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440 Forums _ Software on MacOS X _ M4a File Conversion To .wav
Posted by: tomc11 Tue 29 Jan 2008, 16:05
Like most on this site I've got quite a collection of songs in iTunes. The other day I was trying to convert a standard .M4a file from iTunes to either a .wav or .aiff (apple loop) so that I can pull some audio samples.
I thought I could do it with my Quicktime Pro but can't find any options in the Save As. Also, tried iTunes itself with no luck. Even tried Apple Loop Utility but it won't load the M4a file.
I use Logic Express 8 and Garageband and I would think that some how I should be able to do this.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
Posted by: Mac Daddy Wed 30 Jan 2008, 07:49
tomc11 "Posted Yesterday, 04:05 PM Like most on this site I've got quite a collection of songs in iTunes. The other day I was trying to convert a standard .M4a file from iTunes to either a .wav or .aiff (apple loop) so that I can pull some audio samples. I thought I could do it with my Quicktime Pro but can't find any options in the Save As. Also, tried iTunes itself with no luck. Even tried Apple Loop Utility but it won't load the M4a file. I use Logic Express 8 and Garageband and I would think that some how I should be able to do this. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
Dear tomc11, yes I can help with this. Maybe three or four years ago I wanted to make my first MP3. I knew that it could be done in Logic. I saw the guy do it... But that was so long ago, too much information, I am scared what do I do? There was this really cool Bass Player from New York his name was, I kid you not, Blackassdave. Truth.
Someone asked the same question as you did, I was too embarassed to let people I didn't know how to do what everyone else did. Why I never raised my hand when in school. Scared. Anyway someone miraculously had the same problem. This was the first and last Post I ever saw, I did call him, he rattled off this great list of musicians, "Oh, do you know, Bill, Bob, Blue, Toots, Vibe, Johnny Slick, Funky Fat Frank, BeBop Tony"? Ummm, no. Click. Anyway Blackassdave just said..... "Sound Converter" by Steve Dekorte. It has been the best and least expensive Software I ever purchased. Steve Dekorte is a very zen like source. Sound Converter can convert almost any File. It costs $10.00. All Updates are 100% Free. I think the guy is some good natured hippie, computer guru geek or something. When I Downloaded the Online Copy and it didn't work. I wrote him and said "It don't work"! he wrote back. Did you buy it"? Ooooops! Oh, it ain't free? Guess $10.00 ain't bad. Best ever. Don't thank me thank, Blackassdave.
Posted by: tomc11 Thu 31 Jan 2008, 15:09
Dear tomc11, yes I can help with this. Maybe three or four years ago I wanted to make my first MP3. I knew that it could be done in Logic. I saw the guy do it... But that was so long ago, too much information, I am scared what do I do? There was this really cool Bass Player from New York his name was, I kid you not, Blackassdave. Truth.
Someone asked the same question as you did, I was too embarassed to let people I didn't know how to do what everyone else did. Why I never raised my hand when in school. Scared. Anyway someone miraculously had the same problem. This was the first and last Post I ever saw, I did call him, he rattled off this great list of musicians, "Oh, do you know, Bill, Bob, Blue, Toots, Vibe, Johnny Slick, Funky Fat Frank, BeBop Tony"? Ummm, no. Click. Anyway Blackassdave just said..... "Sound Converter" by Steve Dekorte. It has been the best and least expensive Software I ever purchased. Steve Dekorte is a very zen like source. Sound Converter can convert almost any File. It costs $10.00. All Updates are 100% Free. I think the guy is some good natured hippie, computer guru geek or something. When I Downloaded the Online Copy and it didn't work. I wrote him and said "It don't work"! he wrote back. Did you buy it"? Ooooops! Oh, it ain't free? Guess $10.00 ain't bad. Best ever. Don't thank me thank, Blackassdave.
Thanks Mac Daddy for the info. That could work - If I could just get .wav 's out I'd be happy.
Do you have a link? or can I just Google it?
Posted by: Jim Hoyland Fri 1 Feb 2008, 08:25
I think the easiest way to do this is to use iTunes to burn an audio CD, then use your favourite ripping software to convert that to WAV, AIFF or whatever.
Posted by: Mac Daddy Fri 1 Feb 2008, 09:04
tomc11
I use Sound Converter for MP3's (However, did you know there are several Formats of MP3's? Sort of: Small, Medium and Large?) Yep, and the quality is noticeable.
