converting an .mp3 to .aiff

Question

Level 1

26 points

converting an .mp3 to .aiff

I would like to convert an .mp3 song (purchased through i-tunes) into an .aiff file so I can open it in Garage Band and edit it. I've tried to go through the steps to convert it, but with no success. I've purchased QT Pro (upgrade from QT Player 7), but can't get the file to convert to an .aiff file that Garage Band recognizes. Any thoughts? Thanks.

Posted on Aug 19, 2005 4:41 PM

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Answer 1

Aug 19, 2005 5:28 PM in response to Im Cookin

The music you purchase from The iTunes Music Store are not MP3s they are protected AACs. This means you can't convert them directly into other file formats.

What you can do is burn them to CD using iTunes and then import from the CD into GarageBand.

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Answer 2

Aug 19, 2005 5:40 PM in response to Im Cookin

You are also going in the wrong direction.
You are taking a compressed file (the .mp3 format) and trying to expand it to its full sound quality (.aiff).
It can't be done in any "audio quality" way.
Why not go out and buy the music on a CD. The best sound quality and it's already in the .aiff format. Pulling the file from the CD is as simple as drag and drop.

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Answer 3

Im Cookin Author

Level 1

26 points

Aug 20, 2005 3:44 PM in response to QuickTimeKirk

I hear what you're saying, quicktimekirk, but the whole point of buying the song is that I've got it - why should I have to go out and purchase the cd when I only want one song? Is there still any way I can manipulate the song that I purchased from I-Tunes in Garage Band? Thanks in advance for your help.

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Answer 4

Aug 20, 2005 4:20 PM in response to Im Cookin

What you've "got" (the iTMS purchase) is a miserable representation of the file.
You only "paid" a buck for it and you got your moneys worth.
What you have is "junk". Sorry Apple. A "compressed" to .mp3 (or .mp4) format "re-creation" of the original. A "red-headed step child" of the original. A poor audio format for what you may plan to use the work.
You need true audio files to work at the level of "proper" audio fidelity offered by GarageBand software.
Sorry for my rant. I have never "bought" music at the iTMS and have never used GarageBand but I'm opening my copy right now.
Here we go: (very slow Mac)
Nope. Can't open .aiff formatted files. Or .mp3 files.
Maybe others have a workaround?
I'm glad I didn't get iLife 05 to work with music files.

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Answer 5

Aug 21, 2005 12:16 AM in response to QuickTimeKirk

One option to convert iTunes music store .m4p files to .aif is to first burn them as an audio-CD. Then convert the track from the CD to .mp3 with iTunes etc.

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Answer 6

Im Cookin Author

Level 1

26 points

Sep 14, 2005 2:51 PM in response to Im Cookin

I've actually solved the problem myself. I tried all the suggestions so far with no luck, then stumbled across a free, cross-platform sound editor called Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net). It did exactly what I wanted it to do and more.

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Answer 7

RickCath

Level 2

470 points

Oct 24, 2005 1:44 AM in response to Im Cookin

From their website:

Note: Audacity does not currently support WMA, AAC, or most other proprietary or restricted file formats.

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Answer 8

Oct 25, 2005 11:03 AM in response to QuickTimeKirk

" You need true audio files to work at the level of "proper" audio fidelity offered by GarageBand software."

Actually, any PCM digital audio is inferior to analogue, and falls short of "proper" audio fidelity even at 24 bits and 192 KHz. DSD, which is the format used with SuperAudio CDs, comes much closer. But to flame somebody over an AAC file is absurd, especially when someone else had already answered his question.

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