Extracting CD Tracks in Sound Forge 9

Sound Forge allows users to create and manipulate many different audio files. You can even extract audio from CDs and open them as tracks in Sound Forge. This will explain the basic steps involved in this process.

Open Sound Forge, click File, and then click on Extract Audio from CD. In the dialog box that opens, use the Action menu at the top to choose how you want to extract the audio from three different options. You can preview your selection by clicking the Play button.

Read by track allows you to extract individual CD tracks. Select certain tracks or all of them in the Tracks to Extract list. Each individual track is extracted to a new track in the project.

Read entire disc will extract the whole CD into a single file. The disc is extracted to a new track in your project.

Read by range allows you to extract a time range of the CD. You can choose a starting time and ending time, or a starting time and length. The selected time range is extracted to a new track in the Sound Forge project.

Below the Tracks to extract area there are two check boxes. If you want to create regions in the extracted audio file to indicate each track place a check in the Create regions for each track box. Place a check in the Create markers for each index change box in order to create markers to indicate each index change.

In the Drive drop down menu, choose the CD drive that contains the CD from which you want to extract audio tracks.

From the Speed drop-down menu, choose the rate at which you want to extract audio. You may want to decrease the speed if you experience gapping. You can also click the Configure button to adjust the Audio extract optimization slider.

If Sound Forge is able to access the information about a track or CD it will automatically read and display this information when you insert a CD or browse your computer. But if Sound Forge cannot display the information, you can click on the MusicID button on the right to use the Gracenote Media Database. You will be required to register, but it is free to both register and use. If the software cannot connect to the database, then the tracks will be listed by number. You can click on the CD Info which opens a dialog box to edit the CD information and submit it to the Gracenote Media Database. Extracting audio files from a CD can be done quickly and easily using Sound Forge 9. Remember, though, that the software is not intended and should not be used for illegal copying or sharing of copyrighted materials.