Burning audio files from CD

Now let's take a step-by-step look at how to create an Audio CD using Nero.

All settings may be left at their default values.

  1. Insert an empty CD-R into the CD recorder.
  2. Insert an Audio CD into your CD drive.
  3. Start a new compilation by clicking on the appropriate button or the File menu and the command New.
  4. Click the 'Audio CD' icon - the Audio CD tab is in front. Use the tabs to specify the attributes of the compilation, such as the name of the CD, different characteristics and restrictions.
  5. Use the CDA Options tab to specify the strategy which Nero will use to handle the CDA files on an Audio CD (see also: Dragging & dropping audio tracks).
  6. Once you have selected your settings, click the New button on the right. You will now see the empty compilation window for CD.

    If a File Browser is not open yet you can open one by selecting New File Browser from the View menu or clicking the appropriate 'File Browser' icon. To specify that Nero is started with an open File Browser, check 'Start with File Browser' in the 'General' section on the File Browser tab (File -> Preferences).

  7. Insert the first original CD from which you wish to extract audio tracks into your CD-ROM drive and open this drive with the File Browser.
  8. Compile the CDA files for the first audio CD using Drag&Drop editing by simply clicking on the required files in the File Browser and dragging them into the compilation window.

    Nero now analyzes the source CD and the required CDA files and shows them in the File Browser. You will also see a small window in which you can enter a name for the source CD. This is for your own convenience so that when you select the reference strategy for writing Nero can prompt you to insert the named CD that it needs for writing.

  9. Double click one (or more) audio files to open the 'Audio Information' dialog box. The tabs offer you a wide variety of options:

    'Audio Track Properties' tab

    You can give the selected piece of music a name and enter the artist.

    If the audio tracks can be burned in the 'Disk-at-Once' mode then you can specify the pause between the tracks (this is particularly useful with live recordings if you do not want pauses, i.e. silence in this case, between tracks – select a pause time of 0 seconds in this situation).

    If you have a retail version of Nero you can create a cross fade between two audio tracks, so the new number starts to play quietly while the current number is still playing. The current track will meld into the new track without a break. In this case activate the checkbox and specify the seconds for the fade.

    'Indexes, Limits, Split' tab

    The top part of the tab shows the progress of the audio track as a graph.

    The New Index button sets a new index position at the selected position. For a CD player this is the position from which a new number starts and the player can also jump to it directly.

    Caution: Not all CD players support this function.

    The Split button splits the audio track at the selected position, i.e. the track is physically split and becomes two (or more) tracks. These split tracks behave just like two independent tracks, so they can be named and the pause between them can be specified.

    The Play button plays the track from the selected position. While the track is playing the button switches to a Stop button.

    The Delete button deletes a selected new index position or the position for a split track.

    'Filter' tab

    You will see a number of filters on the left. The settings on the right change depending on the selected filter.

    To select a filter, activate its checkbox. The Test Selected Filters button plays the audio track - this lets you check that you are happy with the result before you confirm the changes.

  10. Now insert the second CD (the one with the audio files you want to burn) into your CD-ROM drive, select the File Browser and update the screen contents by pressing F5 (or select the Refresh option from the View menu).
  11. Open the drive with the File Browser and compile the CDA files for the second Audio CD with Drag&Drop as described above in Point 8.

    Repeat the last three steps for each additional CD you wish to use.

  12. Click on the Write CD button or select the Write CD command from the File menu to open the write dialog box. This option is only available when the compilation window is selected, as can be seen from the fact that the title bar is blue. If the File Browser is selected (and the title bar of the compilation window is therefore grayed) the option is not available and CD writing cannot be started. In this case click anywhere in the compilation window.

    The 'Write CD' dialog box now opens - it is the same as when creating a new compilation but the Burn tab is now in front.

    Important: Do not deactivate the 'Disc-at-Once' checkbox if it is already selected. If the checkbox is not active the CD will be written in the 'Track-at-Once' mode which may result in hiss and crackle between tracks.

  13. Click the Burn button to start the burning process. All the selected steps now run in sequence until writing is complete. You can monitor progress in a status window which shows the individual steps being logged as they are executed.
  14. If you selected the reference strategy when you compiled the tracks, Nero can prompt you to insert the required CD while writing is in progress.
  15. A typical final message would be: 'Burn process was successful with 12x (1800 KB/s)'. The CD is then ejected. The messages shown can either be saved, printed or discarded. Close the window by clicking on the Discard or Close buttons.
  16. You can now check what has been written to your new Audio CD by inserting it again and clicking the 'CD Info' icon.

    Important: If your burned Audio CDs crackle, hum or hiss, you probably have problems with the so-called 'Audio Jitter Effect'. This is due to basic problems which the hardware has when reading audio data and has nothing to do with Nero.

    You will find further information in these chapters: 'Setting speed on CD/DVD-ROM drives' and 'Verifying audio read quality'.


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