QuickTime is well-known as a video player, but it also comes with powerful audio capabilities. The platform is not commonly used with the standard MP3 format, but it works with M4A audio format, which you can convert, or save to MP3. The program has some powerful capabilities for a limited and specific range of audio requests, and the conversion of QuickTime files to MP3 is easy.
The QuickTime Audio Advantage
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The QuickTime platform is seldom used to play audio-only files. It works great with video, however, and has an audio element designed to function in conjunction with video-format files. QuickTime has the unique ability to separate audio and video, making it possible to isolate and save an audio-only file.
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Filming a live music performance, for example, leaves you with a video file. With QuickTime, you can pull the audio and extract the track into an audio-only format. Numerous other programs have a similar capability, but QuickTime makes the process painless.
After the audio is extracted and you save it to MP3, it becomes compatible with iTunes, Windows Media Player and just about any media program.
Extracting Audio With QuickTime
Open your video or other interactive media file in QuickTime. It does not matter if the video is playing. You can let it run or pause the video to focus on the extraction process. Click on File in the primary navigation to generate a drop-down menu.
Next, hover the cursor over Export to generate a secondary drop-down menu. Click on Audio Only in this menu. This action generates a window for the file label settings. Type the file name in the Export As box and choose the location file on your hard drive for the saved location.
Click Save to isolate the audio and save the file in the desired location. You now have an M4A audio file saved. This file is not compatible with many media players, and you must convert it to MP3 to finalize the process.
Convert QuickTime File to MP3
A QuickTime M4A file is easy to convert to MP3 format. However, you need a third-party application to make the conversion. While applications are available for download, a cloud-based program is your best bet.
Look for free options, as numerous exist. The conversion should not require a fee a or software download. If you find yourself downloading bulk files, paying for a service may speed up the process. In most cases, however, the free version is suitable and remain fast and easy to use. Online Convert and Cloud Convert are two popular applications often used for the conversion, but others exist as well.
Open your conversion program and choose the Select File option. Scroll through your hard drive to access the file. Select the file and click OK or Open to bring the file into the converter.
Make sure to choose MP3 as the conversion file option. Click Start or Convert, depending on the program you use, and wait. It generates the new file quickly. In most cases, the conversion only requires a minute and sometimes finalizes in seconds. Save the new MP3 file.
You can now open the file with iTunes, Windows Media Player or any other media player program because MP3 is the standard file format. Keep the old M4A file, however. It may work in future media programs.