sound requirements for windows 7

[thepope]

firstly, i would like to point out that i am a novice when it comes to technical things, so please bear with me if this question sounds stupid and causes a frown ...

i have a 64-bit laptop on windows 7, and i am interested in downloading the relevant audacity package to help fine-tune songs (on wav.files) from my multi-track recorder onto the laptop.

can anyone tell me whether this would be possible? i am unsure whether i would need a certain sound device or install anything as i wouldnt actually be recording into the laptop, just fine-tuning pre-recorded songs on a wav.file.

thanking you in advance, should this query be answered

[kozikowski]

If you already have good, stable music files, then this should be pretty simple. Install Audacity from here...

http://audacityteam.org/download/

..and either drag your files into it, or File > Import.

You do need to know that Audacity will not Save a sound file when you're done. It only Saves Audacity Projects. If you need a sound file, you have to Export one. The other common gotcha is Audacity will not Export an MP3 file without installing the "lame" software package. That's not a comment on its quality, lame is the actual the name of the product. You can get that from the same download page.

You need to stay away from MP3 until the final export to send to friends or post on the internet. MP3 files do not edit well and damage easily. Stick with the WAV files.

I think we did a tutorial on beginner's editing. I'll see if I can find it.

Koz

[kozikowski]

I may have missed one step there. Where are the WAV files now? Is there any provision to connect your recorder to your computer digitally and do file transfers that way? USB or FireWire?

Koz