy into the CD quality .wav format (PCM), and I used wavepad to edit the volume higher (but not passing the top or bottom lines) because it was really really low. Will it get the exact same sound quality as the original rip (just at a higher volume) if I hit save (not save as)? I'm becoming a sort of audiophile lately so I really want to know if I'm losing any sound quality.

 

Thanks!

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You will not lose any sound quality simply by "saving" an edited file with a volume change. The edited file will replace the original file, while retaining all of its attributes (such as sampling rate, for example).

Using "save as" will allow you to change the file's attributes (which do not appear in the sound wave that you see on the screen)and its location (directory).

Musikone

Thanks. Now I am getting somewhere. Here is a link to the actual release by release info:

http://www.nch.com.au/wavepad/versions.html

 

Unfortunately, the numbered items under each release contain comments like "fixed a number of issues" and "A few cosmetic and functionality changes", AND there seems to be nothing listed for the Windows versions, ONLY the MAC versions. So it still is not clear if the bug I mentioned above has been fixed, or will be fixed in the near future.

 

I have to say that the handling of bugs does NOT impress me much at all. I like your design of the UI, but it just has to work better. In the meantime, I will be using a wave editing product named after the most precious metal. This other product allows me to save files directly in .wma format, another big plus; I don't have to pay for a separate product that does that.

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Why do you say "in the meantime"? There may be more big pluses than you can possibly imagine.

Of course, as has been promised, the new release of WavePad ("soon," I understand, however this is defined) will be the best digital sound editor on this planet :-). This will certainly be the biggest plus that _I_ can imagine, given the past history of WavePad, as it is defined by the continuing complaints which appear regularly in this forum.

But until this new WavePad release (followed by the verification of its promised, superior performance), it might be wise for you to stick with this mysterious, unnamed sound editor. But don't hold your breath while waiting for the new WavePad version to show up!!

Musikone

on our FAQ pages there is a link to say 'find versions information' the current version for Wavepad Masters is 3.05. The free version has just had a bug fix release and is at 3.10. Masters will have a new release soon.

thanks for the last point.

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When is "soon"?

Musikone

When you legally download music from services such as iTunes and Musicmatch Jukebox, the files are protected by Digital Rights Management (DRM). This prevents you from playing the music on unsupported players. I use MelodyCan software (http://www.melodycan.com) to remove protection. But remember distributing these files is illegal.

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I understand this extremely well, although I strongly disagree with the concept of "unsupported players." This concept of unsupported players is not supported by the copyright law, which does not prohibit a user to move his copy from one player to another, for his own personal use. Hence I have no objection to removing this blight from legally (i.e., not violating the copyright law) purchased music.

However, my question was addressed to a poster who did not state whether the file that is "protected" by DRM was obtained in conformance with the copyright law. Your "answer" to my question posed to someone else does not, of course, serve the purpose which I wanted served. The failure of this poster to answer my question suggests that he/she obtained the file in a manner which violates the copyright law. Had the file been obtained without violation of the copyright law, my question could have been answered in a straightforward manner long ago.

This is indeed the problem which pervades these forums. People cannot seem to follow-up on things that they start, without understanding the consequences of what they are starting. This happens over and over and over and....... And I am sick and tired of it.

Musikone

there seems to be a consistent problem with the default "working" folder

 

lots of folks reporting weirdness with their recordings

 

I have no idea why, and it would be nice to hear from nch on this.

 

BUT the "fix" seems to be as simple as renaming your working folder like I did.

 

bump to 1st page

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Instead of waiting until Help Freezes Over (as the old saying goes), might it not be prudent to look for sound editing software that does not have such ongoing difficulties with Vista?

Of course, there is always the alternative of not using Vista, in which case these difficulties disappear :-)

As I recollect, I have suggested this profound alternative here in the past, perhaps before you got here to rediscover the same old problem all over again! In other words, why do you keep using something that you hate?

