Transfer audio from MD player to MacBook Pro

Question

Transfer audio from MD player to MacBook Pro

Hello friends,

I have borrowed a MiniDisk player/recorder to transfer files to my laptop. I have connected an aux jack to the headphone port on the MD player and connected the RCA cables to a FastTrack M-Audio interface. From there I have used a USB A to B cable to connect to my computer via a multiport docking station. Everything seems to be in place. I am attempting to capture the audio in GarageBand. However, nothing seems to be coming through when I hit play on the MD player.

One forum said you had to click on "Record" on the MD player simultaneously with hitting recored in GB in order for it to transfer. That doesn't make sense to me. I don't want to record over the MD cassette. I just want to download the file to my computer.

Thank you for your help on this.

Posted on May 2, 2022 2:43 PM

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Answer 1

May 3, 2022 6:43 AM in response to NewYorkCityNY

Is the fast track showing up as an input for GarageBand?

Make sure to keep the MD volume low, a headphone output can damage a line in connection.

You do hear the MD player via headphones, right?

Have you tried another audio device into the fast track?

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Answer 2

May 9, 2022 7:59 PM in response to NewYorkCityNY

I am pretty sure that the MD is stereo since it was supposed to be a cd-like music player. I suspect you will need a stereo interface, or run each channel into the two channels on the fast track and record them to a single mono track each in GB with a hard pan on each one.

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Answer 3

May 9, 2022 2:36 PM in response to Keith Barkley

The Fast Track is showing up on GB input. It says 1 (Fast Track) and 2 (Fast Track). The only one that shows sound coming in is #2.

I have to put the volume up all the way on the MD player/recorder to hear it. It's coming out quite low volume.

I can hear the recording in my headphones connected to the Fast Track headphones jack.

I have recorded via microphones on through the Fast Track. I have not tried to record anything plugged into the ¼" instrument jack.

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Answer 4

May 9, 2022 7:50 PM in response to Keith Barkley

Do I need an interface that is stereo to transfer the audio to my computer?

I wonder if it is stereo but the MD is only recorded in mono sound. That is why it is showing 2 tracks for Fast Track on GB but is only delivering sound to one of them.

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Answer 5

May 9, 2022 8:10 PM in response to Keith Barkley

Thank you for the insights. The specs don't seem to say stereo or mono so I suspect it is mono. I'll keep playing and see what I can do with it. Here is the simple interface I have. https://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/open-box-m-audio-fast-track-usb-computer-recording-interface

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Answer 6

May 9, 2022 7:07 PM in response to NewYorkCityNY

I bet the fast track is not stereo.

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Transfer audio from MD player to MacBook Pro

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