retaining the A & B channels of a split track cassette

[laobserver]

I am trying to create digital files of old "split-track" cassettes used in church for worship and for choir practice. Specifically, these recordings are set up so that the music is on one channel (track) and the vocals are on the other, enabling performers to practice with the voices, but remove the pre-recorded voices for performance by changing the balance of the speakers during playback. I have an RCA connector from my tape deck, but can't seem to figure out how to accomplish this.

Time is of the essence and any help would be greatly appreciated. I have downloaded the most recent beta version of Audacity (1.3.13) running on a Windows 7 machine.

Thanks.

laobserver

[steve]

You posted to the Audacity 1.2.x section of the forum. I'll move it to the 1.3.x section after I've posted this.

I have an RCA connector from my tape deck,

Plugged into what? Into the (mono) microphone input of your laptop? Into the stereo Line In of your desktop PC? Into the stereo line inputs of a USB sound card?

What are you actually getting in Audacity?
A mono track or a stereo track?

[laobserver]

Hi Steve -

Thank you so much for your quick reply.

As I'm sure you have deduced, I have no idea what I'm doing. The RCA adapter is plugged into the cassette output jacks and the input is a single plug (same size as a pair of earbuds) plugged into the microphone jack of my laptop.

I guess what I really want to know is: HOW can I record a split-track (dual channel) cassette and retain the channels on the CD? Is it possible to do, and what equipment do I need?

I appreciate your help (and patience

[waxcylinder]

... The RCA adapter is plugged into the cassette output jacks and the input is a single plug (same size as a pair of earbuds) plugged into the microphone jack of my laptop.

Plugging the line-level output from the cassette deck into the Mic socket on your laptaop is likely to be seriouisly overloading your signal - UNLESS you are very lucky and have one of those laptops that have a "Mic" input that can detect when a line level signal is presented and adapts accordingly. Otherwise you are likely to need an external soundcard - see this sticky thread: http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=9477

I guess what I really want to know is: HOW can I record a split-track (dual channel) cassette and retain the channels on the CD? Is it possible to do, and what equipment do I need?

If you record from a stereo source into Audacity then the left channel of the source will be recorded into the left channel in Audacity, similarly with the right (assuming you haven't any crossed wires in the recording chain). So once you manage to record into Audacity you will still have yor two discrete channels preserved with music on one channel an singing on t'other. You can, if neccessary for processing, split the stereo pair into two separate mono tracks (and rejoin them later as stereo if required).

You may find this set of tutorials from the manual helpful: http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/Tuto ... iscs_to_CD

WC

[steve]

As waxcylinder has said, if you are lucky, the "Mic" input on the laptop may be able to record line level stereo, in which case the stereo track recorded in Audacity should retain the A/B (Left / Right) channels. To split a stereo track, click on the track name and select "Split Stereo to Mono".
If you are less lucky, the mic input will only be suitable for a mono microphone, in which case the recording level is likely to sound distorted and either the two channels will be mixed to one channel, or you will only be able to record one channel and not the other.

[laobserver]

WC & Steve -

Thanks so much for your response. I have read through the "help" information linked to and have to confess that I'm majorly overwhelmed. So much of what I'm reading doesn't pertain to what I'm trying to do that it is difficult for me to recognize the information that IS relevant....

Although I have Audacity set to record two channels (one is L and one is R), it appears that both channels are recording the exact same thing, so it is not distinguishing between the two. Perhaps there is another setting within Audacity that I am missing.

As far as my hardware goes, I checked the "Sound" devices on my laptop. Under "Recording," the default device is an "Integrated Microphone Array," which is described as IDT High Definition Audio CODEC. The "jack information" shows "LR Top Panel Internal ATAPI Jack."

I also have an option of "Stereo Mix," (sam IDT High Defintion Audio CODEC), but the jack information shows "InsideMobileLid Analog Jack."

Both options show a "default format" of "2 channel, 16 bit" with a variety of Hz options for either CD or DVD quality.

What am I missing? Do I need to purchase some other hardware/equipment?

Warmest regards -

laobserver

[laobserver]

I figured it out! I was making it waaaay harder than it was.

Thanks so much for responding to my posts and your patience. I am so thrilled with Audacity. I called a local business to see how much it would be to have my cassettes converted and he quoted me $50 for each hour of recording....YIKES! So happy that I'm able to do it for free.

[waxcylinder]

I figured it out! I was making it waaaay harder than it was.

And the solution was .......

This is a dialog - and your fix may help future forum readers

WC

[laobserver]

I chose the "stereo mix" option under the "recording" tab of my "sound" device in Windows 7....I was also able to click a box that allowed me to hear the cassette input via my computer so I did not need headphones or other output source.

I just plugged the cassette recorder (using RCA output jacks) into the microphone jack on my laptop. So easy. Like I said, I was making this harder than it was because it is all completely foreign to me.

Now to figure out some of the "advanced" features....(or maybe not

Thanks again. The dialogue helped me work my way through to a solution.