Audacity Forum

My son downloaded Audacity on my computer and gave me a new Sony stereo turntable for Christmas, so that I could record all of my records in my computer. He has since returned to Texas.

1. I have absolutely no idea how to download the analog output of my turntable (which has pre-amp) into my computer and convert it into a digital form so that I can make CD's. I really don't know what I'm doing.
2. Does the computer convert the turntable's analog signal into MP3's?
3. The turntable's output goes to two RCA jacks (red and white) which I coupled to two female receptacles on one wire which reduced the red and white jacks to a single black male jack which I plugged into the back of the computer. I don't even know which female receptacle on the back of the computer is the correct one to have been plugged into.
3. What am I doing?
4. HELP!!

Happy New Year and thank you very much if you respond and help me. I need a step by step tutorial.

Please tell me you have a deskside PC and not a laptop.

If so, you appear to be over half-way there. It would be good to know the model number of the turntable so we can look it up.

Take a powerful flashlight behind the computer and you may find really tiny writing on the sound card connections. You're looking for one labeled LINE-IN. On my sister's machine, it's blue, and the machines at work, it's labeled with a bull's-eye and an arrow pointing in. Same thing.

Let us know.

Koz

Hello, Thank you Koz for replying. I have a Sony PS-LX250H model turntable. On the rear of my desktop, I have three apparent input receptacles. There is no writing on any of them. One is pink and has a microphone icon (so, for sure, that's not the one I should use). The other two are, respectively, green and blue. They each have an icon that resembles the icon found on the Audacity tool bar for the "output level meter." But, the icon is pointing in reversed facing directions on each. The single black jack is in the blue one, but I don't know if it's truly the "line in" spot.

So, what's next?

Again, thank you.

Hello, Thank you Koz for replying. I have a Sony PS-LX250H model turntable. On the rear of my desktop, I have three apparent input receptacles. There is no writing on any of them. One is pink and has a microphone icon (so, for sure, that's not the one I should use). The other two are, respectively, green and blue. They each have an icon that resembles the icon found on the Audacity tool bar for the "output level meter." But, the icon is pointing in reversed facing directions on each. The single black jack is in the blue one, but I don't know if it's truly the "line in" spot.

So, what's next?

Again, thank you.wav01form01

Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 3:17 am

Koz is almost certainly asleep righ now. Didn'y you notice his location - he lives in LA (and he was up late last night answering queries on this board).

Please don't be impatient and double post

In the meantime I suggest that you try what Koz told you earlier and stuff the plug from your TT into the blue 3.5mm jack socket on your PC. And then give Audacity a try ...

WC

I am sorry WC and Koz, I did not notice Koz's location. Also, I didn't mean to double-post because I didn't hear from Koz . Actually, I wasn't sure that my first post posted properly, hence the second one. I am plugged into the blue receptacle. But, I don't know how to use Audacity at all. I don't know what to do on the Audacity tool bar to start recording, or how to record or where to store a recorded record etc. I am at a complete loss. That, in addition to making the correct physical connection with the back of the desktop, is why I need help.

The GUI toolbar is designed to look like a tape recorder - so if you've ever used a cassette recorder or VHS you should recognize the iconography.

Plug it in - fire up Audacity - click the Record Button (the big red blob) - you may need to adjust the volume/gain, use the "slider" with the mic icon.
When youv'e finished hit the Stop, square icon.
"Save" the project.
Do any editing you need - "Save" the project again
Export to WAV or MP3 to get playable music files that you can use in other locations

I would recommend a good read of the Wiki http://audacityteam.org/wiki/index.php? ... _Home_Page
and the tutorials http://audacityteam.org/help/tutorials
and even the manual http://audacityteam.org/help/documentation

WC