The audio sounds like crud

[steve]

Id like to run just the 1.3 version, but I am unable to figure out how to listen to the track / run the track while recording in 1.3.

I agree this would be best - let's see if we can get it to work

There looks to be a lot of steps here, but I've tried to break it down into a simple step-by-step method. This should not be necessary every time, but I'll try to cover every step for this initial set-up. Also, I don't actually have Windows 7, so I'm working this out from the documentation - if I suggest options that are not there on your computer, could you let me know - thanks.

Firstly, the USB turntable must be plugged in and powered up before you open Audacity. So, starting from the beginning, shut down your computer (you may want to bookmark this web page first), disconnect the turntable from the laptop and reboot. (this may not be actually necessary, but it just makes it clear to us both where you are starting from.

When the computer has fully booted up, connect the turntable to the laptop with the USB cable. I believe there is also a power adaptor that also needs to be plugged in ?
Give Windows a few moments to recognise and connect to the turntable. It should only take a few seconds, but don't rush this step - give it plenty of time - a full minute will be more than enough.

Now click on the Windows START button and open the Windows "Control Panel".
Find the "Hardware and Sound" section, then find the "Sound" sub-section. (if you're using "Classic View" there's a direct link to "Sound" in the Control Panel).

Then click on the "Recording" tab.

You should see something similar to this:



If you cannot see an icon for the USB turntable (it may not say "turntable" but it should mention "USB"), right click inside the Recording tab and choose "Show disabled devices" then "Show Disconnected Devices". The USB turntable should now be visible.

Right click on the USB turntable icon and ensure that "Enable" is selected.

Right click on it again and click "Properties" then the "Levels tab" and ensure the volume slider is turned up .

You may also need to right-click over it, click Properties then the Listen tab, and check "Listen to this device". If this option does not exist, let me know, but don't worry about it - it may not be necessary.

Right-click again on the USB turntable icon and choose "Set as Default Device"

There may be an additional option to "Set as Default Communication Device". Again if this option does not exist, let me know, but don't worry about it - it may not be necessary.

Click the Advanced tab in Preferences, and set the "Default format". I'm not sure exactly what options you will have here, but you want it set to "44100Hz CD Quality 16 bit stereo", or whatever options look closest to that. Could you make a note of exactly what settings are available, and post them in your reply - also, which options you have set.

Phew - that's the Record settings done - now let's go to the Playback settings - this is much easier.

Click on the "Playback" tab.

Right-click over the "Speakers" or "Headphones" device for your computer sound device and set it as the default playback device.

Click on the "Properties", then the "Advanced tab", and set "Default Format" to match with the settings that you had in the Recording section ("44100Hz CD Quality 16 bit stereo" or whatever you actually set that to).

How was that? Any problems so far?
That was the hard bit.

Now on to Audacity.

Open Audacity 1.3.12

Click on the "Edit" menu and select "Preferences".

In "Preferences", go to the "Devices" tab and select the USB turntable (may not actually say "turntable, but should mention USB") as the "Recording" device.
The "Playback" device should be set to your normal sound card. If you are unsure about these options, just list what options are available in your reply.

Now go to the "Quality" tab and set the "Default Sample Rate" to 44100. Leave the other options on their default settings. Click "OK" to exit the Preferences.

Click on the "Transport" menu and select (enable) "Software Playthough".

Now click on the Recording meter to enable it (see here: http://manual.audacityteam.org/index.ph ... er_Toolbar) and play a record.
With a bit of luck you will see the recording meters jumping up and down and will be able to hear the music through your computer speakers.

If by some miracle this all works first time, click on the record button and make a recording.
If you have problems with any of this, just say which bits you're having trouble with.

Good luck

[robgbrown]

[quote][/quote]v 1.3 of audacity has such a filter i am told.


How do i use this filter on 1.3
When i try to use 1.3 to record the album, i am unable to hear what I am doing. If this has the filter, then perhaps 1.3 is the program i should be using.
In 1.2, you use the drop down under the mic to listen as you record. This is what I cant seem to do in 1.3

[robgbrown]

Steve
WOW what a reply.
Give me a couple days to give this a try...and ill let you know how it went.
Hard to record the albums when I have 2 rowdy kids running around.
Thanks a million,

Rob

[steve]

How do i use this filter on 1.3

If all goes correctly you won't need it.

