I am often asked how to transfer LPs and tapes to CD. I've
never done it, so I asked my newsletter subscribers how to
do it. Subscriber Andy sent me this:
"Essentially begin with as good quality an audio signal
as you can manage ie. new stylus for records, clean your
tape heads or whatever as the better the inital recording
is the better your result. Try to have as few pieces of
equipment and cableas between your source and your computer
soundcard inputs as every piece of equipment will add noise.
Try to have a sensible gain structure (ie there is no point
boosting the signal at one place to have to it right back
down on the inputs to your sound card as this will introduce
extra hiss.)
There are many programs suitable for recording audio,
two good (professional) examples being SoundForge &
Wavelab.....you can use any but you should try and get a
good signal going into your sound card that does not clip
(digital clipping sounds unpleasant and unlike analogue
clipping). Find out what recording frequency your desired
output media uses and if your soundcard and program will
support doing so, record at this frequency as it will save
time later (CD's are all at 44.1kHz). Whether you record
all your tracks separately or as one and chop them into
individual tracks later is up to you, some programs will
enable you to insert track start markers to able you to
jump from track to track without doing this. I would recommend
removing the silences from the start and end, and chopping
them into individual named tracks. You should also normalise
them (this effectively makes the tracks as loud as the can
be) and if required, process to suitable frequency.
Most programs will have decent help files to help you
achieve these tasks. Many programs also allow you to clean
up hissy or scratched recordings (Dart does this, I believe
that Wavelab and Soundforge can either do this or you can
purchase plugins.) You may have to experiment a bit. Remember
that the less processing you do to a file the better in
general.
Happy recording."