Sound Converter can change almost any File into another in 15 seconds. I had a Video I wanted to send, I Dragged and Dropped the File into the 100% User Friendly Software, I got a message saying: "Sound Converter, might have a problem with this Type Of File" But, it converted it perfectly.
www.dekorte.com
Don't thank me thank: "Blackassdave"...
It cost $10.00 but it's worth it knowing you can convert almost ANY File.
Posted by: DANO10 Fri 1 Feb 2008, 20:13
tomc11,
I just used Sound Grinder to covert a whole batch of .M4a files to .WAV files. Check out Sound Grinder at http://nav.440network.com/out.php?mmsc=forums&url=http://www.monkey-tools.com.
Dano10
Posted by: Mac Daddy Sat 2 Feb 2008, 08:29
tomc11.... Talk about "Inflation"?! Sound Converter now cost $14.00 not $10.00!!!!
Dano10, I had a look at Sound Grinder... Looks good but it cost much more than Sound Converter.
$27.79 Euros=41.2697 US Dollars
Prices are only going up...
Jim Hoyland... "What is: ripping software"?????
Sorry mate don't know the word: ripping. Is it 'Slang' or an actual something... "Yo, I would advise you to use the "Ripping Software" for that project...
Pleeeeeze, I gotta know... What is: Ripping
Thanks
Posted by: Jim Hoyland Sun 3 Feb 2008, 08:50
Really? I thought children at their mothers' teat knew about ripping...
"Ripping" in this context refers to extracting data from one, fixed and un-editable format, to a more useful one. In this context, you can use iTunes to convert an audio CD to mp3, AAC, AIFF or WAV depending on the settings in iTunes > Preferences > Advanced > Importing.
Another option is to use Toast (if you have it). Simply drag the contents of an audio CD into the audio panel of Toast, highlight the track(s) you need, and press the "Export" button. You can then choose a file format to suit.
Best of luck!
Posted by: Mac Daddy Mon 4 Feb 2008, 08:14
Jim Hoyland, just didn't know the context or definition or was it being used as Slang: "Ripping".
It sounds like a word that would be used in the UK or Australia. The "Ripping" I know, being from limited background is: "That chick was "Ripping" my clothes and throwing them out the window or saying to a dealer, you "Ripping" me off.
Never heard "Ripping" used in the music circles I move in. Something new. Thanks.
Posted by: Mac Daddy Mon 4 Feb 2008, 08:26
Jim Hoyland, Yep, I checked... You're from the UK... Also, I know the definition of "teat" but usually say "tit'. I know "Teat" is more sophisticated but who wants a "Teat"? Them thangs on Pamela Anderson sure ain't called a "Teat" except in Sunny Old England.
Posted by: lancet Mon 4 Feb 2008, 12:35
in quicktime pro you would use Export..... not Save as...
I just tried it. I opened an mp4 and exported it as "Sound to wav".
I hope this helps.
Posted by: qusp74 Tue 5 Feb 2008, 08:40
Yep i'm from australia and we use the word 'ripping', but I don't think its really slang; perhaps more of a technical term. First time I heard it would've been back in 1989' or 1990 while working in a graphic pre-press firm designing on macintosh it was in relation to spooling a large postscript file to disk for the printer, so it probably translates to roughly that.... converting something to a hard disk file from some other medium. Don't think it's an Aussie or Pommie thing at all, just a fairly specific term. although I may be wrong of course. it has certainly entered the popular vernacular here in Australia; id be surprised if it wasn't in the dictionary by now. ;-). So I don't know whether thats cleared anthing up guys, but I just couldn't resist.
Oh and jim. you guys don't really call them 'teats' do you?
Posted by: qusp74 Tue 5 Feb 2008, 08:52
.m4a is fairly specific to apple and itunes; so you should be able to open them in almost any apple software that deals with audio so-long as you have the codec installed, presumably you could even open it up in video editing packages like Final Cut Pro or Adobe premiere and export it as whatever file type you like, as long as its a format supported by quicktime's audio layer. eg. .wav .aiff .mp3 .mov ... .... and many many more.
Posted by: Jim Hoyland Tue 5 Feb 2008, 09:04
Without wanting to get too far into this, I was kicked off Imdb once for typing "tits and ass", whereas I know they'd have no problem with "teats and arse" - but I also think there's an important difference between tits and teats. The tit is the whole package whereas the teat is the nipple. I'm sure Pammy has teats, but after all the surgery, I'm equally sure they don't work anymore. Also Willie the Scottish caretaker from the Simpsons frequently uses "teat" and I've always loved the way you can slip fairly rude English onto American TV - does anyone remember Peggy Wanker from "Married with Children"?
