Record Audio Tapes to CDs?

vja4Him · Mar 17, 2008

What would be the cheapest, easiest, and best way to record music from our audio tapes onto CDs? I would be using my G4 iBook, running OS X 10.4.11. Thanks.

Thedspeth · Mar 17, 2008

The things you will need:
1. A tape player... (preferably a nice one... but a walkman will work, just not sound as good)

2. A cable to connect the tape player to the computer mic input. Your tape player will either have a headphone jack so a cable like this will work, or it will have rca "red and white" outputs... so you would need something like this.

3. A audio recording program... do you have Garageband? If not, then download Audacity.

In the audio app go into preferences and in the audio tab select "Built-in input" as the audio in. Start recording and press play on the tape... From here you can turn it into an MP3 or wave. Making tracks is a bit more complicated, but a google search with provide more info. If you know how to play with EQ, you can get some hiss out by bringing down the "highs"....

Note: This isn't the most high quality solution. If you want superior quality, the expense keeps getting higher. This should do for what you want, I'm guessing.

louishen · Mar 17, 2008

If you are prepared to pay for Toast, it comes with spin doctor, a great app for recording sound from LPs and cassettes

LPs and cassettes - that sounds so old skool now

vja4Him · Mar 18, 2008

How to Get Back Garage Band ... ???

Thedspeth said:
The things you will need:
1. A tape player... (preferably a nice one... but a walkman will work, just not sound as good)

2. A cable to connect the tape player to the computer mic input. Your tape player will either have a headphone jack so a cable like this will work, or it will have rca "red and white" outputs... so you would need something like this.

3. A audio recording program... do you have Garageband? If not, then download Audacity.

In the audio app go into preferences and in the audio tab select "Built-in input" as the audio in. Start recording and press play on the tape... From here you can turn it into an MP3 or wave. Making tracks is a bit more complicated, but a google search with provide more info. If you know how to play with EQ, you can get some hiss out by bringing down the "highs"....

Note: This isn't the most high quality solution. If you want superior quality, the expense keeps getting higher. This should do for what you want, I'm guessing.

When I installed Tiger (erased HD) I didn't know that Tiger doesn't have Garage Band, so now I don't have Garage Band. Seems like the only way to get it back is to erase the HD, then reinstall Panther, then reinstall Tiger .... Can't do that ....

Is there any way to get back Garage Band without having to pay for it again? I already paid for OS X 10.0, then paid for OS X Panther, then paid for OS X Tiger ... Do I have to buy OS X Leopard, just to get Garage Band? Also need iMovie, and probably several other applications ....

Thedspeth · Mar 19, 2008

I'm fairly new to mac, but I've heard some people on here talk of a way to get apps like Garageband off of the OS install disk so that you can install it by itself... I don't really know how, though. You might start a new thread in a different area of the forum.

MacHeadCase · Mar 19, 2008

GarageBand is part of the iLife suite. OS X and iLife are two different products so, no, OS X does not come with iLife. iLife is part of the bundled software with each and every new Mac being sold, that's why it's on the restore disks you have.

And iLife on its own costs much less than OS X.

vja4Him · Mar 19, 2008

Installing Garage Band ....

Thedspeth said:
I'm fairly new to mac, but I've heard some people on here talk of a way to get apps like Garageband off of the OS install disk so that you can install it by itself... I don't really know how, though. You might start a new thread in a different area of the forum.

I was thinking about starting a new thread .....

MacHeadCase · Mar 19, 2008

No don't start a new thread. Keep the discussion in this thread please, it's all about the same topic.

Thedspeth · Mar 19, 2008

vja... I don't know how to instruct you further on getting Garageband to install from your restore disks but I've seen people talk about it. You probably won't get much more help because this part of the forum is not as heavily trafficked as most. If you can't start a new thread, I've had some success with questions over at macrumors.com.

Good luck!

bryphotoguy · Mar 19, 2008

Buy iLife, it's what, like $30? iLife is separate from OS X. It comes bundled on restore discs when you buy a new Mac they're still on separate discs, which is why they always give two restore discs.
I've also used the app mentioned that's bundled with Toast. I like that a lot. It's very simple to use.

