Month: November 2010

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How to convert YouTube videos to MP3 audio

It has come to my attention that many people out there are looking for instructions on how to convert YouTube Videos easily into MP3 files for your MP3 player.  I know this isn’t directly related to the MIDI topic, but it is one step further in my quest to find the perfect YouTube to MIDI converter.

So I looked at a bunch of different options.  Only two stood out to me as being good enough to mention. If you have any other suggestions, please mention them in the comments below. I would be very interested to hear your thoughts.

The runner up (not my first choice) would be the web site: www.video2mp3.net .  The Good: It’s very easy to use. Just copy the URL link from the desired YouTube video and paste it into the form field on the Video2MP3 website, then hit “convert”. The Bad: There are some annoying Ad screens to wade through and the first time I tried it I got several pop-up spam screens (never good). The second attempt however, was pop-up free. They have two quality settings, normal and high. If you choose the high quality option you may need to stand in line. They have a Que system and it could take a while to get to you.  However, if you need an MP3 made from a YouTube video and won’t be doing this type of conversion very often, this is a solid option.

YouTube MP3 ConvertNext, and a better solution for me, is the FireFox plugin.  (found here) . The Good: You simply find the YouTube video you want to download as MP3 and click the “Download as MP3” button. Extremely easy.  THE BAD: It only works in FireFox, And you have to install 3 plugins before you can use it. The plugins are…

  1. Grease Monkey Plugin: Download Here
  2. Grease Fire Plugin: Download Here (optional but recommended)
  3. YouTube to MP3 Plugin: Download Here

However, if you have access to FireFox…  it is so easy. Plus, if you do use FireFox on any regular basis, you’re going to want the GreaseMonkey and GreaseFire plugins anyway. They are incredible enhancements to the overall browsing experience.

So, using the information I just gave you, within just a few minutes you too can have MP3 versions of your favorite YouTube clips.

Have another MP3 from YouTube conversion tip? Let us know in the comments below.

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Why MIDI is Better Than Audio Loops

Why MIDI is Better Than Audio Loops…

Here are a few good reasons.  And if you see any I’ve missed, let me know in the comments below.

MIDI
AUDIO LOOPS
User Editable
Yes
No
Pitch Transpose
Unlimited
Very Limited Range
Tempo Variation
Unlimited
Very Limited Range
Edit a single note in the pattern
Yes
No
Ability to change instrumentation
Yes
No
File Size
Tiny
Large
Device Compatibility
Wide Range
No
Software Compatibility
Wide Range
Somewhat Limited

To be fair though, there are some advantages to using sound loops though.  The primary benefit is that they are essentially ready ‘out of the box’. If you have software that can accept them, you simply plug them in and away you go. You don’t have to set up a sound source first.

But having said that, I will always love MIDI above all other forms of recording because of its HUGE flexibility.

MIDI ROCKS!