And if you like old-fashioned English, there's Micheal "Monty Python" Palin's "Ripping Yarns" to confuse the issue. In 1930's private school / airforce slang, ripping = good / exciting.
I really should get out more often.
Posted by: qusp74 Tue 5 Feb 2008, 09:24
in fact i remember specifically now where it comes from... RIP that is R aster I mage P rocessor which was a networked computer or earlier even, a proprietry printing device that contained a hard disk, which had the sole purpose of converting an illustrator or photoshop file to a print ready postscript file according to whatever PPD or printer description file you needed. Later I suppose it was adopted by people stealing audio or 'Ripping' CD's because it was kind of appropriate and it sounded like 'ripping someone off' in the manner that Mac Daddy mentioned earlier. so there you go... 
a bit off topic, I know but design just happens to be my background and i'm a bit of a geek at heart. 
also i'm just filling in time while waiting for my copy of the latest chemical brothers album to finish 'ripping' ... just jokes 
I'm bored so I thought i'd infilct some trivia on Y' all. 
Check yas
And if you like old-fashioned English, there's Micheal "Monty Python" Palin's "Ripping Yarns" to confuse the issue. In 1930's private school / airforce slang, ripping = good / exciting.
I really should get out more often.
HMMMMM 'Check out those teats', sounds a bit wrong doesn't it?
ok promise i'll stop now. or I might get moderated.
Posted by: Jim Hoyland Tue 5 Feb 2008, 09:44
Just to complete the circle, I think Australian slang has "Ripped to the tits", meaning very, very drunk.
Posted by: qusp74 Tue 5 Feb 2008, 10:05
that would be 'Ripped off my tits', I know, i've said it more than once
Posted by: jimdubpram Tue 5 Feb 2008, 13:18
Them thangs on Pamela Anderson sure ain't called a "Teat" except in Sunny Old England.
No me old darlin' they are called 'knockers'.
Posted by: Mac Daddy Wed 6 Feb 2008, 10:48
Thanks for the "Ripping" and "Teat" education...
I lived in Oz, but I only heard the word "Ripper".
Posted by: mireth Wed 6 Feb 2008, 17:07
I thought I could do it with my Quicktime Pro but can't find any options in the Save As. Also, tried iTunes itself with no luck. Even tried Apple Loop Utility but it won't load the M4a file.
I use Logic Express 8 and Garageband and I would think that some how I should be able to do this.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
Try our Tutorial,
"How to convert an audio file from AAC(M4A, M4B), MP3, Ogg, WMA, Midi, AIFF
to WAV on Mac OS X using Music Man"
at http://nav.440network.com/out.php?mmsc=forums&url=http://www.mireth.com/wt/mpme-convert-wav-mac.html
Hope this helps. 8-)
Posted by: qusp74 Thu 7 Feb 2008, 14:37
I thought I could do it with my Quicktime Pro but can't find any options in the Save As. Also, tried iTunes itself with no luck. Even tried Apple Loop Utility but it won't load the M4a file.
I use Logic Express 8 and Garageband and I would think that some how I should be able to do this.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
dude........ SAVE AS wont work from anything its not like saving a .tiff from a .jpeg or anything like that. (even then its usually an export option) Whatever program you are using to do it whether it be itunes, logic, protools, even video edit programs like Final cut pro, and of course the myriad of smaller, purpose built file conversion apps that have been mentioned here; pretty much all of them access the quicktime libraries and codecs in order to do it; and generally whichever program you are using, including quicktime pro, EXPORT is your option Except in itunes which only alows you to burn to a disc; which, unless you have the mp3 cd option checked instead of the standard AUDIO CD will convert it to (.aiff,.wav) Itunes will also allow you to 'IMPORT'
files (File/import) and in that process convert your file to whichever you like. (provided you have set the preferences (File/preferences/advanced in that pane you set the import using dropdown to WAV, AIFF MP3 or whatever) You can then find the resulting file in your designated itunes library folder. SOOOOOOO.. tomc11 .I'm sure you have found your solution well before my rantings on
I just like to hear the sound of my own voice, so to speak. I apologize to those that subscribe to this thread only to hear me babble on and on; Its just that I get so much out of the info and good humour on this site and although i've been using Macintosh as a visual artist since I fell in love with the very first 128K beige beast, I can't claim to be a full blown audio professional like a good number of you guys (Maybe some day soon) I just love music, and have what some might call an obsessive personality.
at least thats what my therapist tells me peace out
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