Converting Apple lossless to MP3...

I am nutty about keeping and playing lossless through my stereo at home but sometimes you just have to burn MP3s on a disc.

I know how to convert to MP3 (320kbps is my preference) but how does one efficiently strip those MP3s from iTunes and place them into a separate folder for future use with iTunes?

Thanks,

Mez

So you're saying you have Apple Lossless music files, and some MP3s (duplicates of the ALAC files) created by iTunes mixed in, right?

If so, simply make a "Smart Playlist" of songs that are MP3s, then delete all of them (you'll be asked if you want to put them in the trash. You do, but DO NOT empty the trash).

Next, make a folder on your desktop, open the trash and put the MP3s in the folder.

Finally, open iTunes again holding the option key down, create a new library, put all the MP3s in that new library. You can change libraries by launching iTunes with the option key held down again.

Thanks Chas! I stripped out all the mp3 files and copied them to an external that is connected to an AP extreme...

How can I create a mp3 iTunes library without iTunes copy them back onto my MacBook's hd from the external?

MEZ

As I say, you create a new iTunes library that is located on an external drive. This becomes the "default" library until you change it (as stated above). Drag all the (whichever file type) into that library, then will be copied into the iTunes library, yes, but not the one on your boot drive, the new one you created on the external. You can then dump the folder of files you copied.

IOW, just take it from the part of my previous post that starts "finally,".