Ripping music from YouTube

[FilmFlanuer]

I've noticed that some kindly folk have uploaded links for music ripped from YouTube, and thought a very brief suggestion of how to do this would be of service. Although an excellent site in many respects, for various reasons YouTube does not offer a download option on its own accord. There are specific YouTube downloaders which can be found on line, both paid for and not (the free ones I have used perfectly satisfactorily) which offer this helpful trick, but all the regular caveats apply to opening executable files from the net. I have found the easiest alternative of all is to simply install the Torch browser (I am not connected in any way with this company) which has a downloader from any playable on-site file built in as standard, including the option to tease out sound as an accompanying mp3! Remember of course to set playback of your chosen file at the highest quality before OK-ing the download, a common option which is available as an adjustment on the bottom of the image of each YT playback window. In the event of several files being required as one continuous performance, although most YT music videos simply break up the movements, you may wish then you might need an mp3 joiner programme. I made the 'mistake' of casually searching for unknown music on YT a couple of years back and spent a good week discovering that it is not all just dancing cats, pop promos, and funny-accident videos there! You will, seriously, be amazed at what unknown names and work can be found from the world of classical music through a systematic search. I know I was and have the swollen hard drive to prove it. Happy hunting.

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks, and welcome to UC. I would just add that in amongst the many recordings of valuable off-air radio broadcasts and private recordings available on YouTube (many of which have clearly originated in our own download archive), there are a good number of illegal rips from currently available commercial recordings, which should of course be avoided.

[Christopher]

I use www.convert2mp3.net which doesn't require any programme to be downloaded, you just put the youtube link in the box, give it a name, and it gives you an mp3 file back which you then download. The quality seems fine to me as well.

[jerfilm]

Free Youtube Downloader also works very well.  But if you download it, be sure to watch the install closely and DECLINE the offers for other junk software.

Jerry