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How to Record From an External Audio Source

By Carla Slavey
Anyone can record from external audio devices such as record players.
i record player image by jeancliclac from Fotolia.com

Record collectors need to transfer their tunes from vinyl to MP3. Musicians need to record their music from a keyboard to their mixing software. Teachers want to give each student a CD of classroom lectures that were originally recorded on video. Many reasons exist for needing to record sound onto a computer from an external source, and it's very simple to do. The key is using the correct cables and good recording software to create sound files on your computer.

Instructions

A typical arrangement for audio input and output sockets on modern audio equipment.
i audio in out image by Guy Pracros from Fotolia.com

Find the output socket or sockets on the audio device and determine the type of jack needed for your connections. The types of jacks will vary, from having one simple output to having sockets for left and right speakers, to multi-channel audio with places for up to eight connectors.

You can use an audio conversion cable that can connect a stereo output to a single-socket input.
i cable audio image by b0t from Fotolia.com

Find the input socket or sockets on your computer. Many computers have a single-socket input with a picture of a microphone on it. Some may also have stereo inputs. If not, purchase a USB audio input device.

Connect the cable to the microphone input on the computer
i plug in image by Petro Feketa from Fotolia.com

Connect the two devices using a cable with connections that fit both devices.

Open an audio recording program on your computer. Computers with Microsoft Windows have a program called Sound Recorder found under Accessories. You can also download free audio recording software, such as Audacity. For more professional editing, you can buy software such as Cakewalk or Audio Record Wizard.

Press the "record" button on the recording software.

Keyboards and other electric instruments can be recorded directly to your computer.
i keyboard image by bright from Fotolia.com

Press play on the external audio device, or start playing the instrument you've connected to your computer.

Follow the recording software's instructions for saving the recording as an audio file.

References

Tips

  • Once recorded, many audio programs will let you convert the file to different file types. Those can then be burned to a CD or downloaded to an MP3 player. Many recording programs will let you edit sound files any way you want them.

Writer Bio

Carla Slavey has been a professional writer for over 11 years. She began by working for a small daily Indiana newspaper, "The Sullivan Daily Times," and has continued by freelancing for several online publications. Slavey graduated from Western Kentucky University with a Bachelor of Arts in English writing.

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