Converting Vinyl to MP3 files (and then burning, if you wanna)

[steve(thelil)]

Bruce Massey asked about converting Vinyl records to files he can listen to on his iPOD, and Patricia also expressed an interest. I remembered recently reading something online about a good software package for these purposes.

I tried to find the same article and didn't. But it seems that there is a really good program that's now FREEWARE available. AND PC WORLD says it's clean from spyware and other nasties.

Check this out.

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,6777,00.asp

[Dr Dave]

I use Goldwave (http://www.goldwave.com/) to clean up vinyl tracks, then burn with good ol' Roxio Easy CD Creator (http://www.yourbackupsoftware.net/productdetail.asp?prod_id=41) . It's so easy, even I can use it. :)

[steve(thelil)]

Does Goldwave convert to MP3 and clean up at the same time? Is it labor intensive?

When I was looking for info online (a search of Google Groups), some knowledgeable geeks were discussing how they use software that requires them to stare at meters and actively clean every pop INDIVIDUALLY. They also discussed that they get so obsessive that converting/cleaning ONE LP could take 20 hours.

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

I use Goldwave for CDs, either before burning copies or transferring to the hard drive as an mp3 for the dances.

But I have switched to Audacity for vinyl. The noise removal process is much easier to use (Goldwave's is kind of clumsy) and exporting as an mp3 is more efficient, too. Both programs use the same noise removal method (Goldwave offers others, but mentions that this one is the best): take a sample of the record before the music starts to get the record's "noise" and then remove that sound at that sound level from the entire record. It's worked remarkably well through about 600 square dance records (I have another 3,000 or so to process).

Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/)

[Dr Dave]

Does Goldwave convert to MP3 and clean up at the same time? Is it labor intensive?

When I was looking for info online (a search of Google Groups), some knowledgeable geeks were discussing how they use software that requires them to stare at meters and actively clean every pop INDIVIDUALLY. They also discussed that they get so obsessive that converting/cleaning ONE LP could take 20 hours.

That sounds like Kevin Bresnahan! :)

Goldwave just cleans stuff up. You don't have to do it a pop at a time; you can create a general setting. Arriving at the ideal setting can indeed be tedious, and I'm going to check out Audacity.

[bruce massey]

I want to get my vinyl onto itunes and discs. Can this be done. Also what kid of cables do I need and where can I get them?

BTW-Thanks for the thread

[Dr Dave]

Bruce, check out this link (http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-7899_7-5116211.html) at CNET.com. It's where I learned how to do this stuff.

[bruce massey]

Thank you Doc!

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

Here's how to make cleaned-up mp3s using Audacity -- no fuss, five minutes per record not counting the recording itself.

First patch your music source (in my case the music pre-amp on my calling rig) into the microphone input (or port of choice) of your computer. Patch cords readily available at Radio Shack, etc.

Hit the record button on Audacity, wait a couple of seconds and put the needle on.

When you have finished recording what you want, highlight a section of the record's noise between the time you put the needle down and the time the music starts. A couple of seconds sample is fine. Don't include the needle drop itself.

Go the the Effects drop-down menu and go to Noise Reduction. The top half is "Get Noise Profile". Click on that. It records it almost instantly. This is the sound it will remove from the record.

Then go back to the Audacity recording screen and highlight the whole record. (Control + a, or 'Select All' from the drop-down edit menu.) Go back to Noise Removal on the Effects menu. Then click 'Apply Noise Removal', a process which takes about 8-10 seconds for 45-rpm single.

Give a listen to check the quality.

Then I edit the song at the beginning at the end, using the two seconds before I dropped the needle for my lead-in.

Then go to the File drop-down menu, and click on 'Export as mp3'. Select the destination folder, fill out the label and the tag and you're done. As I say, under five minutes. And no fiddling around trying to find the right settings -- you've taken a sample of the noise specific to that record, and have removed it.

I'm very pleased with Audacity's Noise Removal system, am using it professionally, and it is the preferred vinyl-to-laptop program for most callers and cuers in the business.


One more tip: before you remove the noise, move the needle on the slider two clicks to left, slightly decreasing the amount of Noise Removal applied. After personal experimentation and talking with others in the business, I'm convinced this setting should be the "normal" one. 98% of my records are best recorded at this setting.