Musikone

Hi there,

I am trying to convert mwa music files to mp3 files. Some files are unable to convert as the message reads - File is protected by DRM (Digital Rights Management).

 

Is there any way I can override this with Switch Plus ?

 

Thanks.

Martin - UK.

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Did you buy these files?

If so, who got your money?

If not, who didn't get your money?

Just wondering......

Musikone

Hi Musikone,

 

Yes, the 'MP3 album' is indeed one big file stored on my PC, I just want to convert it so that I can burn it onto disc and play it on my regular stereo.

 

Hope this is the information you require, and trust me, I'm the only one with 'dense' issues here...

 

Cheers

Eowen

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Before going any further, I believe that it would be a good idea to right-click on this (I assume mp3) file in Windows Explorer, then click on properties, click on audio properties, and report back here on the (1) size (2) length (3) sampling rate, (4) bit rate (5) number of bits.

Also, download the "free" version of WavePad, which will give you just two weeks to try it out with its full capabilities before it drops back to "crippleware" (software with certain key features disabled). WavePad crippleware (which is free forever) is not going to be much use to you, so you will have to work fast unless you wish to purchase a license before you know that it will be satisfactory. My best guess, from what you have said so far, is that WavePad Master's version (the licensed version) will do what you want--unless your mp3 album is protected by DRM (Digital Rights Management), which the copyright holder of the music uses to keep buyers from using their music in a manner that _is_ permitted under at least the USA copyright laws but which the copyright holder may not be happy with.

So, in order to proceed to get from point A to point B, as I mentioned in my previous post, your mp3 album must be free from such restrictions imposed by the one who sold you the music. If you bought the music. If you did not buy the music, then you may or may not have a problem.....

If the road is clear :-), you will be able at least to open the mp3 file with WavePad, even the free version, at any time subsequent to downloading it at the NCH web site. It is what you do _after_ you have opened the file that will be restricted (for the free version) after more than two weeks following its downloading. So digest what I have said above, fuss and fiddle a bit, and report back. Just remember, there are all sorts of possible pitfalls in this process, all of which relate to various people wanting to be paid for music, paid for music processing software, paid for format conversion software, paid for recording software, etc., etc., etc.

Just keep this in mind if you want to avoid getting lost :-)

Musikone

Hi all,

 

Whether I'm just being a bit dense today I'm not sure, but what is the file name for audio cd?? I want to convert an MP3 album into cd audio so I can burn it onto disc and don't know what to enter in the 'Output Format' box.

 

Apologies for my 'denseness'...

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Let us start at the beginning!

What is the "MP3 album" that you are talking about? When _I_ speak of an "MP3 album," I am referring to a disc containing a number of files which have the file extension .mp3. Hence it would make no sense to speak about converting my MP3 album in order to burn it onto disc. Are you with me?

Could it mean that what you are calling an "MP3 album" is really one big MP3 file that contains a number of songs chained together? Or is it something else?

If you would tell me what _you_ mean by an "MP3 album," I suspect that I will then be able to help you get from point A to point B.

My apologies for being too dense to understand what you are talking about.......

Musikone

Having purchased a complete package I want to transfer my license to my new computer and when I enter original numbers and keycodes it doesn't work can anyone help??????

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It is unlikely that "anybody" is listening :-)

Musikone

[Al is in Wonderland!]

I have the same problem as all of you!

 

edsyl: When will this get fixed?

-----------------------------------

the Hatter: Never, ever.

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edsyl: Where is the support?

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the Hatter: What support?

 

If you paid for support, it will never be.

 

However, if you did not pay for support, it will never be.

 

Do have another cup of tea. It's delicious--much better than support!

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I have the simplest of needs. I want to burn a cd every day of a radio program. I'm sure the radio part is all set, I use the MICROPHONE settings. Anyway, I read the help to get started, when it was done telling me about how to set up the right record settings it referenced SETTINGS on the device I want to use to burn the cd. I see no SETTINGS and don't know how to get there.

