How do I rip music from Wii titles? (For free.)

[SIG7Pro]

So basically, I want to rip the music and sound effects from a game (Wii Fit Plus), but I don't know how to. I know some Wii games have different audio formats so does anyone know of any common formats?

[Zapp_Branniglenn]

Well first you need to extract the game files to see what you're working with. I went ahead and got a rom of the game, then opened Dolphin emulator. Dolphin's got an extremely good extraction tool for Wii/GC games. You access it from the main game list menu. Right click on Wii Fit Plus > Properties> then click on the FileSystem Tab (should be the furthest on the right, so scroll over). From there you're looking at how the game's files are arranged internally, and can extract anything you think might be sound-related. One of the main directories is called Sound, just click on that to extract some place you can keep track of it. Another common name I've seen in games is "Stream" as in streamed audio.

Now we have a bunch of folders. Most are empty, and are probably of no use to us. Best to delete them to get them out of the way. Others have .brsar and .brstrm files - very common in Wii games. The folder called RPMainScene seems to be loaded with music and various jingles in .brstrm format. I opened them with Foobar2000. That's a tool that opens all sorts of file formats, and if it can be opened in foobar without error, that means you can convert it to .wav. No problems here, how about other types of sound?

I then looked at the folder called HealthStatic. .Brsar are file containers, meaning there's a lot of stuff jammed in there that may or may not be relevant to you. I know this type of container is associated with BrawlBox. I've got no experience with this tool, but it was simple enough identifying individual sound files and converting them to .wav to listen to. But as I worked my way down the list BrawlBox was showing error messages. Maybe the files I tried converting were not actually sounds

Hopefully this is enough to get you started. Good luck finding whatever it is you're trying to find.

[Km100]

I tried every method possible but I simply can't find a way to extract music out of the PAL game, Pocoyo Racing. They all told me to find .brstm files or something but I can't seem to locate them in the Dolphin filesystem. Is there any other way I can extract it out?

[DWGW001]

Hey Zapp,

Was wondering, could you perchance send me the sound file for the sound the black cat from the photo/news channel makes? I would really appreciate it if you could. Looking forward to hearing from you,

Kinds regards,

V.O

Well first you need to extract the game files to see what you're working with. I went ahead and got a rom of the game, then opened Dolphin emulator. Dolphin's got an extremely good extraction tool for Wii/GC games. You access it from the main game list menu. Right click on Wii Fit Plus > Properties> then click on the FileSystem Tab (should be the furthest on the right, so scroll over). From there you're looking at how the game's files are arranged internally, and can extract anything you think might be sound-related. One of the main directories is called Sound, just click on that to extract some place you can keep track of it. Another common name I've seen in games is "Stream" as in streamed audio.

Now we have a bunch of folders. Most are empty, and are probably of no use to us. Best to delete them to get them out of the way. Others have .brsar and .brstrm files - very common in Wii games. The folder called RPMainScene seems to be loaded with music and various jingles in .brstrm format. I opened them with Foobar2000. That's a tool that opens all sorts of file formats, and if it can be opened in foobar without error, that means you can convert it to .wav. No problems here, how about other types of sound?

I then looked at the folder called HealthStatic. .Brsar are file containers, meaning there's a lot of stuff jammed in there that may or may not be relevant to you. I know this type of container is associated with BrawlBox. I've got no experience with this tool, but it was simple enough identifying individual sound files and converting them to .wav to listen to. But as I worked my way down the list BrawlBox was showing error messages. Maybe the files I tried converting were not actually sounds

Hopefully this is enough to get you started. Good luck finding whatever it is you're trying to find.

[applecuckoo]

Hey Zapp,

Was wondering, could you perchance send me the sound file for the sound the black cat from the photo/news channel makes? I would really appreciate it if you could. Looking forward to hearing from you,

Kinds regards,

V.O

Well first you need to extract the game files to see what you're working with. I went ahead and got a rom of the game, then opened Dolphin emulator. Dolphin's got an extremely good extraction tool for Wii/GC games. You access it from the main game list menu. Right click on Wii Fit Plus > Properties> then click on the FileSystem Tab (should be the furthest on the right, so scroll over). From there you're looking at how the game's files are arranged internally, and can extract anything you think might be sound-related. One of the main directories is called Sound, just click on that to extract some place you can keep track of it. Another common name I've seen in games is "Stream" as in streamed audio.

