Vinyl to MP3

[Paco Del Stinko]

I'm getting ready to commit to converting a sizeable amount (up to several hundred) vinyl LPs tp MP3. I have an RCA to USB converter. It looks like I can cook them to Audacity, which I've never used, and then edit them into songs and squish down to MP3. Has anyone ever gone through this process? Any advice? Better program/method to apply? Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

[Billy's Little Trip]

The way I did it was the stereo RCA out from my stereo receiver that my turntable was hooked up to, to a stereo mini plugged into to my mic in on the back of my computer. Then I used a free version of Goldwave to record it and just set the volume so I stayed out of the red. I've never used Audacity, but I'm guessing it's the same. Also, I'm not sure how the computer reacts using an RCA straight from your turntable to a USB plugged into your computer. I'm thinking it need to go to a sound card of some sort first. A turntable needs an amp, right?

But now that I'm up on things, I thought that if I ever do it again, I'm going to just come out of my turntable straight to my interface (sound card) via stereo RCA to left/right 1/4" plugs, then use the 2 gains to set my levels, then go into Cubase to record it. Then save as wav files. Then later I can turn them into MP3 files as needed. But wav files are the best quality, so save as wavs first.

[Caravan Ray]

I'm getting ready to commit to converting a sizeable amount (up to several hundred) vinyl LPs tp MP3. I have an RCA to USB converter. It looks like I can cook them to Audacity, which I've never used, and then edit them into songs and squish down to MP3. Has anyone ever gone through this process? Any advice? Better program/method to apply? Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

The whole thought of that process makes me feel ill. I went through my old vinyl and anything that needed keeping got bought off iTunes. That got rid of about 80% of it. The rest is still in a box in my garage. To be a Rosetta Stone for future civilisations. (assuming future civilisations have a turntable).

[HeuristicsInc]

I have a few LPs that didn't make it onto iTunes/CD/whatever... but for the most part, I'd just be getting crackly versions of stuff that's easier to buy than to record
-bill

[Paco Del Stinko]

Yeah, the stuff that matters most to me has long been pruchased on CD and transferred or bought on MP3. But there's so much stuff, I guess I'd rather spend the time than the money. Most of it's in good condition, so should be ok. There 's a lot of oddball stuff there though. I am going to keep one crate of rare/favorite/can't part with stuff and give the rest away. I've aways enjoyed the 'ceremony' of playng vinyl and will keep some to do that with.

So, I have a phono pre-amp thingy I've had for many years if needed. But the RCA to USB thingy is an Alesis product and says it's plug and play. It also reports to open up a software when attached the first time. We shall see and I'll report back here later today or tomorrow with reults. I guess it's time to learn Audacity.

[Billy's Little Trip]

the RCA to USB thingy is an Alesis product and says it's plug and play. It also reports to open up a software when attached the first time.

Oh cool, plug and play voodoo magic, so you should be all set. From the looks of Audacity, it's similar to my Goldwave and gives you a lot of "save as" options. So you'll be able to save them as high quality wav files for archiving and 320bps MP3s for your devices.

I always forget that you are a hardware recording guy and have little experience with DAWS. So if you start getting confuseulated by the DAW terms, hit me up. As I said, I don't use Audacity, but the quirks of DAWs are all similar.

[Caravan Ray]

I use Audacity a lot to make reverse devil-speaking stuff and other effects garageband doesn't do, and for transforming downloaded samples I can't use into formats I can use.

It gets the:

This Software is So Simple That Even Caravan Ray Can Use It Stamp of Approval

[Paco Del Stinko]

Audacity. It seems as though there are some neat things that I may use elsewhere, after I learn how. It took me forever to figure out that I needed to click a monitor button to hear what I was recording. I learned how to record an entire album, then chop it up into labeled songs, cook into MP3. Success. But the levels were kind of low and one channel quieter that the other. So I decided to do it again (Using Repo Man soundtrack!) During level checks, I noticed that I've lost all sound: nothing comes out of the computer, depite sound coming in. It's not the master volume, I've checked all the output, it's not Audacity somehow. I am stumped. I'm sure it's a simple fix, if I can find it. Ideas?

