Greetings...
As indicated, this post is NHR. I'd like advice on how to transfer older,
analog recordings, including cassette tapes, LPs, and even reel-to-reel (!) to
digital format (specifically, CDs). Any advice would be appreciated off-list.
Thanks!
Jonathan Yoder
Hellio Jonathon - before I start my reply a caution - this is a long answer to
a short question.
The first decision you have to make concerns whether or not you want to edit or
restore the analog recordings. If you want to edit/restore, etc. standard
procedure is to use a computer and recording/editing software and any available
resoration plug-ins. Your other, far simpler choice is to use a standalone CD
recorder or digital recorder. If this is the way that you want to go then you
lose any ability to remove tape hiss, lp noise, apply corrective eq, etc.
However when doing any archiving it is highly recommended if the original is
analog that before doing any restoration that you make an unaltered full stereo
file at the highest resolution/bit rate that you can. [I won't discuss
bit-rate/resolution/sample rate here and now - it's another magazine size
debate!]
You can use a tape player hooked into your stereo receiver and a CD recorder
hooked into any standard "line" or auxiliary output. Do not use a phone output
or input except with the turntable, which must absolutely be connected to the
"phono" input on the receiver. There is an extra EQ stage in a phono
preamplifier which must be used for correct sound from an lp. Then following
your cd recorder's manual record through the receiver into the recorder.
pretty simple once you get the hang of it.
The more complex route is to use a computer and recording/editing software.
To get the audio from your source into your computer there are currently three
portals - the pci card slot, the usb port or the firewire port. There are
interfaces [hardware devices] with various numbers of inputs that connect to
each type. [none that I know of that connect to more than one kind at a time.]
Use of these interfaces typically requires installation of software drivers to
establish a connection to your system. Once you have the interface
established, you will need software - Protools, Cubase, Nuendo, Bias, Ableton,
etc. there are literally tens of companies perhaps hundreds that have
applicable programs. Audacity is often mentioned as useful - its free but I
have never used it so I can't tell you any specifics about it. 80 to 90
percent of all recording studios use Protools and Nuendo/Cubase, but for
straight restoration projects I couldn't tell you what is
considered the most standard.Mr. Ovitsky from Sotone would have volumes more
useful information about specific software.
Before I go any further, let me say a word about inputs - cd players, cassette
and reel decks, and md players and such are at "line level" a specific
voltage and ohmage of electrical signal output. Mic inputs are at an entirely
different level of voltage, as are elecric guitars and other electronic
instruments, hence the need for the ability of your interface to have or be
able to switch the inputs to each type. Most typically there are two mic
inputs, and two "line/guitar/instrument" switchable inputs on a consumer
interface. Headphones are at an astronomically different resistance [ohms] so
it is not advisable for best results to use that output to feed your recording
device.
The chain for recording to your computer is this: output device - [either
direct or through a reciever] - interface - recording software. Note that you
can use the interface with a microphone so once you have this setup you can
make excellent practice session recordings.
There is another more commonplace solution and that is one of the various
"mini" or handheld two to four track recorders made by Zoom, Boss, Sony,
Edirol, M-audio, Roland, Yamaha, Korg and others. These come either with built
in microphones or mic inputs, the latter are either supplemented with a stereo
line input or the xlr inputs are switchable for line input levels. These are
excellent devices pretty much across the board for general usage. Once the
audio is captured into these devices they are normally connected to the
computer via USB or Firewire and then the process is the same as that for
regular interface/software recording. In other words, the handheld recorder
becomes the interface for the computer, then can also be used for location and
live recording situations. Interfaces can be had for under $200 dollars and
most come with a very useful version of recording software [normally Cubase].
For reference look at the following sites
fullcompass.com, sweetwater.com, b&hproaudio.com, digidesign.com
and check out Recording and EQ magazines.
I also highly reccommend getting to the public library and checking out any
books on the subject - the more you know the nuts and bolts of this stuff the
easier it actually is.
I won't continue to bore you with the infinite details of Equalization,
surround sound, compression, phase corrections, noise reduction/removal, etc.
all the procedural decisions that only you can make. My advice is this - no
matter how you decide you want to go make master files of the audio without
doing anything to it - no editing, restoration, anything, that way you will
always have a master library to use should your restored cd's get messed up or
you decide to delve deeper into the world of "mastering" - another issue
altogether.
I realize that this has probably confused you more than helped, but take your
time, learn about the whole recording process, and be patient - the nice thing
about computer recording is that you can always redo it if you don't like it
the first time.
contact me if you need to.
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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