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Tech: amateur recording

06 Apr 04 - 10:58 AM (#1155710)
Subject: Tech: amateur recording
From: GUEST,albergetti

I want to do some simple recording so that I can send files via the Internet to a playing partner (we'd like to be able to practice to each other's files, as we live a significant distance apart).

Windows Sound Recorder meets my needs, except for the 60-second time limit.

Any suggestions on software that is easy to use, or other recording suggestions? Suggestions on experience with difficulties with software is also requested.

Thank you!


06 Apr 04 - 11:04 AM (#1155717)
Subject: RE: Tech: amateur recording
From: treewind

Audacity, particularly because it's free.

Anahata


06 Apr 04 - 05:44 PM (#1156055)
Subject: RE: Tech: amateur recording
From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca

Here's one out of MANY threads which touches on software for recording. You might investigate some of those threads starting with a search in the above box, where it says "Lyric and Knowledge Search...

Recording Software


06 Apr 04 - 05:45 PM (#1156056)
Subject: RE: Tech: amateur recording
From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca

BTW, if you click on the link to the Recording Software thread, they have a large number of the links available there.


06 Apr 04 - 06:39 PM (#1156087)
Subject: RE: Tech: amateur recording
From: michaelr

GoldWave is a good and simple program. Not sure if it's free or just very affordable.

Cheers,
Michael


06 Apr 04 - 06:51 PM (#1156093)
Subject: RE: Tech: amateur recording
From: McGrath of Harlow

Here's a page I wrote about this kind of stuff with various links - I'm not sure if they are up to date. One way to put your songs on the net.

I was primarily concerned to be able to put stuff on a (free) website rather than via email - I don't trust email attachments myself, even from people I know, and I try to avoid using them. But a lot of the stuff is relevant either way.


06 Apr 04 - 09:37 PM (#1156197)
Subject: RE: Tech: amateur recording
From: GUEST,leeneia

This is how I do it. On my tape deck there is a round hole called "mic." Into it I insert a microphone from RadioShack which cost $17.95. I then put a blank tape into the tape deck, press Play + Record, then sing or play into the microphone. When I am finished, I have a tape to give or send to a friend.


07 Apr 04 - 06:44 AM (#1156402)
Subject: RE: Tech: amateur recording
From: GUEST,KingBrilliant

Hi

SOUNDRECORDER:
I use Windows Soundrecorder to record .wavs from microphone - then I put them onto a CD.
You can get around the 60 second limitation by cutting and pasting. Basically you record an empty file (no mic) - then copy it & paste it back into itelf - which gives you a 120 second file - and so on. So I have a default 6 minute blank file which I "save as" whatever name I want it to be & then record over (from mic). Then I use the edit function to "delete everything after this point" from the end of the song - so I end up with the right length file.

CD BURNING:
In order to burn it onto an audio CD I have to ensure it is saved in a particular format (something like PCM 16bit stereo I think, but I will find out which & let you know - as am at work at the mo & not on my own machine). Then can just burn it onto the CD (as ordinary audio that plays in an ordinary CD player)using the software that came with the machine. All very easy & you don't have to buy or download anything new to do it.

MINIDISC:
Can also prerecord on minidisc, and then record from minidisc to wav file using Soundrecorder - using the line out of the minidisc instead of the microphone (not 100% sure whether I stick the line-out from minidisk into the line-in on PC or whether I go from earphone socket of minidisk to mic socket of PC - again, I'll check & let you know).

SHARING OVER INTERNET:
In order to exchange over the internet to a friend - I used the cunning method of setting up a free Yahoo account & storing the files on the briefcase area (not sure whether I stored as wavs, or maybe saved as MP3 & put those there as they're smaller - will check). Then either of us could log in & play or download whatever the other had put there - and either of us could put new files up there for the other one.

Hope some of that is helpful

Kris


07 Apr 04 - 06:52 AM (#1156405)
Subject: RE: Tech: amateur recording
From: treewind

If your minidisc has a line out you should use that.
My Sony MZR30 has, most newer ones don't and you have to use the headphone output.

MP3 would be hugely preferable to WAV - 1 minute of music is 10Mbytes of stereo 16 bit WAV, only 1Mbyte as 128k MP3 (approximate figures). Unless you're both on broadband you'd be waiting serious lengths of time to upload and download it all.

Snail mailing a MD is a really good way of getting a lot of good quality audio from A to B!

Anahata


07 Apr 04 - 11:50 AM (#1156638)
Subject: RE: Tech: amateur recording
From: Dave Bryant

It's a pity that none of the small portable MD recorders don't have a Digital Out facility - although most seem to have Digital In.

I gather that this is because when the MD system was first designed they were intended for personal copies of CD tracks and for pre-recorded MDs only. It was feared that it would lead to piracy if digital copies out were permitted. Since then, pre-recorded MDs have beeen discontinued, and CD burners mean that there's a much easier way to copy CDs. One of the main uses of pocket MD recorders is for live music recording, and it's apity that this can't be directly transferred as a digital signal, rather than as an analogue one with it's loss of quality.

Mind you, four tracks that I recorded with my first stereo cassette deck (about 25 years ago) have been successfully used on the "Remembering Fred" archive CD set of the late Fred Jordan and they haven't come out so badly.


07 Apr 04 - 11:54 AM (#1156644)
Subject: RE: Tech: amateur recording
From: GUEST,noddy

OOOPS lost this thread. should have realised when it started with "TECH"


07 Apr 04 - 01:57 PM (#1156763)
Subject: RE: Tech: amateur recording
From: treewind

Dave, it's easy to make a digital copy of an MD. It's only the portable recorders that don't have digital outputs.

Sony's very first portable MD did have digital output, then none of its successors did. I think the real reason may be that it uses too much battery power. No problem with mains powered decks.

Anahata


08 Apr 04 - 11:30 AM (#1157520)
Subject: RE: Tech: amateur recording
From: GUEST,albergetti

Thank you so much for new answers to an old question...

especially to Kris (KingBrilliant). Your solution is exactly what I'm looking for and IS brilliant.

**** Can you you tell me explicitly how you cut and paste a file onto itself in Sound Recorder (I'm thinking of how it would work somehow like a word processor)?

Thank you so much,
Anne Marie


09 Apr 04 - 10:29 PM (#1158382)
Subject: RE: Tech: amateur recording
From: GUEST,albergetti

Kris,

Thank you SO much! I was able to make a longer Sound Recorder file. When you have a chance, please let me know how you save the files to CD so that they can be played by CD player.

This info is invaluable to me.

Thank you!

Anne M


10 Apr 04 - 03:06 PM (#1158696)
Subject: RE: Tech: amateur recording
From: GUEST,M'Grath of Altcar

The following link is a hilarious Windows Sound recorder epic -its big about 516 kb but you'll laugh at the sheer stupidity of it.

weird windows sound recorder epic choon


10 Apr 04 - 04:37 PM (#1158773)
Subject: RE: Tech: amateur recording
From: mooman

Thanks M'Grath of Altcar...I enjoyed that link immensely!

Peace

moo


11 Apr 04 - 11:54 PM (#1159609)
Subject: RE: Tech: amateur recording
From: GUEST,albergetti

Whoa! the possibilities! I'm still crackin' up!

Thank you M'Grath!

A