How to Merge Audio Book Files
By Christina Shaffer
Many business audiobooks provide motivational and marketing tactics that can help you improve your business. Whether you downloaded the audiobook from the Web or transferred the original CD to your computer, the audiobook most likely contains a number of audio files. By merging the tracks together, you can create a single, consolidated audiobook file that will play continuously. To join the audiobook files, use a program such as iTunes, Free MP3 Joiner or Merge MP3. After you combine the tracks, you can transfer the single audiobook file to your iPod or MP3 player and listen to it on the go.
Using iTunes
Step 1
Open iTunes, click the “File” tab and select the “Add File to Library” option. Navigate through your folders and select the audiobook files you want to import to iTunes. Click “Open.”
Step 2
Click “Music” in the Library navigation pane and locate the audiobook files.
Step 3
Press “Ctrl-A" to select all of the audiobook files on the screen. Right-click the selected files and select the “Get Info” option.
Step 4
Click the “Options” tab at the top of the “Multiple Item Information” dialog box and select the “Audiobook” option from the “Media Kind” drop-down menu. Change the “Remember Position,” “Gapless Album” and “Skip when Shuffling” fields to “Yes.”
Step 5
Select the “Info” tab in the “Multiple Item Information” window and enter relevant information, such as the author's name and the title of the book. Click “OK” to save the settings and exit the window.
Step 6
Click “Books” in the Library navigation pane and double-click the book cover.
Step 7
Arrange the audiobook files in the correct order. Some audiobooks list each individual track as a book chapter, such as “Chapter 1,” “Chapter 2,” etc. Make sure the chapters are in chronological order. After you arrange the files, the order will be saved automatically in iTunes. The audiobook will also play continuously and in the correct order after you sync it to an iPod.
Using Free MP3 Joiner
Step 1
Download and install Free MP3 Joiner (see Resources). The program can merge a handful of popular audiobook formats, including MP3, WAV and WMA.
Step 2
Launch Free MP3 Joiner.
Step 3
Click the “Add Files” button and select the audiobook files you want to merge. Click “Open” to import the files.
Step 4
Arrange the audiobook files by dragging and dropping them to your preferred location in the merge list.
Step 5
Click the “Settings” button to adjust the audio presets. Select a high-quality preset such as CD or studio quality. Click “OK” to save the settings.
Step 6
Click the “Merge” button in the bottom right corner of the screen. Enter a name for the audiobook and select a destination folder. Click “Save” to merge the audio files.
Using Merge MP3
Step 1
Download and install Merge MP3 if you want to convert audiobook files in MP3 format (see Resources).
Step 2
Open Merge MP3, click the “File” tab and select “Add Files.” Navigate through your folders and import your preferred audiobook files.
Step 3
Organize the audiobook files in the correct order by using the “up" and “down" arrow icons on the toolbar.
Step 4
Press “Ctrl-M" and enter a file name for the audiobook. Choose your preferred output folder and click “Save” to merge the audiobook files.
References
Writer Bio
Christina Shaffer is a freelance writer based in New Jersey and has been writing arts and entertainment articles since 2005. Her articles have appeared in "Philadelphia City Paper." Shaffer received a B.A. in journalism and gender studies at Rutgers University.