Blaina · Apr 21, 2008

GarageBand basics

Following the vein of this thread:
I have GarageBand and would like to record cassettes onto my MacBook Pro/Leopard.
Having searched GB Help section, can't see any obvious reference to the cassette copying process, and as a beginner with this kind of programme will need to get a grasp of the absolute basics.
Can anyone point to a basics tutorial for GB beginners? Thanks

vja4Him · Apr 21, 2008

Recording Music Cassettes to iBook

Blaina said:
Following the vein of this thread:
I have GarageBand and would like to record cassettes onto my MacBook Pro/Leopard.
Having searched GB Help section, can't see any obvious reference to the cassette copying process, and as a beginner with this kind of programme will need to get a grasp of the absolute basics.
Can anyone point to a basics tutorial for GB beginners? Thanks

I've found this subject on several other forums, and more than one person has suggested that Garage Band is not for recording music from cassette tapes to a computer, but rather for editing.

I've played around with several applications so far .... Still can't figure out how to turn off the built-in microphone on my iBook. I've checked all the settings everywhere that I can possibly find .... Strange??

Also, I can't get rid of that terribly annoying hissing sound between songs!! Looks like I will probably need to invest some greenbacks in this project, which I can't afford right now. So, my audio cassette project still sits on the back burner .....

Blaina · Apr 21, 2008

Have found a free download which fits the bill perfectly, including noise reduction filter (Or simply edit out the noise section between songs - this application makes it so easy):
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/mac

Re. the mic. on your iBook - if you go to system preferences/sound/input, you should be able to select an alternative input to the internal mic. On my MacBook pro it is 'audio line-in', but yours might be something like 'external microphone'.

Don't forget if you do use an external mic. socket to record from your hi-fi because of no audio line-in, be very careful to start with input volumes turned right down, then gradually turned up to acceptable input level, so you don't blast the innards of your iBook. (So I'm told anyway.)
HTH?

ebay · Apr 23, 2008

vja4Him said:
I've found this subject on several other forums, and more than one person has suggested that Garage Band is not for recording music from cassette tapes to a computer, but rather for editing.

I've played around with several applications so far .... Still can't figure out how to turn off the built-in microphone on my iBook. I've checked all the settings everywhere that I can possibly find .... Strange??

Also, I can't get rid of that terribly annoying hissing sound between songs!! Looks like I will probably need to invest some greenbacks in this project, which I can't afford right now. So, my audio cassette project still sits on the back burner .....

OK, I'm just getting onto GB but it appears to be a multi-track recorder with looping support and built-in synthesis. It will take an audio input like from a microphone or electric guitar processor/preamp. Therefore, a cassette source should work?

That hissing sound is why they put DBX noise reduction on everything back in the day. It's the problem with tape and why everyone wanted to leave it behind. Without going into digital's merits/flaws, it is well known that digital will often amplify the flaws in a recording. Your ears may be so used to digital quiet that they are hypersensitive to tape hiss. We used to just ignore it back in the 80's and before.

OK, a little messing with GB did it. Bring your track up. Select it. Open the track editing window. Hightlight the section you want to cut. Press command+X to delete it. Voila! complete silence!!!

hughvane · Aug 24, 2008

vja4Him said:
What would be the cheapest, easiest, and best way to record music from our audio tapes onto CDs? I would be using my G4 iBook, running OS X 10.4.11. Thanks.

Have stumbled across your post while searching for digital recorder suggestions. If it's not already done, what you need for the recording are:
1. A Griffin iMic - about US$60.
2. A turntable with a built-in amplifier (or a stereo with a line out port) or a cassette or reel-to-reel tape recorder and
3. a cable to connect the iMic to the stereo.
4. download Final Vinyl, which is free and also from Griffin.
Then it is just a case of letting rip - your G4 would manage it nicely. There are one or two settings to adjust.

GordonS · Sep 5, 2008

I've been using iMic for a couple of years and works very well. I just bring one of my turntables (or cassette deck) and plug in. Only wish I had the time to shift everything across - tend to use it for vinyl that's a bit scratched as I can use Audacity to clean it up.

Record Audio Tapes to CDs?

vja4Him

Thedspeth

louishen

vja4Him

Thedspeth

MacHeadCase

Guest

vja4Him

MacHeadCase

Guest

Thedspeth

bryphotoguy

Blaina

vja4Him

Blaina

ebay

hughvane

GordonS

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