Recording slider is not functioning.

Trying to record from good quality tape recorder. Windows 10. Recording slider is stuck on 100 and I cannot move it. Everything else is fine. Helpful, step by step, non technical advice please. I have used Audacity for many years but now have a new laptop and the latest version. Thanks. :smiley:

Is there a USB device involved? Generally, you have to adjust the analog level before it’s digitized.

…Or you can adjust the levels after recording but that only helps if the levels are low. You can fix the audio if it’s too loud and clipped (distorted).

CORRECTION - I meant to say, You CAN’T fix the audio if it’s too loud and clipped (distorted).

Doug I’m trying to record from a cassette deck to my laptop using a USB cable. Can you advise me in simple terms the steps I can take to adjust the analog levels on my laptop? I have a new one (it’s a Dell) and the newest version of audacity. Everything else about Audacity is working fine. It’s just the recording level that is the problem. Thanks.

Like I said, you have to adjust the analog level before it’s digitized. If the USB is built-into your cassette player there might be no way of doing that. :frowning:

There are USB audio interfaces with analog recording level controls, or you can feed a line-output or headphone-output into an audio interface that has line-inputs, and headphone outputs ALWAYS a volume control.

Thanks for the info. I don’t know how to adjust the analog level before it’s digitized. The USB cable runs from the cassette deck. There is a recording level knob but that seems to have no effect wherever I put it. The tape machine is an ION Tape2PC double cassette player. It tells me I can use Audacity.