Learning record a tape onto a CD is a rather easy enterprise, requiring almost no special hardware. Still, there are quite a few steps in the process if you'd like to get it done for free. Some companies will attempt to sell complicated machinery for tape-to-CD recording. You don't need them. This transfer process requires little more than a tape deck and a personal computer.
Instructions
1. Make sure your tape deck has a headphone or "Aux out" port. Either one will work just fine. Plug one end of the 1/8 inch stereo audio cable, the same kind of cable one might use to plug an iPod into a car stereo, into the headphone out on the tape deck.
2. Plug the other end of the cable into your PC's microphone input. Usually found on the front face of a laptop or desktop computer, this input will be color coded red.
3. Point your favorite web browser to audacity.sourceforge.net. Audacity is a simple-to-use and free audio recording and mastering program for Windows, Apple and Linux-based computers. Download the Audacity software.
4. Install and run the Audacity software. The default audio preferences will be set up to use your computer's microphone input as the audio input, and your speakers or headphones as the output. Headphones work best to accurately check the recording process.
5. Do a sound check of your tape player's levels by pressing play on the tape deck and letting a little bit of the first track record. Stop the tape, and listen back to what you have just recorded. Does it sound distorted and clipped, or too soft to hear? Adjust the microphone level slider in the top right hand corner of the screen accordingly until you can sound check with a nice even sound.
6. Record the entire contents of your tape from start to finish into the Audacity software. Under the "File" pull-down menu, choose "Export as WAV" (Export as AIFF for Apple users). This will ensure better-than-MP3 CD quality audio on your final CD product. Name the file after the name of the tape, and make sure you know which folder it's being saved into.
7. Open iTunes, and search your computer for the name of the file or choose "Import song" and find the folder you saved it into. Add the track you just created in Audacity to its own playlist, and pull up that playlist. Insert the blank CD into your computer's CD player, and click "Burn CD" in the lower right hand corner. Now you can enjoy your old audio cassette in CD form wherever you are. As a bonus, you have the songs on your computer for listening to in iTunes as well.
Tags: tape deck, your computer, Audacity software, your tape, hand corner, into your, microphone input