Recording Audio
Learn tips for recording voices, or tracks from old albums and cassettes, to a digital media file.
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How can I transfer music from my record albums and cassettes to Windows Media Player?
If you're using Windows Media Player on a computer running Windows XP and your sound card has a line-in input, use Microsoft Plus! Analog Recorder to transform the tracks on your old vinyl records and cassette tapes into clean digital music files. You can even improve the audio quality because Plus! Analog Recorder has special clean-up filters that reduce the hissing and popping sounds caused by old media and recording devices. You can customize the recorded tracks by combining, splitting, deleting, and renaming them, or even add copy protection to the recorded digital media files.
For step-by-step procedures and videos that show you exactly what to do, see either of the following Windows Media Workshops:
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What kind of hardware do I need to connect my analog device to my computer to use Plus! Analog Recorder?
It depends on the analog audio device that you have. You may need the following hardware, which is available from many home electronics retailers.
| Analog audio device | Hardware requirements |
Stereo receiver | Use one of the following connector options: A "Y" stereo adapter cable with a pair of RCA style, left and right channel connectors (male) and a single line-in, 1/8-inch (3.5 millimeter (mm)) mini connector. -or- A stereo hook up cable with two pairs of RCA style, left and right channel connectors (male), and an audio adapter with a pair of RCA style, left and right channel connectors (female) and a single line-in, 1/8-inch (3.5 mm) mini connector. |
Record player | A preamplifier is required to increase the signal of the record player to the proper line-out specification for the line-in input on your computer sound card. You must first connect your record player to a stereo receiver or a phono preamplifier unit, and then connect the receiver or preamplifier unit to your sound card. |
Cassette or reel-to-reel player | Use one of the following connector options: A "Y" stereo adapter cable with a pair of RCA style, left and right channel connectors (male) and a single line-in, 1/8-inch (3.5 millimeter (mm)) mini connector. -or- A stereo hook up cable with two pairs of RCA style, left and right channel connectors (male), and an audio adapter with a pair of RCA style, left and right channel connectors (female) and a single line-in, 1/8-inch (3.5 mm) mini connector. |
Before connecting the analog device to your computer, be sure to check the manual that came with your device. Wiring diagrams for each of these configurations are available in Plus! Digital Media Edition Help.
For step-by-step procedures and videos that show you exactly what to do, see either of the following Windows Media Workshops:
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How can I maximize the quality of the recorded files I create using Plus! Analog Recorder?
Do the following to make the best possible recordings:
| • | For the best playback quality from your record player, clean vinyl records with a commercial record-cleaning sweeper to remove excess dust. Also, the condition of the record player's stylus can significantly affect the quality of your recordings, so clean or replace your stylus as needed. |
| • | For the best playback quality from your cassette player, clean the playback heads using a commercial head-cleaning kit. |
| • | To ensure optimal recording conditions, turn off any options on your analog audio device that could create additional recording noise. For example, if your cassette player has a Metal option, you may want to turn it off. |
| • | If your analog audio device has a weak or intermittent signal, check your cables and adapters to make sure they are connected properly. |
| • | Because Analog Recorder converts your music to digital format, adjust the recording level on the Adjust your recording level page in Plus! Analog Recorder to avoid digital clipping. |
| • | Use the special cleaning filters on the Clean your tracks page in Plus! Analog Recorder. These filters (Reduce pops and Reduce hiss) help reduce the popping and hissing sounds in your tracks that are caused by the analog recording device. After you select the filters you want, you can preview what the tracks sound like with the filters applied. Analog Recorder applies the cleaning filters that you select to all of the tracks in a list. |
How can I record my voice to a file in Windows Media Player?
Plus! Analog Recorder is designed to transfer music from analog devices, such as a record, cassette, eight-track, or reel-to-reel player, to your digital music library. But it's also easy to use Analog Recorder to transfer audio from another analog device—a microphone—to a digital media file.
To record your voice using Analog Recorder, follow the instructions for transferring music from other analog devices. However, note that by default, Analog Recorder creates a new digital media file for each track on an album or cassette by detecting the pauses between the tracks. So, keep in mind that it will also detect pauses in your speech, and create multiple digital media files for a single speech session. To just create a single digital media file for each speech session, turn off this default option in Analog Recorder by doing the following:
1. | On the Record your music page, click the Advanced button. |
2. | In the Advanced Recording Options dialog box, clear the Automatically detect and split tracks check box. |
NoteYou can also specify the maximum recording time (in minutes) for your speech recording in the Advanced Recording Options dialog box. Maximum recording time may change depending upon the amount of free disk space available for the recorded file. If you plan to record a lengthy speech, make sure enough time is available and, if necessary, free additional disk space.
After you finish recording your speech, you can save it as a Windows Media Audio (WMA) file on your computer, and then add the file to your library in Windows Media Player 10 by using the Add to Library by Searching Computer dialog box in the Player. For more information, see Windows Media Player Help.
By default, Analog Recorder saves recorded files to the My Music folder on your computer. You can save your recorded speech files to another folder on your computer on the Select settings and save tracks page in Analog Recorder.
Why does Plus! Analog Recorder keep reporting that it is not receiving a sufficient audio level?
Check the following:
| • | Make sure your audio source is correctly connected to your computer. |
| • | Make sure you've selected the appropriate Input channel on the Adjust your recording level page of Analog Recorder. |
| • | If you are recording from a record player, a preamplifier is required to increase the record player signal to the proper line-out specification for the line-in input on your computer sound card. Make sure to connect your record player to a stereo receiver or a phono preamplifier unit, and then connect the receiver or preamplifier unit to your sound card. |
For more information, see the wiring diagrams in Plus! Digital Media Edition Help or either of the following Windows Media Workshops:
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Where can I get Plus! Analog Recorder?
Go to the Microsoft Plus! SuperPack Web page for more information about Microsoft Plus! SuperPack for Windows XP, which includes Plus! Analog Recorder. Or, just pick up Plus! SuperPack at your local software retailer.
If you don't find the answer to your question in this column, be sure to check the Archive. Media Advice is not an official Microsoft Support channel. If you need immediate help for an urgent problem, we recommend that you visit Microsoft Help and Support.