Making regular audio CD's

Even if you are not so informed about burning CD's, you can make your own audio CD's for use in your car, home, or office CD player. Here's what you'll need:

1. A computer with a CD "burner" — a CD drive that can write to a special blank CD of either the "CD-R" or "CD-RW" type.

2. One or more blank CD's (available everywhere anymore — electronic stores, even grocery stores and Walmart).

3. Software to convert the MP3's here on the site to the standard audio CD format, and "burn" (write) them to a blank CD. There is a free (legally free) software program available which we have hosted on the website here called "Express Burn". If you like it, you can buy a more sophisticated version from the distributor (with whom we are not associated). However, the free version works great for our purposes.

Downloading and using Express Burn

It's easy!  Just click here.  Depending on your browser and security settings, you will either have to save this file, or you can just "execute" or "run" it.  If you execute it, it will immediately download and guide you through the install.  If you download it, put it somewhere you can find it, and after it downloads you should run it by clicking or double-clicking on it (depending on your system).   NOTE: This software is for Microsoft Windows only.  If you have a MAC or some flavor of LINUX, you'll have to find something else to use.

You need change nothing during setup, all the defaults are fine.  But you do need to answer the license question when it appears as shown below.  Just check that you agree (after reading it if you like: it's a pretty standard agreement).

You will be asked if you want to download some additional software very quickly after the software starts installing.  Just press the CANCEL button when this screen appears. It will appear something like the screen below.

After this, the main screen for Express Burn will come up and it looks like the one below. Make sure the button marked "Audio CD" is highlighted (click on it if necessary).  Now you can either click the "Add" button, or drag-and-drop your MP3's from wherever you stored them.  Haven't any MP3's yet?   Read on!

We'll assume you came here because you want to put some sermons on CD.  You were in a window that could bring up the archives before you asked to see these instructions.  You should see that window in the "Task Bar" at the bottom of your screen, or you may have "tabs" at the top of this page in your browser listing the open windows.  Using one of those methods,  you can switch back and forth between the archive page and this one.  Once you go back to that page, click on the year you want to select some audio from, then decide which  file you want and follow these instructions:

1. "Right click" on the item you want to download).

2a. If your browser is Microsoft Internet Explorer (the normal Windows browser), then select "Save Target As" from the menu which appears.

2b. If your browser is Mozilla, Firefox, or Netscape, then select "Save Link As" from the menu which appears.

3. Click the left mouse button on the selected action , and then tell the program where to put the file you are downloading -- just pick somewhere you can find it later.

You can now either open the area where you put the file and drag and drop it into the Express Burn window, or you can click the "Add File" button and browse to the file you just downloaded (or some other file you want to burn to CD).

An important limitation of Express Burn is that it will only burn MP3 and WAV files (after it automatically converts them to standard CD format).  You can use this program to make standard audio CD's from those types of files only.

Once you've put something into the window, it should look something like this:

Make careful note of the number which appears in the lower right hand corner.  It's the total time of the CD.  Most audio CD's can only hold 74 minutes (1 hour 14 minutes).  Here we can see we have 31 minutes and 26 seconds of audio. 

You will generally be able to fit two typical sermons on a single CD, and sometimes 3, depending on their length.  Even though some CD's now store 80 minutes of sound, it's best not to depend on it and use the 74 minute limit.

Once you have the material you want to burn in the window, then click the "Burn CD" button and you'll get this screen:

The only thing you may need to do with this screen is select the drive letter of your CD burner drive.  Make sure you have a blank CD-R or CD-RW in the drive.  Once this is done, press the "OK" button and the CD will be burned!  When it's complete, the drive tray will come out automatically, and you can take your new CD and try it! 

If you have any problems you can't figure out, email me at john.griggs@nhfchurch.com and I'll try to help you.