A few weeks ago, I wrote a post all about stems and why proper export is so important! I provided a video explaining how to export them. Later I realized I didn’t focus enough time on converting stems into different formats. So let’s do that now!
How to convert WAV to mp3 (or vice versa) in iTunes
First, let’s talk about why you want to do this. When exporting stems (either individually or a mixdown), you’ll want large, uncompressed files for final delivery. WAV or AIF files provide lossless quality so these are the best choice. However, if you don’t care very much about quality and size is your concern, mp3’s are better. When I’m working on a project with a client, I send mp3’s as drafts until I have the final approval and I then send WAV files to complete the project.
So, you’re in iTunes and want to convert a song or track. What next?
Follow these simple steps to convert tracks on iTunes:
1). Click “iTunes” at the top left
2). Click “preferences”
3). Click the “import settings” button
4). At the top, you will see a drop-down list to select the format you’d like
5). Click “OK”
To convert any song or track to the new format, highlight it and go to File > Convert > Create WAV version (or whatever version you’ve chosen).
If you’re more of a visual person, here is the video I made on how to do it: