How to Convert Analog Music Recordings into a Digital Format

ok. probably the wrong forum to ask this in....

you need an audio interface. something simple will do - a usb/firewire interface with phono inputs so you can connect your record player's outputs to the audio interface's inputs.

Also you'll need a program to record the input sound. You can use garageband if you have it. Or you can use something simple like http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/audio/soundstudio.html

(I've never used this program - but there are plenty of free one's like this).

The theory is the same either way. connect the record player to your audio interface. Open the audio recording program on your mac, set the input and record. play the vinyl record and record. should work well.

Good luck

One option for a USB interface:

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/imic/

You should be able to record right in STP as a multi track project.

Welcome Kvc this is so simple you wont mis a thing also affordable and what great it has sofware monitoring you wont get a better offer, its so easy to use you'll think your still on turtable's just remember who told you first Torq-xponent!
However imic is closest to what you want, so i would go with jimi5150, if its just for simple recording purpose.

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/TorqXponent-main.html

Fr.BlayZay.

Hi Kcv

no prob's!

so for the interface, well it really depends on a few factors:
1. your budget
2. what else you will be using it for (e.g. will you be making/creating music using Garageband or perhaps any audio creation program in he future?)
3. the portability of the interface.
4. Whether you really need firewire (relates to 2.)

Needless to say, the more you spend the better the quality and vice versa. However, if you're thinking of only transfering vinyl to digital then the imic will suffice. However, i found a few others that might give you a few more choices. I can't vouch for their quality - but the manufacturers are all reputable in the world of semi-pro audio.

1. http://www.dv247.com/invt/30313/ Edirol UA-1EX (USB around £25 - sorry i'm London based so am not sure what that is i canadian dollars but am sure it will be better than the price if you convert it yourself)


2. http://www.dv247.com/invt/32730/ Behringer UCA202 (also USB and around £24)

3. http://www.dv247.com/invt/30207/ Behringer FCA202 (cheapest firewire interface i've ever seen similar price to the above)


If you anticipate using Garageband or another program to make music then i'd recommend getting a firewire interface and spending more.

the imic seems cheaper than the rest and i'm sure will do the job just fine.

As for where you can purchase it. Just did a quick google and came up with www.vibecomputers.com selling the imic at about $41 canadian and FrontierPC selling the imic at $50 CDN.

If you choose another product look for a computer or audio equipment retailer.

Cool.

Hope that helps. By the way if you feel any of the posts in this thread have helped feel free to award stars appropriately.

If you have any more questions feel free to ask!

Rounik

No problem. Glad I could help & hope it all goes smoothly for you.

STP = Soundtrack pro. I think Jimi5150 mentioned it because you posted your question in the soundtrack pro forum. STP is a program by Apple that is designed for video editors to record and arrange and sort out audio and effects.

Anyway, good luck again with your choice and enjoy!

Rounik

Blayzay, anything else I could use, which would be between imic and TorqXponent, which looks really good but I cannot afford it right now ?
A friend has digitised his LPs using preamp and Extigy, but he is a PC-man. Would that work with Mac as well. I want to digitise using WAV-format and not MP3, and as good quality as possible, but not paying 1000 euros, as I need them for other parts of living.

Would I need anything else ?
Thanks in advance, 30 LPs awaiting

If you have $60, Roxio Toast is probably the easiest, quickest, most fun and colorful. It comes with a program, Spin Doctor, that's set up to convert analog to digital, LP's to digital files or CDs. It's quite accurate when it comes to recognizing the tracks on an LP, and it makes adding scratch filters, equalizers, etc. an easy job, allowing you to sample each effect befor finalizing it. And it's more convenient for making CD's because of the Toast part of the program. It now also includes Popcorn, which enables you to copy a multi-DVD movie to a single DVD. For about the same price you can get a less versatile but more precise program called Sound Studio. It's "fussier," but allows you to do fine edits with sound waves (I find the visual wave formations on Spin Doctor to be colorful but useless). You'd have to burn CDs using iTunes, however. For about $20 you can pick up Audio Hijack, which gets high marks from most users. There's also freeware. If you've got some patience and technical know-how, a program called Audible is worth a shot. I use Toast/Spin Doctor for disc burning and converting LP's; Sound Studio for editing radio broadcasts, taped performances, etc.

Thanks for the great advice. Will study these and take a decision!

Rounick, what's "the right" forum to ask such a question? I just downloaded "Sound Studio 3.51," which I found very user friendly, easy to download. Have not had time to check out all of the features but I made a simple recording using the built in mic in my iMac and it allowed me to save the sound file, converting it to Apples version of an mp3 (AAC). The only problem is I would eventually have to pay for it. Are there any free sound recording software packages out there? Also, is there a recommended interface whereby I can connect a sound source? I saw someone recommending a device that allows left and right RCA inputs to the usb port (which is apparently the only way to get a signal into these older iMac G4s).