RTP-area local music and culture

[chaz <bullcityrocks AT gmail.com>]

No need to spend more than five bucks to do this!
James had the right idea up top there. If you want, I'd be happy to
show ya the set up in the shop I have here.

All I do is run a Y-connector (one RCA end with left/right plugs and
one 1/8" end) from my tape out in my receiver to my mic plug in my
laptop. So really, that's all you need to spend any money on. I don't
think there are any computers made without mic inputs, it should be
buried on there somewhere. It'll of course automatically record it in
stereo too, so you don't lose anything there.

As for the software, Audacity (as Ron said) is amazing. It's
shareware, so you can download it money and guilt free from
download.com or anywhere and use it however long you want. It has the
power to adjust the sound (though I still like leaving my pops and
cracks in the recording) and you just highlight each track and save it
as an .mp3 or .wav file. Then, since the track is already highlighted,
once you've saved it, just delete the highlighted part and you lose no
time in the recording. Then on to the next track....

If you don't have a receiver with a tape/recording output, they do
make pretty decent turntables with built in preamps these days. I've
just brought a few into the shop after researching them, and they got
pretty good reviews. With these, you can just run the Y-connector
straight from the back of the turntable into your computer. Since it's
not a package deal turntable with a lot of other junk in it, there's
more focus on the quality of the actual turntable.

Anyway, I'd be happy to show anyone how to do it!! I've been
converting over a bunch of 7"s lately...it gets pretty addictive!
-chaz.