EDIT: Fixed. I, uh, had to unplug the RCA to USB cable from the compter and the sound popped on. Duh. But there are still moitoring concerns. I freely admit to being a dope, so feel free to pigpile.

[Billy's Little Trip]

These are the DAW quirks I mentioned earlier. You already experienced the "monitor" issue, so that's a start. Remember, you will get frustrated, but after you learn the lingo, you'll be happy you did, so stick with it.

Here's another issue you just mentioned. The "sound card". Every time you introduce anything that plugs into your computer that needs to take control of your on-board sound card, it makes it only work with that interface's programming. You have to physically find your sound card and click it off quite often. So be prepared to do that as needed.

From what you've said and what I can think of, we can break it down a bit to focus on the issue.
1. You have 3 things wanting to control your computer's sound card.
a. your computer.
b. Audacity, which searches and uses your sound card as needed upon install as it adds it's own drivers.
c. That Alisis RCA to USB rig you mentioned because you said it is plug-n-play. So it does just like Audacity upon plugging it in the first time and adds it's drivers as well.

So there are the 3 things using your sound card.

2. I can't help with Apple, but if you are in fact running PC, any time some other thing has control of the sound card, the sound coming out of your computer the way you are used to, won't unless the program and drivers that have control over it are in operation.

a. Go into your sound card and take note of the other drivers associated with your sound card. In your case, Audacity, Alisis and whatever company name your computer's sound card is.

b. Take a good look at your program that is checked and using the sound card. Then go into it's mix controls and set up some personal preferences so that your computer speakers are the default monitors, for example.

c. Let multiple sound outputs use the sound card if you can. IE: Audacity, computer speakers, etc. That way you don't even have to click on monitor to here what you are recording in Audacity. You can record in Audacity and monitor through the computer's speakers/headphones. The nice thing about this also is that you don't have to do any clicking of boxes every time you record, then want to listen, then go online to youtube and watch a music vid, then go listen to the songs here at the mighty SF. All your listening methods are active.

As far as your levels being low and one channel quieter than the other.
1. Open the Audacity mix controls.
2. Set your right and left faders as you normally would keeping out of the red.
3. Be sure left and right are even. If left and right are even but you still have one channel quieter, then check your RCA plugs. Chances are slim that it's your USB plug. But knowing you, you bought your turntable a million years ago and the jacks, or plugs aren't getting good contact or a bad wire. just a thought.

Example in my case:
My Focusrite analog to digital interface (the thing I plug my mic into in order to send it to my computer) is hardware with it's own very good sound card. I've made it my default listening device. I don't use my computer's sound card at all. I have my monitors, stereo receiver with speakers and headphones plugged into it. So I had to tell my computer that I want my Focusrite sound card to be the default of all my listening methods.

So now. Does the Alisis thing you're using have mix controls? It's own sound card? Anything on the actual hardware? Any on screen setting after you plug it into the computer? If so, there can be levels, settings and sound card choices there to address. But being plug-n-play, it seems it should default to your computer's on-board sound card when the Alisis thing is unplugged. My even require a computer restart to go back to defaults.

[Paco Del Stinko]

That's great advice, thank you. I am up and running pretty well now. I check levels, record, chop the recording into tracks, label and cook to MP3. That's where they are going to end up anyway, so I skip the WAV.

The RCA to USB thingy has a volume on it, which I crank all the way up and put the Audacity level on 0. Or half a click to 1. Turning the RCA knob down seemed to make one channel softer and turning the Audacity level up brought in a shit ton of noise. So the first comb is working well.

My turntable is less than 10 years old and is a very nice Techincs, direct-drive motor. I take good care of it. The vinyl is in mostly good condition, some better than others, depending on age. I always have/do clean them with an anti-static brush. The pristine ones sound fantastic! This is where the analog vs. digital argument comes in, though not today, thank you.

