Trying to add m4a file to Music. Big Sur 11.1/Music 1.1.2

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MLSReality Author

Level 1

10 points

Trying to add m4a file to Music. Big Sur 11.1/Music 1.1.2

Someone has sent me a m4a file. It is a voice file.

It is currently residing in my Pictures Folders simply for lack of a better place to put it.

I have tried:

Double-clicking. Importing. Right clicking to Music.

Typically I end up at some random voice file on my hard disk from years ago. Which, btw, I would love to be able to see and access; but I never end up hearing the file that was sent to me.

My purpose is to add this file, such that it will be available to my iPhone and I will be able to listen to it from there.

MacBook

Posted on Dec 29, 2020 12:17 PM

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Answer 1

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MLSReality Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 30, 2020 6:56 PM in response to ed2345

I tried to say in my question that I had already tried:

Double clicking
Right clicking, then selecting Music
and Importing.

But they ALL led me to the same place --> some random voice file from the past.

I did a search on one of these random voice files, and they seem to be down the path of iTunes, and I wonder why I don't have access to them from Music, or at least I can't find a way to list them; but in any case, when I do a search for the one I'm looking for, it is NOT there.

I also went out on the internet and tried converting the problem file from m4a to mp3 and had no problem, so this suggests that this is NOT a corrupted file. I did not want to use the converted mp3 file because I used some dodgy conversion program and was not confident of its providence thereafter.

It appears that when I import/right click/double click the file it's just not sending the right command to the my target file.

AND I do not understand this problem of not being able to find all these old files that were filed under iTunes.

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Answer 2

ed2345

Level 9

62,462 points

Dec 31, 2020 9:27 PM in response to MLSReality

MLS,

If it won't play in QuickTime, it is unlikely to play in Music. If you trust that conversion program, use the MP3 instead of the M4A. Otherwise, contact the sender and ask them to send a valid audio file.

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Answer 3

MLSReality Author

Level 1

10 points

Jan 1, 2021 4:27 AM in response to ed2345

Hmmm, I do not trust the conversion program, and only used it to make sure that the original was not a corrupt file.

But I'm not sure I understand your reply either. Everything else I have read suggests that Music should accept an M4A format file just fine. And it does not explain this weird going off into la-la land (perhaps an old buried iTunes folders 6 folders deep) and pulling up some random random historical voice file.

Music seems to be becoming less tolerant, and only wants to play nice with Apple Music Subscription.

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Answer 4

ed2345

Level 9

62,462 points

Jan 1, 2021 9:41 AM in response to MLSReality

MLS,

The fact that some dodgy (to use your word) "conversion program" produced an output hardly proves that the file is valid! If you can get access to a PC (or send the file to a friend with a PC), see if it plays on any player on the PC, such as Windows Media Player, iTunes, or Winamp. If it can play in any one place, I am sure we can get it to work on the Mac.

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