Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Fake Birdjam update!


Well--the fake Birdjam project is on hold for now while I try to get to the bustling metropolis of State College to buy an audio CD (as opposed to a data CD) to record the AAC tracks onto. WTF, you're asking? Here's the blow-by-blow:

1. I downloaded the Birdjam maker software, courtesy of my pal Jay Davis at Birdjam. I installed everything according to the instructions, and it went off without a hitch.

2. I reloaded my Stokes Eastern Birds CDs into iTunes. I have a PC at work, but at home I have an old iMac (who knows which model--it was someone's FREE! hand-me-down).

3. I then ran the conversion of the song files through the Birdjam maker program. It was really easy--you just click a button and voila, the program goes through and does the work of separating double tracks (i.e. American Bittern/Least Bittern) and taking Lang Elliot's voice at the beginning of each track ("Warbling Vireo") out. It converts the files to AAC format in order to accomplish this editing.

4. Because my phone does not play AAC files (when I loaded the tracks onto the phone, the phone didn't recognize the edits that were made because it's not an iPhone. So I need to convert the AACs back into mp3 files. I googled "convert AAC to mp3" and got a nice little geeky site that explained the easiest way to make this conversion is to copy the AAC files onto an audio (not a data) CD.

5. Once I do that (I haven't gone into town because school is over, so I have no reason to waste the gas to go there yet. I need to add more errands to the trip so I can justify it -- we're on a very tight gas budget at the Marsh House, and for good reason!) -- once I get the audio CD, I'll copy the AAC tracks (which are edited and which contain all the Birdjam information like a transcription of the bird song, the Latin name for the bird, etc.) onto it. Then I'll convert those files on the CD back to mp3s with iTunes. (for a good explanation of this, see that geeky site linked above).

So that's where I am. But for the high price of gas, I would have my fake Birdjam! Curse you, oil companies! Curse you, gasoline-powered (albeit economical) car! Curse you, oh culture (and self) so dependent on oil!

15 comments:

John B. said...

I think the difference between an audio or music CD and a data CD has more to do with the encoding format your burner uses and less with the physical CD itself. So if you have CDs you use for data, you could probably use them for this project.

dguzman said...

John -- Well, the guy on the geeky web site made it a point to say not to use a regular data disk, only an audio disk. So--?? But I will give it a try with my data disk (and maybe even my jump drive!) tonight. Thanks!

NCmountainwoman said...

Oh. Now I understand...not! Good luck anyhow.

dguzman said...

NCMtnWoman--you'd understand if you'd read all the directions like I did. It's not too bad. Plus the reward is well worth the effort!

Anonymous said...

I would be cussing all of the folks running for President too because none of them has clue one about a realistic energy policy otherwise I am with you 100%. :)

Susan Gets Native said...

I haz a cornfusion.

LauraHinNJ said...

I don't have a fricking clue what all you're talking about Delia, but I hope it works!

Thanks for the update.

(I am so not a computer geek!)

;-)

Fran said...

This is the best blog post I have read in days.

Seriously. BirdJam.

I know those birds will be on your phone soon.

Oil companies... ugh.

Birdsongs... good.

dguzman said...

Rick--hear, hear!

Susan--hee hee!

Laura--I'm kinda learning on the fly myself.

Fran--that's a big reason I keep this blog: to balance the ugliness of politics and economics. Otherwise, I'd go insane.

Larry said...

I've been carpooling and riding buses which is something that I would have never thought about doing two years ago.-I may try to set up my own fake birdjam -good idea.

RG said...

People have been cursing politics and economics everysince they were invented! I suppose they are better than a lot of alternatives.

I did like hearing that gas buying and plane riding is going down .. that is the kind of action that gets change!!!

You have the patience of Job to go with that project. I guess we all will tune in soon to see the good results!

But I agree with John .. can't say I ever saw cd's labeled specifically for audio/data ... it is when you fire up the burning software that it wants to know your pleasure so it can be formatted correctly.

Hey! The word verification is either geese or Qeese! I'll know in a second. Either way, it is that nice banner picture you show!

I'm going first with geese! If you don't hear rom me, that was it!

Nope it was qeese .. but, close enough!

Anonymous said...

You do not need a special CD to copy the audio files. The audio CD will be created when you move the files from the computer to the CD. You can do that in Windows Media Player or Real Player(not a good choice) of with the software that came with the cd player. I use iTunes to make play lists and then copy the playlists to a CD. John was right on the money.

Sorghum Crow said...

Bird Jam

4 and 20 blackbirds
8 cups sugar
1 T. lemon juice

......

dguzman said...

Larry--I'll soon have the directions up on how to do it!

Rabbits' Guy--I skipped the CD step altogether and it worked out. Success is sweet!

Rick--I guess that geeky guy on the web didn't know what he was talking about.

Sorghum Crow--dangit, and I've been messing with all this electronic computer stuff! What a waste of time. Thanks for the easy recipe!

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