I'll bet you can just tell me a couple steps and I'll be off and running. I haven't bought anything yet so what should I get ? Right now I have the wave pad and express burn.

 

Also, when I put in a cd it asks what I want to do with it. I say burn cd and thw W Media player comes up. That's the wrong thing to do, right?

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OK. Let's start with the Basics.

How much are you willing to spend for a top-notch recording program that can give you the necessary files of an online radio program, _automatically on a prior schedule_, without any fuss and muss?

You see, WavePad is _not_ basically recording software, and you cannot expect to get this type of performance from it. NCH has a candidate for this type of thing. At least I believe that this is the case, although I do not use it.

So back to the Basics (sigh). How much are you willing to spend?

Or do you expect to get it for free--forever and ever and ever?

Be honest; i.e., if you really want help with this "simple" matter.

Musikone

[just call me Frank :-)]

My mic works good also but it's the audio going thru the headphone jack and out to the speaker you can't record. This is a software fix and someone out there has the answer. The only reason I have wavepad is for recording audio online or thru media center etc... And now I can't! Why?? That's wierd, guess I'll have to break out the old xp laptop when I need to record. At least others are having same issue and it should eventually get resolved.

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For your information, WavePad is a sound editor, and was not designed as a recorder. I assume that its (limited) recording capability is advertised to counter the intense competition, rather than to do really serious recording.

This being said, I would strongly recommend that you purchase software specifically designed for recording. There is plenty of it around in various places, from many different companies. But before you search around, you should be aware that NCH makes an excellent, albeit limiti, sound recording program which it calls Golden Records. This program is not limited just recording sound from LP records, even though its name seems to imply as much. I would suggest that you see if it can do what you want. You can try it before buying, as is the case with most NCH software.

Musikone

I'm wondering, having never tried it myself

 

if one could simply CUT the channel you don't want affected

 

process [ amplify ] the channel you do

 

then paste in the channel you cut!?!?!?! [ wave pad is all about TMP files ]

 

 

bloody hell !!!! that might work!!!!!

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Musikone

" On the other hand I like the way wave pad compresses music files however so if there is another program out there that does this I would like to know about it."

 

nope,

 

that's why I like it too

 

I use the automatic gain control and the compression, it works pretty well.

 

 

 

as for why they are not clear about what product does what, and the mix n match thing.

 

I dunno, probably just marketing.

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Marjorie needs to learn this bit of ancient wisdom:

"It it were not for moaning and groaning, there would be no progress. Now read this again, Marjorie.

Secondly, in my opinion, NCH's pathetic marketing (to which I refer as "marketeering") is deliberately deceptive, designed to conceal the fact that what the user is getting for free, and claimed to be WavePad, does _not_ perform up to the operational standard of the software digital sound editor that is _sold_ to the unwary user as "WavePad". In my opinion, there is NO valid place in the selling of computer software for such deliberate deception. Simply attributing it to marketing and dismissing it with a shrug does not address the problem of eliminating this pervasive consumer abuse.

Musikone

ok fine

 

have it your way

 

 

but I doubt they'll do anything, it took them a cpl years to redo the shopping cart so it would accept my cc

 

it was like trying to move a mule....

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So in _your_ opinion, my earlier use of the word "stubborn" to describe NCH's resistance to instituting a much-needed WavePad "marketeering" correction is very appropriate :-) Are we two the people in this entire world that understand this?

Musikone

[Al is in Wonderland!]

It is FREE

 

 

it is FREE, to try....

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It all depends upon what is meant by the word "it".

 

What "it" does _not_ mean is the performance which was designed into WavePad to perform a specific set of tasks. Although you probably do not know it, this performance is _not_ free for more than a two week period after downloading the program without charge. After two weeks, the performance changes to a less desirable set of features, which lack certain essential features designed into WavePad by its developers. So, while something which may be called "WavePad" is indeed free forever, what the user may think is the original-performance WavePad is _not_ the free version that he is downloading. In my opinion, it is deceptive to call the extendede-time-performance WavePad, when one who purchases a license for the program receives a superior extended performance. Don't get me wrong. I do not expect NCH to give away the same thing he must pay for! What NCH needs to do is to rename the versions and advertise them differently, in order to clear up the confusiion. How many times do I have to explain this?