While recording the Repo Man soundtrack, I was reminded at how much I always loved the tracks by the Plugz. So I looke them up and they are out of print. Copies of their album sell for $250! But I found a free download, somewhere, and got their first album "Electrify Me". It's the nuts, man. Three piece Latino punk. Look into it, people, if you don't know them. Sounds like Phil Redmon has a copy.

[Billy's Little Trip]

Yeah, I'm a big Plugz fan too. I still remember playing the hell out of Move 7 in the late 70s, lol. I was like 16. The Repo Man sound track is great. A lot of great bands in that movie, as I remember. Black Flag, Iggy, Circle jerks. The Plugz have like 2 or 3 songs on it, right?

[Paco Del Stinko]

Yes, the Plugz do three songs including Hombre Secreto. Fun. Here is the link to the page where I downloaded their albums. Nice copies, they must be from a digital source like CD. http://thatswhenireachformyrevolver.wor ... luck-mp3s/

[Billy's Little Trip]

That's great! Thanks for the link.

[hillbilly]

Audacity, is a great free program with good effects. The guys in the help forum have a tude and are rude,(which i don't give a fu as long as they solve my problem) i would get tired of that shit too. used to know and loved Cakewalk, think i like Audacity better now.I love the noise Removal and Gverb,eqalization, if you take time to learn how to use it.


CowGirl Up

[fluffy]

Audacity is pretty shitty as a DAW but for basic recording/fixing-up/compression/etc. it's pretty okay. If you already have a better DAW system that you're more familiar with (Cubase, Logic, etc.) you might be better off just using that, but if you don't already have recording software (but considering where you are posting YOU PROBABLY DO) Audacity is fine.

So yeh an RCA to USB dingus + Audacity is pretty much all you need. Alesis/Ion makes an integrated vinyl-to-mp3 conversion turntable thing but it's basically just their cheapest turntable with a USB audio interface built-in, so there's not much point to getting that if you already have a turntable and a USB dingus.

[Paco Del Stinko]

I haven't done much more with Audacity than record LPs and edit out spaces between songs, and it's plenty fine for that.

Time consuming, but fun to listen to things I haven't heard in years or even ever. Of course, not much is newer than, say, 1989 os so, but there's heaps of stuff. I'm up to album 81 with many many more to go.

[ken]

I'm curious if you are listening to the albums as you record them, and also how/where you are listening to them once they are mp3s.

[Paco Del Stinko]

Yeah, listening, mostly. I mean, you kind of have to, looking for skips and the fact that they are about 20 minutes a side. Only one skip, seriously. After I edit them, I open each MP3 to make sure they play and that the time looks right, then toss them in a folder. Into my computer library, and then ipod which is where I'll listen to them. The computer I play through my stereo, the ipod through a Tivoli Model One. I've backed up one batch onto external drive (approx. 590 songs), and will again soon. And then again, and again...

I putz around, do chores, and look up most albums on the computer as they go by. But what an experience. Take into consideration that I have albums from my parents and sister interspersed throughout, but check out the trip I took yesterday:

Georgia Satellites
The Voluptuous Horror Of Karen Black
Stan Getz
David Gilmour (Xs 2)
Roger Glover
Robert Goulet (!)
Lionel Hampton
Isaac Hayes
Roy Smeck playing Hawaiian Guitar (Xs 2)
JImi Hendrix

Just missing some classical, really!

[Billy's Little Trip]

Underwear drawer!

That's a heck of a musical day.

[ken]

Man, I am suddenly really missing listening to my record collection. Might be time to hook up the old receiver and turntable again...

[Paco Del Stinko]

Ha! Just close your eyes, stab your hand into the pile, and play whatever comes out: Blind Pick!

In the mean time, listen to this. It's from an album in my collection called Jazz Poll Winners (1960), and is amazing. Very short and I don't want to hear any rappers talk shit after listening to this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDbAsndZGW0

[HeuristicsInc]

The Voluptuous Horror Of Karen Black

I love this bandname, but I've never heard them.
-bill