new to recording, read stickies and still confused...

[Matthew Bryson]

Please help - I'm very new to this stuff. I've read the stickies and I've searched and I'm more lost than ever…

What I want to do:

I would like to take the recordings produced on my cassette 4 track recorder and get them onto my PC. Once I have them on the computer, I want to burn them to a disc.
At this point, I don't care to do anything else as far as editing or mixing on the computer. The computer will basically be my mastering recorder for my 4 track.

What I think I need to do next:

I am thinking that just to get started, I could try using microsoft sound recorder just to see if I can make it all work. I think I need to go to Radio Shack and try to find a RCA to 1/8 cable so that I can plug into the stereo RCA outs on the four track and take that into the 1/8 (blue) line in jack on the back of my PC. I think I should be able to record my four track recordings to the PC doing this. I hope it sounds close to what I hear on the 4 track playback when I monitor with headphones.

I also think that: If I am unable to do this at all, or just can't get an acceptable level of quality, I will need to get a new sound card.

Am I right about things so far, if not set me strait. Please. Any and all help is appreciated.

[James Hart]

I've done it 2 ways:

free way:

1.) I downloaded EAC (Exact Audio Copy).
2.) Connected Head phone out of a boom box to the line in of my sound card (crappy Soundblaster) with the needed adaptors from radioshack.
3.) used the "record wav" function to make .wav files of the stuff "played" on the boom box (stopping and starting for every tune).
4.) Either burn to audio CD or use LAME via the "compress wav" tool to make the .wav files into .mp3 files.

Sample 1 (I cannot believe that this was 17 years ago

sample 2

Sample 3

Coaster Factory EAC/LAME Tutorial

Expensive but better:

Same thing but record to Sonar and mix to wav. Burn or use EAC to make mp3s


[edit]

DOH! 4 track cassette.... I missed that

but I think it would work fine eitherway.... goodluck

[/edit]

[Matthew Bryson]

Thanks for all of the info James. It looks like it's all going to be very useful to me at this stage in the game. I took a quick look at Exact Audio Copy link earlier and it's definately something that I need to check out.

[MKS]

Check out Audacity as the sound recorder. It should allow you to save as WAV or perhaps MP3 (if you download the LAME encoder). Audacity has the benefit of being FREE and fairly straightforward to use.

What you're suggesting as far as RCA out -> Line In -> Recording program is exactly the right track. Check out the stickies in the FAQ about recording Minidisc into the computer. It's pretty much the same problem except your source is the 4 track.

Feel free to PM me with any specific questions.

Mike