But, please, Mark, don’t make me look a computer dummie! 
I download the mp3 files, open them in Audacity, select smaller parts of them, export them as smaller mp3 files (64 kbps, 44100 or 22050 Hz) and upload them on LingQ. I don’t see what could be wrong and I don’t see what else I could change. I repeat I’m quite sure they worked fine some time ago. Moreover, it’s not me who have uploaded the lessons by Beppe Grillo and they are reported to have the same problem.
@mikebond - Don’t be so sensitive! 
I’m saying something funny is happening but I’m not saying it’s your fault. For whatever reason, the files coming from you (and others like the person who put up Beppe Grillo) are not being played properly by our player. We will look into it…
Mark, I’m sensitive by nature! :-p I hope you will find the problem and solve it.
@mikebond - When you export your mp3 files are you able to choose Constant Bit Rate instead of Variable Bit Rate. We think your files may have a Variable Bit Rate which is causing the problems. Something to try anyway…
No, Mark, they don’t have a variable bitrate… I selected 64 kbps as recommended on the help page.
Mark, If you want, I can send you the files (through Dropbox, for example) and you can work on them.
I don’t need your files. I can download them from the site. However, the bit rate is one thing, there is also an option to choose Variable or Constant Bit Rate. You have to make sure you have Constant Bit Rate selected.
I see, Mark, but still, I have always selected “Constant bit rate”. So, no solution yet… 
ok. Back to the drawing board…
Any news, Mark? I’d like to ask you if it’s a good idea to continue sharing the audiobook I started after “Cuore”, i.e. “Bertoldo e Bertoldino”, or if I should wait until you find a solution to the audio files problem. I’d like to go on with the upload…
@mikebond - Unfortunately, we are no closer to figuring out what is happening with your files. Can you list the exact steps you are taking when uploading those files? Including where you get the original files from so we can try and replicate the problem.
Mark, the exact steps I am taking are the only available ones:
- I download files from http://www.liberliber.it/audioteca/index.htm (“Cuore” files: http://www.liberliber.it/audioteca/d/de_amicis/index.htm; “Bertoldo e Bertoldino” files: http://www.liberliber.it/audioteca/c/croce/index.htm) by right-clicking and choosing “Save as”;
- I open those mp3 files in Audacity;
- I select the part of the file that corresponds to the lesson I’ll upload by inserting start and end time or manually by holding the left button of my mouse clicked and moving it until I’ve selected everything I want to save;
- I select “File>Export selection” and save the selection as an mp3 file, 64 kbps, 44100 Hz, constant bitrate;
- I upload it on LingQ in the only possible way;
- I share the lesson.
That’s it. That’s the only way I know and I’m sure it used to work in the past. I hope this can be of some use for you to figure out what the problem is.
Hi Michele,
Sorry about the bugs and glitches that you’ve endured along the way. However, I come bearing good news. All you have you do is clear the Metadata on the files and they will play perfectly. I’m not sure exactly why the metadata prevents the file from loading and pausing properly, but this is a simple and guaranteed fix.
Metadata, for those who might be unaware, is the information in the file that marks with a Title, Album, Artist, etc. This data is very useful when importing into iTunes and the like because it helps you sort your music automatically. On Audacity when you save a file it will show you a window entitled “Edit Metatags”. On here you can just click “Clear” and it will wipe it clean.
Cheers
Mark just pointed out and I just verified that the reason for the problems in the playback of these files is that there are non-standard characters in the metadata. If you look in the “Comments” section they include the URL, but also <" ">, which is likely the cause of this. Without having to clear all the data, you can simply remove these strange characters from the description and it will work fine
Thanks a lot, Alex and Mark!
@Michele
ti ringrazio tantissimo per tu lavoro lungo e noioso. adesso le audio funzionan benissimo.
E 'un piacere leggere la storia.
I have almost finished replacing the corrupted files with the good ones. Only May, June and July remain.
I have also started a new collection about my stay in Sofia. The first lesson is here: http://www.lingq.com/learn/it/store/50934/. More will follow soon.
The replacing of the “Cuore” audiofiles is COMPLETE! I will deal with the files for “Bertoldo e Bertoldino” later.
Grazias!!!