The smart mp3 converter for easy music conversion

Select source

After starting the program, select the source from which you want to import audio files. This is usually a folder with audio files or an audio CD. SOUND FORGE Audio Cleaning Lab also allows you to directly record vinyls, cassettes, speech, as well as the included web radio options and convert them to MP3.

For example, let's say you have a folder on your hard drive with audio files that you want to convert to MP3.

• Click "File" and navigate to the folder.

All the audio files will be displayed in the program window. You can select them and preview them using the play arrow to the left of the file.

• To convert a file, start by clicking "Import".

To select a second file that should also be converted, click on the file to select it, and then click "Import" again. This will place the second file after the first one in the Project window. Once you've done this, you can compile as many files as you like for conversion in the following step. Audio CDs first have to be ripped, which takes a few seconds. They cannot be edited immediately like normal audio files. If you want to convert an audio CD, proceed as follows:

• Insert the audio CD into the drive and click the "CD" button above the file list.

Now, all the CD tracks will be listed and can be imported like audio files.

• If you need more track info, click the "gnudb" button.

This will open the gnudb online database to get the available information about artist, album, title etc. and add it to the file(s).

• If no info can be found there, select "CD > ID3 Editor" from the menu..

Now, you can enter all information in the ID3 editor manually.

Converting songs

Second, convert the imported songs to MP3... Or to AAC, OGG, FLAC, WAV, and WMA.

• On the left, switch to the "Export" view.
• Click on "Settings". This opens the "Export project" dialog.
• Choose the desired format under "File type".
• Specify the target directory for the converted files, adjust the encoder settings if necessary (normally, this can be left with the default setting of MP3 at 192 kBit) and finally click "Export".

Complete. Now, all the imported songs can be converted to the desired format one after another.

On the left, click on "Cleaning" to open the enhancement tools for eliminating noise. You can access the following special effects here:

• DeClicker/DeCrackler: Use this to remove pops and crackling from old records, as well as clicking noise that typically occurs on damaged CDs.
• DeClipper: The DeClipper removes overmodulation.
• DeNoiser: A noise removal tool that allows you to select a noise sample, then filter it out of the recording. It is ideal for consistent noise or humming.
• DeHisser: A specialized tool for removing noise like that found on cassette recordings.
• VST: The VST slots can be used for various third-party VST plug-ins.

On the left, click "Mastering" for additional audio effects that you can use to enhance the sound, adjust the volume, or change the stereo panorama:

• Param. EQ: You can access a parametric equalizer with four adjustable frequency bands here. It can be used to boost or cut the bass, lower mids, upper mids, and treble individually.
• Multimax: A multiband compressor with three adjustable frequency bands. This can be used to increase punch and loudness without pumping noise and other artifacts typical of compressors.
• Sound Cloner: This is an extremely powerful filter module that can be used, for example, to apply the sound characteristics of a specific song to other songs.
• Echo: This can be used for your own recordings, for example.
• Dynamics: A compressor, which can be used to suppress noise. It can also be applied as a limiter to prevent clipping.
• Brilliance: The Billiance Enhancer creates artificial harmonics, but they blend naturally into the sound so that old recordings sound like new ones.
• Video Sound Optimizer: A specialized tool for improving clarity of speech that was intended for video sound, but is also useful for voice recordings, for example.
• Graph. EQ: A graphic equalizer with ten fixed frequency bands.
• Stereo Enhancer: This allows you to edit the layout of the stereo panorama. Use it to make a recording sound "wider" or "magically" turn mono recordings into stereo recordings.
• Reverb: Primarily useful as a room simulator to make a recording more natural and cohesive.
• VST: There are several slots for third-party VST plug-ins like iZotope Ozone.

In general, you can apply all the effects to an entire project – that is, to all the songs in the Project window – or individually to each song or range within a song. To do this, click the gear symbol in the center of the waveform display and apply the desired effect for that section.