A newbie asks how to record a vinyl to computer

[Evergreen]

Hello all computing pros out there, I'm a sixtyone years old newbie who wants to make CD:s of my old LP:s (33 rpm) and EP:s (45rpm).
I finally - after two days trial and most error - succeeded in getting sound out of my spekers from my quite new Lenco turntable and the CD player on my computer.
Now I have to ask the following questions:
1) How sholud I do to record and save my vinyls in my computer?
2) After saving them, how shall I do to burn the saved vinyls to a CD in my computer?
3) When purchasing my computer, Windows Media Player v. 11 was already installed, should I at all use this program when already having Audacity 1.2.6?

Hoping for your help!
Regards from Evergreen in Sweden

[waxcylinder]

1.) when you have finished recording an LP or EP, then do any editing you want - then break it up into tacks (move you cursor to the track break and press CTRL+B and then type the track label. Once you have labelled all the tracks - and don't forget a track label right at the beginning for the first tracl) - then use Audacity's Export Multiple feature to export a set of WAV files (if you want smaller files for an MP3 player or iPod you may want to export to MP3).

2.) Use some CD burner software software (you may have got one bundled when you bought you PC) to gather the WAV files together put them in the right order and then burn the CD. Use good quality CD-Rs not CD-RWs. Test the CD. After you have done this you can delete the Audacity Project (the .aup and all the little .au files).

3,) WMP will play you WAV file sfine - note carefully that Audacity is a sound recorder/editor - it is not inteded as a playback machine.

I would suggest that you read the Audacity Wiki http://audacityteam.org/wiki/index.php? ... _Home_Page - it has lots of useful information which will help you with this process - and also look at the tutorials http://audacityteam.org/help/tutorials - and maybe even the manual http://audacityteam.org/help/documentation

WC

[Evergreen]

1.) when you have finished recording an LP or EP, then do any editing you want - then break it up into tacks (move you cursor to the track break and press CTRL+B and then type the track label. Once you have labelled all the tracks - and don't forget a track label right at the beginning for the first tracl) - then use Audacity's Export Multiple feature to export a set of WAV files (if you want smaller files for an MP3 player or iPod you may want to export to MP3).

2.) Use some CD burner software software (you may have got one bundled when you bought you PC) to gather the WAV files together put them in the right order and then burn the CD. Use good quality CD-Rs not CD-RWs. Test the CD. After you have done this you can delete the Audacity Project (the .aup and all the little .au files).

3,) WMP will play you WAV file sfine - note carefully that Audacity is a sound recorder/editor - it is not inteded as a playback machine.

I would suggest that you read the Audacity Wiki http://audacityteam.org/wiki/index.php? ... _Home_Page - it has lots of useful information which will help you with this process - and also look at the tutorials http://audacityteam.org/help/tutorials - and maybe even the manual http://audacityteam.org/help/documentation

Thank you Waxcylinder for your help.
Regards from Evergreen in Sweden
WC

[avrilmac]

hello, another newbie here, impressed with the software and the results. I have managed to convert a few vinyls to wav and play on itunes - which I wanted - but so far (and despite following instructions and checking out faqs) have been unable to listen to the vinyl as it records. You appear to have achieved this. Any idea what I am missing doing?

[Evergreen]

Hi Avrilmac, to be real honest with you I have clicked so many buttons for the last two days and made so many changes that I'm not sure how I've succeeded.
However I'll try to remember. After having launched The Audicity version 2.1.6 . I doubleclicked the speaker icon to get the "Play Control" and there I controlled that there were no markings in the boxes "sound OFF".
Then I turned my turntable on and pressed the button"play" in Audicity and it all started and to my big surprise there was a sound in my speakers.
This is in fact all I remember having done but perhaps and most likely I have forgotten something.
I wish Good Luck to you.
Evergreen in Sweden

[waxcylinder]

hello, another newbie here, impressed with the software and the results. I have managed to convert a few vinyls to wav and play on itunes - which I wanted - but so far (and despite following instructions and checking out faqs) have been unable to listen to the vinyl as it records. You appear to have achieved this. Any idea what I am missing doing?

Avrilmac,

are you using a USB turntable? If so it is likely that the USB device has taken control of your output as well as your input - and the TT has no speakers of course. This is common USB behaviour

Go to Edit>Preferences>Audio I/O and set the Playback devive to your PC's soundcard. You may need to stop and restart Audacity for the change to take effect.

WC

[Evergreen]

Hello again Avrilmac, I don't know what a USB turntable is. My TT 's name is LENCO 6638 USB so if that is an USB TT I'll try to follow your advice.
I'm very grateful for your assistance.
Evergreen in Sweden

[avrilmac]

thank you, WC, tried it and it worked!!!