Utility to join two WAV or MP3 files

[Muse]

The WAV recordings I've been making on my portable recorder (FAT32 HD) have been about 3 hours and come out just under 2 GB but yesterday I made one about 5 hours and the recorder split it into two files, one 2 GB, the other ~700 MB. I transferred the files to my NTFS PC HD. It's not essential, but I'd like to create a single 5 hour recording rather than 3+2. I process the WAV files and create MP3s. So, I'd like to use a utility to either join the WAV or the MP3 files. I have a number of free audio utilities including Audacity, also Total Recorder Standard Edition (only the Pro and Developer versions support joining files). What's a good utility to use for this?

 

[Muse]

Looks like this freeware may do it:

MediaJoin 2.0

filesize 3.00 MB

This software allows you to join all popular audio and video formats into a single merged audio or video file.

 

[Muse]

That link is a download from Tucows and it's not working for me. A google search got me to:

MediaJoin 3.0 freeware download

MediaJoin is software that enables you to easily join (combine) all popular audio and video formats into a single merged audio or video file. Formats supported include MP3, WMA, WAV, OGG, AVI, MPEG-1...

4 MB, and the download worked.

 

[VinylxScratches]

You can always use Audacity with the Lame encoder for MP3s. It's open source and free.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: VinylxScratches
You can always use Audacity with the Lame encoder for MP3s. It's open source and free.

Does Audacity do a nice job of joining files? Or is it kludgy?

I installed MediaJoin 3.0 and ran it, adding both WAV files (haven't converted them to MP3s yet), and asked it to join them and it started but about 3-4% into the operation it went nuts and said that there was an overflow problem. I'm running XP Pro SP3, have 2 GB RAM, there wasn't much else open. I figure it maybe can't accommodate the big WAV files and am now converting them to MP3s and will try to get MediaJoin 3 to join the MP3s, which will be around 175 MB and 100 MB.

 

[VinylxScratches]

It's more of a editing program so you could just copy and paste audio from one to the end of the other.

 

[Muse]

MediaJoin 3.0 failed both times I tried to join the audio files, each time at around 5% or less completion. The first time was with the WAV files the second with the 185 MB and 88 MB MP3 files. It says it had an overflow problem. I'm running XP Pro SP3 on 2 GB RAM. Argh. Maybe I'll try Audacity.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: VinylxScratches
It's more of a editing program so you could just copy and paste audio from one to the end of the other.

Yup, I'm trying to do that now, will see what happens. I have a good feeling about Audacity. It's free and a lot of people have worked on it to make it a useful and effective audio editing program. Seen people mentioning it a lot...

 

[Muse]

Looks like it worked in Audacity. I opened the second of the files, copied it to the clipboard and then opened the first file, hit the |<< button and then Edit/Paste. Audacity showed an hourglass for around 20 minutes and in the title bar it said [Not Responding]. I thought it was hung but I didn't close it down (would have had to go to Task Manager to do that). After ~20 minutes the [Not Responding] disappeared. I'm right now exporting the whole thing as an MP3, and I'm pretty confident it will be what I want. It shows it's 5 hours long, which is right.

It's really not a big deal having one file instead of two but it's nicer as one and nice to know I can do this when I want. I really dig Audacity. It helped me last week rip a couple of LPs very nicely to CDs.

 

[Red Squirrel]

+1 for audacity. Will let you do more stuff too like adjust the volume if one is louder then the other, and what not.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
+1 for audacity. Will let you do more stuff too like adjust the volume if one is louder then the other, and what not.

yeah, I'm just getting my feet wet in it. Have found some super useful stuff, not sure about the volume control adjustments yet. I have a utility called MP3Gain that I've been using for MP3 level/volume/gain boosting of individual files (not groups), but am very shaky on my understanding of what it's all about. Had OK results, but I don't exactly know what I'm doing yet.

The joined MP3s file is OK. I can hear a glitch where they join. The recorder was supposed to create an exact transition, so I don't know where the fault lies, but it's a very minor defect, not something for me to fret over. It's not pro quality but it's just for me and doesn't matter.

 

[growled]

Another vote for Audacity. I've joined several recordings and it has worked great. Glad it's worked for you.

 

[Red Squirrel]

That "Tick" could be the wave form suddently changing as it hits the next track. Best way around that is add a small delay (like, in ms) and you *should* be fine. Though, it could come from many other sources too.

 

[DarkTXKnight]

If you dont mind me asking Muse, just how did you record the LP's to MP3s?? Id like to do something like this for some old records for my Mother.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: DarkTXKnight
If you dont mind me asking Muse, just how did you record the LP's to MP3s?? Id like to do something like this for some old records for my Mother.

I'm sure there are other ways and free ways. I have a program called Total Recorder Standard Edition. I think it's around $18 now, I got it for ~$12 a few years ago. They send me occasional emails informing me that they have a new version and I get free updates. For me it's a great program because I use it to schedule regular and irregular recordings to MP3 off my receiver. It has other uses, and I used it to make my CDs. I could have used it to record MP3s directly, but in this case I wanted CDs that I can play in my CD players that don't accommodate MP3s, so I recorded using PCM (i.e. to WAV files). The recorder can be set to use any sound source:

Line In
Aux
Aux2
Stereo Mix (i.e. everything passing through the sound card)

I ran my turntable to my receiver and have the receiver line-out plugged into the line-in of my soundcard in my computer. There is a professional version of Total Recorder with a bunch of extra features for around $20 more and maybe I'll upgrade someday.

Like I say, I'm sure you could do this with free software. It just has to create MP3s (or WAVs if you want) from sound going through your soundcard, whether built into your motherboard or PCI or USB. You might need a receiver or a preamp that can supply a signal from your turntable, but I hear there are inexpensive USB turntables now that your computer can deal with directly.