Converting Audio Formats

Getting the swing

Article from Issue 50/2005
Author(s):

The command line swings. In this

issue of “Command Line”we investigate

how you can grab tracks from

audio CDs and convert sound files to

other formats. No matter whether

you choose wav,MP3 or Ogg Vorbis,

you can rely on the shell to convert

your files.

You do not need a GUI-based tool to

convert sound files to different formats

– the command line gives

you everything you need. To get started,

we will be looking at two programs that

grab tracks from audio CDs and store

them in wav format. Following that, we

will be looking at tips and tricks for

converting various audio formats and

learning how clever use of bash features

can speed up the process.

Grabbing with cdda2wav cdda2wav [1] (“compact disc digital

audio to wav”) is a program that most

distributors include. Debian users can

install the tool by running

apt-get install cdda2wav

Before you launch cdda2wav, check to

see if you can access your CD-ROM drive

with a non-privileged user account (see

Box 1). To grab a track, you need to use

the -t option and the track number. The

program also expects the device name of

your CD-ROM drive, which you can supply

by adding a -D option:

Buy this article as PDF

Express-Checkout as PDF
Price $2.95
(incl. VAT)

Buy Linux Magazine

SINGLE ISSUES
Print Issues
Digital Issues
 
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Print Subs
Digisubs
 
TABLET & SMARTPHONE APPS
Get it on Google Play

US / Canada

Get it on Google Play

UK / Australia

Related content

  • Command-Line Tools

    Learn more about Linux text-based multimedia utilities for playing streams, editing images, and reading CDs or DVDs from the command-line.

    more »
  • soundKonverter

    Your new media player might match your new outfit, but does it use the audio files formats you have? SoundKonverter helps you easily reformat your music collection.

    more »
  • Command Line: MPlayer and MEncoder

    MPlayer and MEncoder have considerable potential, and you can control them by means of intelligent command-line options. We’ll put both programs to work.

    more »
  • Ripping Audio Streams

    FM no longer has the biggest selection of radio stations. Instead, you need an Internet connection. But how can you save a copy of your favorite web broadcast?

    more »
  • NeroLINUX

    Does Nero meet the challenge of native Open Source Linux CD utilities, or does it just fiddle while it burns?

    more »
comments powered by Disqus

Visit Our Shop

Trial Subscription

Digital Subscription

Subscribe

Direct Download

Read full article as PDF:

Converting_Audio_Formats_on_the_Command_Line.pdf (320.25 kB)

DevOps

News

Tag Cloud

Administration Community Events Hardware Linux Linux New Media Linux Pro Magazine Mobile Programming Software Ubuntu Web Development Windows free software open source
njobs Europe
What:
Where:
Country:
Njobs Netherlands Njobs Deutschland Njobs United Kingdom Njobs Italia Njobs France Njobs Espana Njobs Poland
Njobs Austria Njobs Denmark Njobs Belgium Njobs Czech Republic Njobs Mexico Njobs India Njobs Colombia