Now we have a bunch of folders. Most are empty, and are probably of no use to us. Best to delete them to get them out of the way. Others have .brsar and .brstrm files - very common in Wii games. The folder called RPMainScene seems to be loaded with music and various jingles in .brstrm format. I opened them with Foobar2000. That's a tool that opens all sorts of file formats, and if it can be opened in foobar without error, that means you can convert it to .wav. No problems here, how about other types of sound?

I then looked at the folder called HealthStatic. .Brsar are file containers, meaning there's a lot of stuff jammed in there that may or may not be relevant to you. I know this type of container is associated with BrawlBox. I've got no experience with this tool, but it was simple enough identifying individual sound files and converting them to .wav to listen to. But as I worked my way down the list BrawlBox was showing error messages. Maybe the files I tried converting were not actually sounds

Hopefully this is enough to get you started. Good luck finding whatever it is you're trying to find.

Hey! I'm not Zapp but I have extracted the cat sounds from the Photo Channel for you. They're attached in the zip file below.

[Brightrs]

Ripping music from Wii titles involves extracting the sound files from the game’s data, but it’s important to note that doing so may involve legal and ethical considerations, especially with copyrighted games. That said, if you're trying to do this for personal use or academic purposes (like analyzing game soundtracks), here are general steps that you could follow:

1. Check the Legality
Before proceeding, make sure that you are complying with copyright laws in your country. Extracting music or other media from games may violate the terms of service of the game or console.

2. Get the Right Tools
You'll need some specific tools to extract data from Wii discs or game files. Here are a few commonly used ones:

Wii Backup Manager: Used to copy Wii games to your computer.
WiiScrubber: Allows you to open and extract data from Wii ISO files.
GameCube/Wii Music Extraction Tools: Tools like BrawlBox (for Super Smash Bros. Brawl) or ADPCM Extractor can be used to extract music from certain games.
3. Extract the Game Files
If you have a copy of the game (legally obtained), you can start by creating an ISO image of the game. You can do this by:

Using a DVD drive to create a backup: Use software like ImgBurn to create an ISO of the Wii game.
Using homebrew apps: If you’ve homebrewed your Wii, there are apps available that can help you dump game files directly from the console to an SD card.
4. Find the Music Files
Once you have the game files or ISO image, the next step is to find where the music is stored. Games generally store music in proprietary formats (like ADPCM or RAW), but they may also be stored as:

.BRSTM or .BRR files: Common in Nintendo games.
.ADX or .AIF files: Found in some older titles.
You can open these files using audio editing or conversion software like Audacity or VGMTrans.

5. Convert the Files
If the music is stored in a proprietary or compressed format, you’ll need to convert it to a more usable format like MP3 or WAV. You can use tools like:

VGMTrans: For converting music from Nintendo formats to something more standard.
Audacity: For editing or converting raw audio files.
6. Extracting from Specific Games
Some games, especially Nintendo’s own titles, may have more complex file structures. In these cases, you may need game-specific tools or knowledge:

Super Smash Bros. Brawl: Use BrawlBox to extract music and sound files.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess: May require a specific tool for extracting music.
7. Play Around with the Files
Once you’ve successfully extracted and converted the music files, you can listen to them, remix them, or even use them in your own projects—just remember to respect copyright laws if you plan to share them.

Additional Notes:
Homebrew Wii: If your Wii is homebrewed, you have more flexibility to run programs that can help you extract music from games.
Keep Backups: Always keep a backup of your original game files in case something goes wrong.
Ethical Considerations: Always respect the game developers and creators. Don’t use the music for commercial purposes unless you have explicit permission.
If you're new to this, expect a bit of trial and error with the tools and file formats, but it’s a fun way to dive deeper into the technical side of gaming!