Recording Tape to Computer

GoneShootin

Apologies if this is the incorrect forum. Im thinking about "digitising" my tape collection and putting em onto CD. Whats the best way to do this software wise - also, how can I best reduce the ambient noise from the tape deck?

Sniipe

google record now?? I think

RicardoSmith

By a decent sound card, get some recording software (I use CD Wave) and your good to go. That said its never going to sound very good, and it takes ages. Consider replacing the tapes with 2nd CD's from 2nd stores and Amazon. I've digitised a good few of my cassettes but some of them are just too poor to bother with, and I'll be looking for CD's to replace them. But obviously its too expensive to do them all.

I'm planning on getting a HiMD recorder (new minidisc) as you can just leave that recording by your stereo and then upload that to the PC later.

bbability

If you have an external cd-r just whack them onto the cd. If not try an get your hands on a programme called adobe audition. This will allow you to record your tracks from your tapes and convert them into wav or mp3

the_syco

bbability wrote:

programme called adobe audition. This will allow you to record your tracks from your tapes and convert them into wav or mp3

Totally agree. It used to be called "Cool Edit 2000". Great program.

EL_Loco

you asked about ambient sound,

don't know if all the software has it but "CD adjust" is good for taking out the noise of the tape being connected up to the soundcard. Basically the noise of the electrical current.

also, but I don't know the exact ins and outs, you can take a sample of the hissy noise as the tape starts before any actual music, then remove this noise from the music sample.

alot of work all in all, maybe go with the "replace with CD" option already suggested.

RicardoSmith

EL_Loco wrote:

y....don't know if all the software has it but "CD adjust" is good for taking out the noise of the tape being connected up to the soundcard. Basically the noise of the electrical current...

What noise? If you have a electric noise jsut from the connections then you have a bad electrical problem somewhere.

EL_Loco wrote:

also, but I don't know the exact ins and outs, you can take a sample of the hissy noise as the tape starts before any actual music, then remove this noise ..

The only way you reduce the hiss and noise is by losing some of the sound you are recording. Either through a filter or compression. Either way it won't sound the same. Personally I think it deadens the music.

djmarkus

I used to use software called cool edit, had lots of different filters.

rsynnott

RicardoSmith wrote:

What noise? If you have a electric noise jsut from the connections then you have a bad electrical problem somewhere.

Generally, computer audio input (and output) is quite poor due to internal electrical inteference. This can be gotten around using an external audio adapter.

RicardoSmith wrote:

The only way you reduce the hiss and noise is by losing some of the sound you are recording. Either through a filter or compression. Either way it won't sound the same. Personally I think it deadens the music.

Erm, you realise that modern tape recorders (post WW2) generally have such filters built in? The computer can just do it a bit better sometimes.