MP3 Audio file contains no sound after import

[dwrichy]

Hello! I have two rather large MP3 audio files that I tried to import into a project. One imports just fine. The other is completely empty. There is no waveform, no sound, nothing. Both files are about an hour long and about 85MB in size. They were recorded on the same device on the same day. How can I troubleshoot this? Screen shot below. 

Dale R.

[Warren Heaton]

The mp3 files play as expected outside of Premiere Pro, correct?

I would try converting the file to AIF or WAV and then importing that.  Of course, 44.1 kHz Stereo 16-bit without comrpession will come in at about 10MB per minute. 

[dwrichy]

Yes, both files play correctly outside of Premiere Pro. I guess I'll need to get some other tool that can convert to AIF or WAV. Normally, I'd use Premiere Pro for that, but that's not an option! 🙂

[Peru Bob]

" I guess I'll need to get some other tool that can convert to AIF or WAV"

Use  Adobe Audition if you have the CC All Apps plan.  If not, Audacity will convert to wav.

[Ann Bens]

When importing audio always wait until it is completly conformed (blue bar bottom right) before doing anything!!!!

[Bird-Party]

This peak file generator seems to be the root of the issue.  However, I swear premiere used to continue generating peak files in the background while clicking around and opening other files, timelines, etc.  This feels like a really debilitating bug that needs to be addressed ASAP!   I have encountered this bug 3 times this week (three separate projects, three separate .mp3 files downloaded from ArtList

[Bird-Party]

It seems that "offlining" and simply reconnecting the original file does not fix this. Even after deleting all Caches + Preview files. The quickest workaround I found, as stated above, is re-conforming or redownloading a .wav version and reconnecting to the .wav.   Further, I also disabled "automatically generate waveforms", though I'm not sure that setting affected the outcome.

[Averdahl]

...I have encountered this bug 3 times this week (three separate projects, three separate .mp3 files downloaded from ArtList

By @Bird-Party

The best way to avoid it to 100% is to use any audio app, such as Adobe Audition, and convert the .mp3 to .wav @16-bit/48Khz and use that file as source. Using .mp3 files has always been glitchy, thus the recommendation to convert them to .wav and use those files instead.

Yes, it may be a pain, but it always works. 🙂

[Clayton298451185i2x]

@Ann BensYou are awesome! I just had this and your comment saved me from rushing around as I was. Thank you.

[Michael Grenadier]

why not use adobe media encoder?  Comes with PremiereCC.   And if you're editing this audio with video, I'd suggest you resample to 48k which is the video standard.  May be having a senior moment, but seems to me I've seen problems working with 44.1k audio which didn't appear til I exported a sequence.  

[Warren Heaton]

While it’s worth giving AME a try, there is a good chance that whatever is preventing Premier Pro from playing the audio as expended may also prevent the other Adobe applications from playing it as well.

 Although, I have converted video in After Effects for Premiere Pro in the past. 

[John268618950mpj]

This is really bad. I have a 1.5 hour video that in 30s just stopped reading a perfectly fine mp3 file. It plays fine in any other player, just wont load in premier. You can't convert it because it somehow throws off the timing and when you relink a new convered wav version the time is off and the clip doesn't match. 

[Peru Bob]

You can't convert it because it somehow throws off the timing and when you relink a new convered wav version the time is off and the clip doesn't match. 

By @John268618950mpj

How did you convert it?

I've done the conversion in Audition, imported the wav, right clicked on the mp3 on the timeline, and chose Replace with clip from bin.

The timing didn't change.

[Warren Heaton]

@John268618950mpj 

When converting the mp3 to AIF or WAV, make sure to maintain the sample rate, bit rate and channel type.  The resulting AIF or WAV should sync with the original MP3; however, if it does not that is an issue with having used MP3 in the first place.  Restoring sync may require manually adding edits to the AIF or WAV once imported and overwritten with the corresponding picture, usually adding an edit every so often (may be often as very minute or as often as often as it's needed) and then slipping the segements in the Timeline.  It requires patience for sure.  Know that syncing audio with picture works best with mezzanine formats at standard frame rates (ProRes or DNx at 23.976, 24, 25, 29.97) and mezzanine audio formats at standard sample rates (linear PCM at 48kHz, 32kHz).

[John268618950mpj]

I actually didn't check the mp3 file for sample rate, but the really weird part is that when I exported wav via audition the file played the same in VLC, when I exported wav from media encoder it played nothing. just like premier pro. Lastely I went to our main server and transfered a new copy to the desktop and it worked perfectly even in mp3 format. This is a weird bug. 

[Peru Bob]

I went to our main server and transfered a new copy to the desktop and it worked perfectly even in mp3 format. This is a weird bug. 

By @John268618950mpj

...or the mp3 originally in the project was corrupted.

[John268618950mpj]

Why would it play and convert in audition but not in encoder?

[Peru Bob]

Like Premiere Pro, AME might not always like mp3 files.

[John268618950mpj]

It's werid because I built this whole project for the client using this file. Then today it stopped working. Could be corrupt I guess, but I prefer blaiming premier cause it's always been quarky this way. 

[Warren Heaton]

For others that might have this issue, it's worth taking a moment that the solution that you found was to download the source MP3 file again.

[Bird-Party]

this method did not work to fix my "Blank" .mp3 issue.

The only way I was able to fix it was by replacing it with a .wav version of the .mp3.

(luckily I was able to download a .wav version, I did not try to convert in AME or AU)

[simonic]

I managed to fix this in my edit by deleting the media cache.   Open Edit>>Preferences>>Media Cache and press the delete button.  

Close the preference and the audio waveform will reappear along with the audio.

[simonic]

I can't seem to find a way to edit these posts, but I thought I'd just mention - at first it appeared as if nothing had happened, but the audio reappeared after a couple of seconds.   This is possibly because I was working off a slow drive however.

[Michael Grenadier]

thanks for posting your solution

[Michael Grenadier]

and as far as editing your post, this option may be restricted if you're new here (or have been misbehaving).  For me, if I click on the "... More" at the far right of the upvote, translate, etc. I can edit my post...