Thursday, November 17, 2005
Record Audio in to Your Computer
Today Computers are being used for sound recording and editing. Even in Professional studios computers play an important role in Sound manipulations.
On the back side of your computer, you can see three options MIC, LINE IN and LINE OUT. Then you may need to use an impedance matching cord. (It can get to be complicated trying to match inputs and outputs, so the best thing to do is plug in a see if it works.) An impedance matching cord is designed to connect the low impedance of the SPEAKER OUT jack in a recorder (around 8 ohms) to the high impedance of the LINE IN jack of the computer (around 10K ohms). Such a cord is available at Radio Shack.
You want to connect your tape recorder(any sound source) to the computer--ideally LINE OUT of the tape recorder to LINE IN of the computer. Connecting the tape recorder HEADPHONE or SPEAKER OUT jack to the MICROPHONE IN jack of the computer may work, or any combination of these. If there is any problem, it will show up as a recording level problem or noise.
Most audio editing software can be used as a tape recorder. If not, on a PC, look under START, PROGRAMS, ACCESSORIES, ENTERTAINMENT for something like a SOUND RECORDER. You can use that as a tape recorder as well.
You can get some free audio recording and editing softwares like Audacity (multi track)or use Nero CD writing software with wave editor it is good recorder cum editor to record your songs from cd player or cassette player. Beware while recording you must keep the input signal level below '0'db but not below -6 db. If your input level touch the 0 level clipping will be occured and sound will be distorted, if it is too low hiss voice will be added take care.(see basic recording setup. below) After completing your record use hiss cut filter or noise remover to remove the hiss voice from your recordings. Try some effects like EQ to equlize your audio file, enhance bass. If you are satisfied with the sound save it as wav or mp3 or real audio.
Basic Recording setup
First you open the volume control window, double click on the speaker icon available in system tray to open the volume control. see the picture speaker icon is red circled.
system tray icon
Click on Options and select Properties to open the audio property window.
Select Recording and choose your input options, i.e line in, microphone, Stereo mix etc. Press OK. You will get Recording Control window. You can see the input options which are selected from audio property window. Now you must specify your input.
LINE IN - to record from tape recorders
Microphone- to record using an external microphone.
Stereomix- to record what you here
OK select your option and adjust the input level and minimize the window. It is useful to adjust input level.
You need an audio recording software to record intelligently. Download a free recording software (audacity) or try Sonicfoudry Sound forge. Here I used Audacity. Open audacity from program files. See the window below. Start your taperecorder if your recording through line in. watch the input level in the monitor in audacity(see red box). open the
minimized record control window. Adjust the best between -6db and -1db. If you are satisfy with it click on record button(red circled) to start the recording. You can see the graphical display of your audio file while recording. Audacity is a multitrack recording software. Automatically new tracks will be created when you press on record button. After completing recording press on stop button and select audio file (by dragging cursor), goto effetcs menu use noise removal command if you feel hiss voice in your recording. There are lots of high quality effects are availble in Audacity which turns your pc to a complete recording studio. You can copy and paste parts of your recorded file just like a word processing software. Download lame mp3 
plug in which is available for free from the audacity site and export your finished file as mp3.
Enjoy............
I'll be back with more on multitrack mixing with Audacity.
Today Computers are being used for sound recording and editing. Even in Professional studios computers play an important role in Sound manipulations.
On the back side of your computer, you can see three options MIC, LINE IN and LINE OUT. Then you may need to use an impedance matching cord. (It can get to be complicated trying to match inputs and outputs, so the best thing to do is plug in a see if it works.) An impedance matching cord is designed to connect the low impedance of the SPEAKER OUT jack in a recorder (around 8 ohms) to the high impedance of the LINE IN jack of the computer (around 10K ohms). Such a cord is available at Radio Shack.
You want to connect your tape recorder(any sound source) to the computer--ideally LINE OUT of the tape recorder to LINE IN of the computer. Connecting the tape recorder HEADPHONE or SPEAKER OUT jack to the MICROPHONE IN jack of the computer may work, or any combination of these. If there is any problem, it will show up as a recording level problem or noise.
Most audio editing software can be used as a tape recorder. If not, on a PC, look under START, PROGRAMS, ACCESSORIES, ENTERTAINMENT for something like a SOUND RECORDER. You can use that as a tape recorder as well.
You can get some free audio recording and editing softwares like Audacity (multi track)or use Nero CD writing software with wave editor it is good recorder cum editor to record your songs from cd player or cassette player. Beware while recording you must keep the input signal level below '0'db but not below -6 db. If your input level touch the 0 level clipping will be occured and sound will be distorted, if it is too low hiss voice will be added take care.(see basic recording setup. below) After completing your record use hiss cut filter or noise remover to remove the hiss voice from your recordings. Try some effects like EQ to equlize your audio file, enhance bass. If you are satisfied with the sound save it as wav or mp3 or real audio.
Basic Recording setup
First you open the volume control window, double click on the speaker icon available in system tray to open the volume control. see the picture speaker icon is red circled.
system tray icon
Click on Options and select Properties to open the audio property window.
Select Recording and choose your input options, i.e line in, microphone, Stereo mix etc. Press OK. You will get Recording Control window. You can see the input options which are selected from audio property window. Now you must specify your input.
LINE IN - to record from tape recorders
Microphone- to record using an external microphone.
Stereomix- to record what you here
OK select your option and adjust the input level and minimize the window. It is useful to adjust input level.
You need an audio recording software to record intelligently. Download a free recording software (audacity) or try Sonicfoudry Sound forge. Here I used Audacity. Open audacity from program files. See the window below. Start your taperecorder if your recording through line in. watch the input level in the monitor in audacity(see red box). open the
minimized record control window. Adjust the best between -6db and -1db. If you are satisfy with it click on record button(red circled) to start the recording. You can see the graphical display of your audio file while recording. Audacity is a multitrack recording software. Automatically new tracks will be created when you press on record button. After completing recording press on stop button and select audio file (by dragging cursor), goto effetcs menu use noise removal command if you feel hiss voice in your recording. There are lots of high quality effects are availble in Audacity which turns your pc to a complete recording studio. You can copy and paste parts of your recorded file just like a word processing software. Download lame mp3 
plug in which is available for free from the audacity site and export your finished file as mp3.Enjoy............
I'll be back with more on multitrack mixing with Audacity.