Give me a couple days to give this a try...

No problem - probably best to leave it 'till you have time to concentrate on the job. Shout if you get stuck, and let us know if you get it all working. I'll keep an eye for your reply.

Steve

[robgbrown]

TO: Steve the fiddle. WOW, you are awesome. I think we had some great success here. About 95% of what you helped me with here worked. I am now hereing my albums 100 times better. Thanks a million!!!!

I have a few things to modify from the info you gave me, and a few more questions that perhaps you and/or someone else may be able to help me with.

Yes, I did have to right click over properties, then the listen tab, and check 'listen to this device'
No, there was not an additional option ' set as default communication device'
The setting i selected said, "1 channel, 16 bit, 44100 mhz, (CD Quality|)"
When I looked for my turntable in the sound menu, there was an icon for a microphone, but it did say so I assumed that this was the turntable. Looks like that was the case.

That was awesome, Steve, thanks again.

Now a couple of other quick questions.
- What is a good level to have the 'input level slider' at. The recording bar seemd to be off the charts with it high. But, is a level of 2 or 3 too low? Any thoughts.
- The volume sounds like it is SLIGHTLY raising and lowering. Any thoughts?
- lastly, now that I am able to record, how do I break the tracks from an album. I'd like to record the album tracks seperate, instead of as album sides.

Many thanks. If there is any other info I can provide, please let me know.
just as a final thought, I would have never ever (ever!!) been able to do that on my own. Thanks!

[steve]

The setting i selected said, "1 channel, 16 bit, 44100 mhz, (CD Quality|)"

There should be an option to set it to "2 channels" - If you set it to 2 channels you can record in stereo but 1 channel will only record mono (Audacity may still look like it's recording stereo but both of the channels in Audacity will be identical so really it is only mono).

The recording bar seemd to be off the charts with it high. But, is a level of 2 or 3 too low?

There may also be an option to change it from "Microphone" to "other device" (or something like that) - if there is then try setting it at that. This may (or may not) change the "sensitivity" so that you can have the volume slider set higher than 2. If there is no option, or if changing the device type to "other" makes no difference, then you will need to have the slider set to a low setting as you say. I've read a lot of posts where people report that they need to set it to 2 or even lower to avoid distortion.

I'd like to record the album tracks seperate, instead of as album sides.

See here: http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Split ... ate_tracks

[robgbrown]

Steve
many thanks again,
Ill give all of these things a try.

Rob

[robgbrown]

Hello all again

As recommended above, I am following the instructions for splitting my albums into seperate tracks.
The wiki file indicates that you should use the blue pause button, then flip over the album, and then resume recording.
My pause button does not work.

Any suggestions????

Many thanks
Rob

[waxcylinder]

Not sure why your Pause won't work.

A couple of workarounds:

1) Record side 1 of the LP, do any editing cleanup required,label the tracks and export multiple MP3s WAVs or whatever. Then delete the audio track and the label track for side-1 leaving an empty project. Then simply Record Side-2 and repeat the above steps (this is the basic workflow that I use - I find it easier dealing with one side of an LP at a time).

2) Record side-1 - press stop. Move your cursor to the end of the recording of side-1 select that position and click on the Record button to record side-2. Audacity will create a second track, but will start recording from your cursor position. Or you can just hit record Audacity will create the recording for side-2 at time=0 but after recording you can us the timeshift tool to slide side-2 along the timescale.

Better still:

3) Upgrade to 1.3.12 - you will get a nice new feature calledd Record Append. This will start side-2 at the end of your side-1 recording on the same track.

WC

[robgbrown]

Hello again...

I hope some one can help...

I am the original poster from this thread, and am having some problems again.
My computer crapped out, and I have had to re-start this program again.
I have followed the instructions from before, but I have had 2 problems...

The first time I played an LP, and then recorded it, as I moved it to iTunes, there was nothing there. No volume. The song moved over, but no volume (the volume on the computer was not the prob, that was what I checked first).

I have tried to re-do it all again, and now as I listen to an LP, i was hearing an echo through the song. You could hear the song twice, one slightly ahead of the other.

Does anyone have a potential solution???

Thanks a bunch
Rob