mp3Trim is a program available for
Windows.
It is, as the name suggests, a utility for the mp3 file format.
As mp3s are compressed, it is usually the case that to perform any type of operation on them you have to decompress to wave audio, then re-encode. Which is A Bad Thing, right?
mp3Trim digitally edits the file in-place, think VirtualDub's 'direct stream copy' feature.
The two most useful features are volume normalization and fade in/out effects.
If you download an mp3 that is just one of a whole concert it is likely that the file will start abruptly with crowd screeching. You have 2 choices:
- Put up with it (not good for the audiophile)
- Decompress. Add a fade effect with your wave editor application. Re-encode losing quality (even worse!)
mp3Trim edits the volume settings of each frame in the file. If you change a whole bunch of frames in succession, you get a fade effect. Simple!
Naturally, it is possible to raise/lower the volume of the file as a whole. Often when home brew recordings from the TV are released on the Internet they may be very quiet. No more!
Finally, it is possible to cut whole chunks of the file from the beginning or end. I do not like muffled crowd banter before a song, so I snip it out and save a couple of precious K.
The downside of the program is that it is limited to 7 minute files, so if you're into drawn out Oasis songs, you're screwed unless you cough up $79.95. I'm not that obsessed about my songs to pay that!
Get it at http://www.logiccell.com/~mp3trim/
To help keep the Internet full of perfect mp3s I recommend you fix them with mp3Trim and then tag with MPTagger.