Ripping the soundtrack from a video with VLC
Ripping the sound from a video is quite easy, with the right tools. Here’s how to do it using the open-source video player VLC.
- Open up the video in VLC. VLC is able to play pretty much any video file. Do this by opening VLC, then going File -> Quick Open File, then finding your video.
- Click File -> Wizard to start the Streaming/Transcoding Wizard
- Click Transcode/Save to File, then click Next
- Click Existing Playlist Item, then select the video you just opened from the list, then click Next.
- Tick only the Transcode Audio option. Make sure MP3 is the selected codec, then click Next.
- For the Encapsulation Format, Click RAW, and then click Next.
- Click Choose, then find a place to save your MP3 file.
- Click Finish, and VLC will rip the audio from the file.
Another way you can do this, if you don’t want to use VLC, is to use an online converter like the excellent Zamzar conversion service. Basically what you do is upload your video to Zamzar, and select MP3 as your conversion format. Zamzar will then convert it, and then email you the converted file. It’s easier to do, but there’s more waiting as you have to upload the original video, and then download the converted file.
–Ben
