Tech Help Needed: Music on CD

[SalsaAmore]

Does anyone know how to transfer only one song from a CD to another blank CD. How is this done and can it be done? This is used for a Salsa competition and the quality needs to be high.

Or, anyone experienced in Salsa competitions, is it common practice that the DJ just plays the particular # song on the CD that you indicate you want?

I don't know much of anything about music tech and advice from experienced music techs, DJ's or Salsa comp pros would help. Thanks!

[dTas]

you have to "rip" the .wav or .wma off of the CD you want and burn it to the blank.

do you have any CD burning software? usually there's an option to "rip" a song.

the new windows media player can also rip a wma off of a CD which you can burn to a blank and most CD players will play it.

[Indiana_Jay]

Does anyone know how to transfer only one song from a CD to another blank CD. How is this done and can it be done? This is used for a Salsa competition and the quality needs to be high.

It's really quite easy, but you have to have a computer with a CD burner. If your computer doesn't have one, ask some local friends. The devices are sufficiently common that it is likly one of your friends can help you out.

-Jay

[SalsaAmore]

That's really great to know how it's done. I'm glad that it's not too difficult and it's something that I can actually manage. From someone who doesn't know much about music tech - that is a relief. Thanks for your help dtas and Jay!

[Tasek]

Most of the software supplied with cd-burners should have an option to copy music-cd's. Or just ask a geeky friend, shouldn't be too difficult. Oh and be careful to let the cd cool off for a bit, they get scorching hot when burning (not really, just kidding ;) )

[Medira]

CDex is a great program for ripping tracks to .wav or .mp3. From there, you can burn the track to a new cd using your regular burning software.

[mambonewb]

iTunes will work in this case as well (PC or Mac). Just pop your CD in and select the track you want to rip. Now you'll have the track in your iTunes library.

Next, create a playlist with that single track and click on the big button on the top right (it looks like a radiation hazard sign). When it's done, you'll be presented with your 1-track CD. Voila!

Of course, this is assuming the system used has a CD burner :wink:

[SalsaAmore]

This is great info. Thanks everyone!

[itorres]

Does anyone know how to transfer only one song from a CD to another blank CD. How is this done and can it be done? This is used for a Salsa competition and the quality needs to be high.

Or, anyone experienced in Salsa competitions, is it common practice that the DJ just plays the particular # song on the CD that you indicate you want? Two things here: 1. Only one song to avoid DJ messing up the day of the routine 2. high quality
The suggestion of ripping it to disk and then burning it could cause loss of quality. The ripping to mp3 or wma will likely decrease the audio quality as it compresses the file to save space on the hard disk. Although, this may be unnoticeable to most and it depends on the equipment you use to listen to it.

Most software included with a CD burner will allow you to specify you want to create an audio disk. It should allow you to pick songs (or just one) from different CDs and burn them to a new one. This is the best alternative to straight copying one CD exactly to another, which allows the DJ to play the wrong track.

I would also make at least two copies and test them on a couple different CD players. Some home burned CDs fail to play on some older equipment and you don't want that to happen the day of the competition. This happened to me after hours programming music and burning 5 CDs for a party and then their player wouldn't play them. :(
Actually, I would go up to the DJ the day before if possible and ask them if it plays OK..... or take my own CD player with line out connection for his mixer just in case. This may be overkill... but like backing up your computer, how much will it hurt if it doesn't work? :cry: Only you know...

In case they play the wrong track.. I once saw a group routine on our Congress. The lights were dimmed...the dancers took their positions and poses...then the wrong song started playing :shock: :shock:
Nobody moved! This girl just lifted her arm and shook her finger slowly - "No,no!" Then she holds four fingers for the number of the song... 8)

That was cool under pressure, the audience loved it!

[SalsaAmore]

Thanks for the advice, Ivan, those are all good things to look out for and it's definitely good to have a back-up plan.