To provide a recording and playback apparatus capable of processing preparation of an audio file by extracting a prescribed musical work from video recording data without having to manually designate the starting point and the ending point of the extraction.

A recording and playback apparatus comprises a playback unit that plays back playback information including audio information, an audio extracting unit that generates partial audio information resulting from partial extraction of the audio information contained in the playback information, and an extraction control unit that controls the audio extracting unit, wherein the extraction control unit accepts designation of any desired playback position out of the playback time axis of the playback information, sets as a starting position a playback position where the playback sound volume surpasses a threshold within a playback time of a prescribed range from the designated playback position, sets as an ending position a playback position where a prescribed audio segment is detected behind the starting position, and so controls the audio extracting unit as to extract audio information between the starting position and the ending position thereby to generate partial audio information.