Preparation: Edit, Cut and Loop an mp3 - how?

[jlrm365]

I read Robert Guerin's "Beating the Loop", on this site: HERE

What I would like to do is add a friend's track to a site.

First, I need to cut out a section of an mp3 I have been given. I then need to figure out where to stop the cut, so that the end loops back (or can easily blend back) into the beginning.

I then will come back to flashkit and do some more research into making the loop work for it's purpose.

Which software packages do users find friendliest, to use - pre-flash - for cutting mp3s and creating loopable tracks?

Thanks for the help, in advance.

[a_modified_dog]

i use Sound Forge
http://www.download.com/3000-2170-10005603.html

fwiw .. don't loop mp3's, they have a silent area that breaks the loop
use wav files instead, Flash will export as mp3 so swf file size is minimal
(fla file size may be huge though)

[ivor1]

I use Audio Edit Magic. It's easy to use and a much cheaper alternative-
http://www.mp3editmagic.com/aem/index.htm

[jlrm365]

Wonderful answers.

I had thought about making a loop, because I was going to also make a ringtone out of the track.

Still, I suppose most ringtones noticeably stop and then begin again, so it wouldn't matter if it was a loop.

It would still be interesting, for the sake of interest, to know how people make loops and what will.

In any case, I'll get started on my prep and have a look at both of those suggestions.

[hp3]

whenever you edit a pre-existing audio file to create a loop make sure you crop the sound at zero crossing points which are where waveform crosses the 0 db point. You dont want a + or - db transient at the begining or end of your loop because this can cause a pop.

For music loops you will need to make sure the duration is matches the tempo or your loop will not be rhythmically accurate. Some loop editors offer tempo analysis to help identify music beats in the loop.

[jlrm365]

Ok. That's really useful info. Could you suggest some loop editors that could do that - perhaps a simple one and a more dynamic one?

Thanks!