Concert CD problem

[bort]

Hi all,
I just got a CD of a recent band concert, and they way it was recorded, the track breaks (between narrations, movements, etc.) come at unnatural points.

I'm thinking there has to be an easy way to fix this. My first thought is to:
- rip the CD into mp3s
- string all of the mp3s into one massive file
- split this single file into tracks wherever I want

What program should I use to do this? Does anyone know of an easier way to do this? I use a PC, and only have the standard Microsoft junk, nothing fancy or anything.

Help? Thanks!

[SplatterTone]

There is probably a slicker way to do this with Audacity. But a brute force way is to use the menu:
Project
Import Audio
select the ripped files.

Audacity will bring them in as individual, not connected, files. You can select the second file, drag select it with the mouse, use Edit->Copy. Then go to the first file and Paste to the end. Keep doing that until you have everything on the first file. Then you edit the first file, drag select with a mouse however you want to do it. Then use menu: File->Export selection as MP3.

[tubafatness]

Another free (or at least trial) program you could use is Acoustica Mixcraft. With this program, all you would need to do is rip the mp3s onto your hard drive, import them, and edit as you wish.

[Carroll]

What program should I use to do this?

Here is a link to Audacity. I've heard a lot of good things about it.http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Here is another vote for Audacity. I use it all the time... easy, effective, FREE!

[bort]

Thanks for the advice! Now I'm sold on Audacity too...

[SplatterTone]

Handy tip #1: A quick and reliable to set Audacity to the beginning or end of a track is to use the <<and>> buttons on the playback controls. Then when you move the cursor to beginning or end of the track the cursor will change to a pointing finger.

Handy tip #2: When fine editing a track, use the View -> Zoom menu multiple times.