Does anybody know how to shrink a .mp3 file (on a Mac)? I need to shrink a 1-hour .mp3 file to 4 minutes for my BuzzTouch App. I only need 4 minutes of the audio. Thanks

You can drop the bit rate down if need be, that'll take a bit off but mp3 by nature has already been shrunk to as low as it can go. It's a lossy filetype, like gif and jpg, whereas a .wav is lossless like psd or tif. You could research other lossy music files if what you are building supports them. If you just mean cutting part of the track out that can be achieved in iTunes. Hope some of that helps.

MacApple, I'm trying to take my 60 minute .mp3 file, and make it 4 minutes long. Not the first 4 minutes, just a random 4 minutes in the middle. I do not wish to drop the bit rate down. How can I shrink it in iTunes? Thank you

That made a .m4a file. Can BuzzTouch play this in its audio player? Thanks

Convert it back from a ,m4a now to an mp3.

Hi Jenny21. I recommend Audacity. It a free sound editing and recording application. For pc an mac. Features: Audacity can import and export WAV, MP3 , Ogg Vorbis, and other file formats. It also supports sound recording. Sounds can be edited via cut, copy and paste, with unlimited undo operations. Sounds can be modified using a range of effects, including distortion, pitch shift, echo, and noise removal.

Good call!

@MacApple How do I convert a .m4a file to a .mp3? I tried using google, but all the software is for PC only. @Stefan I downloaded that software, but it seems WAY to overwhelming. I can't figure out how to do anything.

yep. Use AUDACITY.

How can I shrink a .mp3 file usign Audacity?

1. Open the file 2. Mark the section you want to use by clicking and dragging in the file. 3. Go to Edit->Split New 4. A new track will be created beneath the original track. 5. Delete the original track by clicking the X in the upper left corner 6. Now you need to trim the new file. 7. Click and mark the empty space before the track and delete it. 8. Click and mark the empty space AFTER the track and delete it. 9. Export and save the file. In order to save a file as a mp3 using Audiacity you need MP3 encoding software. This is if you are working with other fileformats other then mp3. You get more info below. http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/faq?s=install&item=lame-mp3 Let me know how it did go. BR/Stefan

jumping in: You could try the .m4a file format, may just work. See this: http://forums.plexapp.com/index.php/topic/16143-cant-stream-m4a-aac-files/

you need to also install the MP3 codec called LAME MP3 on the site as it isnt in audacity on install. search the audacity site and also install all plug ins