 

 

Musikone

I have similar problems BUT

 

I save my project,

 

hit burn CD

 

or through the file menu,

 

it always downloads the plug in and the Burn software and sets it running

 

 

(yes it downloads it every time and the plug in)

 

NOW

 

I thought it would load the files I saved into the burn software and dot the whole job but its empty!

 

where do I select the files

 

how do I select the files?

 

 

 

I want to be automatic, not rumaging through where did I save those files, do I mean this one and all that

 

 

am I being silly?

 

 

You help or sympathy please

 

 

GN

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Now that you offer a choice: sympathy.

 

 

Musikone

I've purchased the tracks I want to convert, but could only get them in WMA format.

 

I want to burn them onto a CD (I have 8 attempts to do this with the license agreement) but I'm having problems finding a program which will read the WMA format & then burn a CD which will play on my home & car players.

 

Either I want to convert them into MP3, or need a program which is happy with the WMA format (I've already tried the obvious - Windows media player - but the CD won't play on my equipment).

 

Any advice, please?

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Certainly; always glad to oblige.

 

Demand a refund.

 

Then again, the money which you spent was probably well-spent for the education which you received

 

 

 

Musikone

(music, music everywhere--except on your equipment)

From what I can tell on this page: http://www.nch.com.au/wavepad/ Wavepad sound editor is free (the ordinary version). Yet days after installing this software, it is telling me trial version expired.

 

So is it free or not? Cos it makes no mention of purchase on that link above.

 

Thanks.

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You're (note the apostrophe and the "e" at the end) welcome. I am always glad to help out with this most difficult question!

 

Let's see how long it takes you to get a straight answer from NCH (which maintains this forum) to this should-be-simple (but isn't) question. Peeling away the layers of the onion, it all depends upon the meaning of the word "free". As you may not know, this little word has different meanings in different parts of the world :-) This being said, the meaning of this Wonderful! word is very similar in Australia and America. I suspect that the former plagiarized the meaning of this word from the latter. Indeed, America fancies itself the champ in all matters that relate to product Marketeering. Hopefully you will have the stamina to pursue (to the end of the earth) an answer to your question, yet avoid being buried at the world's end--down under.

 

 

Musikone

[Al is in Wonderland!]

P.S. I would urge you to read through the WavePad thread entitled "trialperiodexpired" (or something sufficiently close to this)

I have installed switch free version. I have converted some mp3 files to mp3 but reducing the bit rate to 8. I have written the converted files to a cd. But when I try to convert the 8-bit rate files to 128-bit rate the file size increases but the quality is not restored.What to do?

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I have some bad news for you. Are you ready?

 

When you convert a file to a lower bit rate, you throw away musical information _which can never be recovered_. How much information you lose depends upon the difference between the original bit rate and the reduced bit rate. If there is a large difference in these two bit rates, you will lose a _lot_ of information (translation: "musical quality") that you cannot get back, no matter what you do. Thus, when you made that mp3 at a bit rate of 8 kbps (you didn't say, but I will assume that the original bit rate was 128 kbps), you threw away a whole lot of musical information; i.e., you took a reasonably high-quality piece of music (I assume that this was music) and turned it into a very poor quality piece of music by reducing the bit rate to 8 kbps.

 

It is now impossible to go back the other way and restore this low-quality audio file to the original high-quality audio file. Assuming that you take this very poor quality audio file and convert it, for example, to a 128 kbps file, and the computer tells you that you now have a file compressed at a bit rate of 128 kbps, the computer is lying! It does not know that the file which you gave it to work with, in this conversion to a 128 kbps file, had already been reduced to a very low qualtiy file. Once again, let me emphasize that you cannot take an audio file of very poor quality, convert it to a high-quality bit rate mp3, and expect to get out of this a high-quality audio file.

