9 Steps To Create Your Own Compilation CDs On iTunes

Before we start, a warning, obvious teacher speak coming up: we all know the legalities of this. Keep the CD for yourself and therefore you are not going against copyright.

Step 1.

Create a new playlist

This will allow us to group together all the tracks that we want on our CD, and also allows us to arrange them in an order. Go to file > New Playlist. When it appears in the source list on the left hand side, click on it and give it a name (it will also be the CD name).

Step 2.

Add some tracks

The first tracks are the ones that are already in our iTunes library (ripped from CD or downloaded before hand). You can add tunes by using iTunes search box, type in the artists name and track name into the box. When the track appears in the main window drag and drop it into the new playlist.

Step 3.

Source tracks from CD

That is getting tracks from your own collection of CDs and they are not in your iTunes library. Put your CD into your CD-ROM drive and load up the Internet, then wait for it to appear in iTunes. The track names will appear in the library. If they dont? Make sure you are on the Internet, goto Advanced menu and select Get CD Track Names.

Step 4.

Rip your CD tracks

Goto Edit/Preferences and click on the Importing tab. From the Import Using menu choose AIFF encoder and leave Setting at Automatic. Leave the three boxes unclicked, unless you want to hear the tracks while importing. Drag the now ripped tracks to your playlist.

Step 5.

Add tracks from your Hard Drive

If you have any tunes hiding around on your drive, you need to add them to the library. iTunes can play MP3 or AIFF files, but it converts (non protected) WMA files to MP3 after importing them. Locate your songs, and then drag them onto the Library icon in iTunes source window. From there you can add them to your playlist.

Step 6.

Place tracks in order

This is a case of dragin files to the place where you want them and then drop. You could have similar themes, styles or even beats coupled together. Slow tunes at the start, dancy track at the end?

Step 7.

Set burning preferences

Select Edit menu > Preferences > Advanced > Burning. Set the speed of your CD burner to the max and click the Audio CD button. Now select the gap you would like between tracks. If you want iTunes to force all the tracks to play at the same level, tick Sound Check.

Step 8.

Burning

Double check everything, track order etc. The total time is displayed at the bottom of the iTunes window (dont exceed 72 mins as it wont fit onto a normal CD). Insert a blank CD in your drive and then click on Burn Disk.

Step 9.

CD case insert

This is an insert for your CD case, complete with track listing. Go to File > Print. Select Jewel Case insert and pick a theme. If you have album art on iTunes you can use it to create a cover. Standard is White Mosaic. Click page set-up and check everything is ok, especially the paper for printer use. Then Print.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dominic_Hough

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