How to cut or trim mp3 file

Often you find that your favorite mp3 song introduction is too long to suit as your mobile phone ring tone right?

You want to skip that lengthy song introduction and straight away want your ring tone start at the chorus of the song. So, how to do that in real quick and of course, free of charge? (I have been asked this question number of times actually, which lead me to write this short tutorial).

It is pretty simple actually. The concept is you just need to highlight the area (of your song track) that you don’t need and cut it out. As simple as that.

Tools of choice range from free and extremely small software to professional class application such as SoundForge or Adobe SoundBooth.

But since this tutorial is focus to average user who doesn’t need to waste hundreds of megabytes and couple of hundred bucks for a software that 99% of its function will never been used, we will use a free tool called mp3DirectCut.

Steps:

• Download mp3directCut from author site or mediafire mirror.
• Install that application.
• Run this application from your desktop.
• Main application graphical user interface will be like screenshot below.

  

• Click on File -> Open (or alternatively you may press Ctrl + O)
• Choose your favorite song that you want to cut/edit/trim as screenshot below. I choose Black Eyed Peas – Boom Boom Pow song for this tutorial. Click Open after you select your favorite song.

  

• Then, you will be prompted with this windows. Just click OK.

  

• Now your mp3directcut windows will show something that below screenshot if you successfully open your mp3 song.

  

• A bit confuse eh? Well don’t. I will explain several key features that need your attention only….in order to reach our goal.
  • As in any media player, here is your play and stop button.
  • Here is indicator to point up where in your mp3 song track is being played.
  • “Set Begin” button is the button that will mark your Starting Point of track selection (that you want to be played as your ringtone).
  • “Set End” button is the button that will mark your ending point of your track selection (track after this end marker will not be saved as your ringtone).
  • Omit this one if you just want to highlight certain area in your mp3 song and save that selection.
• So what you need to do is:
  • Press play button. Your mp3 song will be played. When you hear the chorus area that you want to make it as your ringtone, press stop button.
  • Then click on Set Begin button.
  • Press play again until you listen to the point that you don’t want that area of song to be played as ring tone.
  • Click stop.
  • Then click Set End button
  • Now, a portion of your mp3 song will be highlighted as the screenshot below.

  

• Click File -> Save Selection and you are done.

  If this text guide confuses you, feel free to watch this tutorial’s video at youtube.