 

The Bottom Line

 

You are now stuck with a piece of audio garbage (a file compressed at 8 kbps). Either learn to love it or start all over again, having learned that what you throw into the audio trash bin can never be recovered from this trash bin!!!

 

So sorry to break the news to you.......

 

 

Musikone

(telling it lke it is)

Ok, answered my own question... when you save the file you actually have to WRITE THE EXTENSION ".mp3" at the end of the filename, hit "save", then the mp3 encoding choices come up.

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Did you discover this on your own, did you see it somewhere, did some other user answer the question in this (or any other) forum, or did someone at NCH tell you that this is necessary?

 

 

Musikone

Trying to convert my edited songs into MP3 but already appears in WAV format. Upon initially opening the song into the program it converts it automatically to WAV.

 

Im using Mac OS X.5 Leopard.

 

Help please!

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I will try.

 

If I understand your question, you have a song that is loaded into WavePad, but you want to convert this song to an mp3 format. In order to do this with WavePad, you need to use the "Save as" command from the File menu. When you click on "Save as," you will then be shown a dialog box, from which you can choose the folder on your hard drive that you want to save the mp3 file. After choosing this folder, you will have to choose the mp3 parameters for your file. These are the mp3 bit rate and the sampling rate. Use the sampling rate that comes with your original .wav file. I would suggest that you choose a bit rate of 128 kbps. When you have made your choices, choose OK (I am guessing that this is what the Macintosh dialog box shows) and WavePad will then save the .wav file as an mp3 file with your selected parameters.

 

I hope this answers your question, although I am not certain that I have interpreted it correctly. Since I no longer have a Macintosh computer, I do not know exactly the appearance of the dialog box, but this may be enough of an instruction to get you through. Good luck.

 

 

Musikone

audacity isn't a competing product.

firstly, it is free whereas wavepad you pay for.

secondly,although it does do some things which wavepad doesn't,audacity isn't as good at the things they both do the same.

 

if you really think it's is a competing product,what on earth made you buy something you could get for free?

 

go figure.

 

regards.

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What is there to figure?

 

It is clear that you do not understand the definition of a "competing" product. So listen up while I explain it to you. Two pieces of software are competing when the perform the same basic function, such as (in the case at hand) digital sound editing. Whether or not they have identical "features" which defines the manner in which they perform this function (i.e., how well and how suitable it is performed, to meet the needs of a particular user), as well as whether or not they have the same price, has nothing at all to do with whether they are competitive. Just because it is free, while WavePad is not, does _not_ (repeat: _not_) mean that Audacity is not a competitive product. It certainly is. Period. Although, in my opinion, it comes up short, for reasons which I do not intend to discuss here.

 

Furthermore, if I compare the relative merits of the two competitive products, WavePad and Audacity, and determine that, for _my_ particular purposes, WavePad wins this competition, then it would not make sense to _me_ to download Audacity for free, instead of purchasing the competitive WavePad (never mind that NCH advertises that "WavePad is free"; it is only free for two weeks). I do not know where you get your silly idea about what constitutes competition. So it seems to me that _you_ should go figure what is wrong with your particular brand of logic!

 

In closing, this is the last word that I intend to say on this particular subject; I see no point in trying to reason with one who lacks the capacity for logical thought. And finally, let me repeat. In my opinion, since this forum is being maintained by NCH, the discussion should be limited to the capabilities or deficiencies of NCH software (and to associated topics such as licensing, downloading, etc., etc.). Any discussion involving the capabilities of specifically named competitive software should be restricted to private correspondence. And let the chips fall where they may.

 

Not only do I understand electronic engineering design and theory very well, computer operation, and musical theory and practice extremely well, I also understand the mechanics of adding two and two, without using a calculator! In accordance with your request, I have gone and figured, and have arrived at the conclusion--just for you. FORE!!

 

 

Musikone

 

[Al is in Wonderland!]

not on Earth, but out of this World