If you’ve come across a version of a song on YouTube you can’t otherwise acquire, such as a live or in-studio recording, consider using a YouTube to MP3 service to download it. This procedure rips the audio track from any YouTube video, so you aren’t limited to music.
But which service should you use? In lieu of download a program, consider using a YouTube to MP3 website. Here are the top 5 sites that do the trick.
KeepVid.com
KeepVid is a free online service that converts YouTube flash videos into several different formats, which means you’ll have the option of downloading the video’s MP3 audio track as well as the video itself (in MP4, FLV or 3GP format). KeepVid also presents several quality options. Keep in mind higher quality tracks have a larger file size.
KeepVid also offers an ad-free, desktop version of its service. This program costs $29.95 for a one-year license. The online and desktop versions also work with Google Video, MetaCafe, DailyMotion and Vimeo.
Video2MP3.net
Video2MP3 is an ad-supported site that converts YouTube videos to the MP3 format. Standard quality and high quality audio are both available, although the processing for the latter takes a bit longer and the file sizes are much larger.
The downside to Video2MP3 is that the service does not let you download the video itself, and you’ll have to sit through several interstitial advertisements while the file processes.
VidtoMP3.com
VidtoMP3 works similar to the other online services, including providing an option for standard or high-quality audio tracks. What separates VidtoMP3 is its versatility. Not only will the service retrieve the audio from a YouTube video, but it also lets you download MP3s from a number of other video sites, including MySpace, Break, MetaCafe, DailyMotion, ClipJunkie, ClipShack, CollegeHumor, FunnyJunk, GOFish, Grouper, Sevenload, Sharkle and Vimeo.
FLVtoMP3.com
FLVtoMP3.com not only provides MP3 conversion, but it also lets you download the YouTube video itself in either DiVX or M4V (for iPods) format. FLVtoMP3 supports high quality audio files, with a user-selectable quality range from 30 to 320kbps. The service also lets you request the file by email as soon as the processing is complete, which allows you to close your browser window and move on during the process.
MediaConverter.org
MediaConverter.org is a free online service for converting various media files. The website also includes a free YouTube to MP3 converter. With its on-screen applet, you can even search for the specific video on the site, without having to manually enter its URL. A free add-on for the Mozilla Firefox Web browser, available on the MediaConverter website, makes downloading MP3s from YouTube videos even easier. Free users are limited to four file conversions.
No converter is perfect, and you can expect to run into errors from time to time when attempting to download a video’s audio track. This proves especially true during peak hours, when the servers of some services get overloaded. If the service you try to use fails, try again, or try another service.
THis article was provided and written by Shon. Shon is the owner of several Video to Mp3 conversion sites and has a passion for music.
