Adobe Audition 3

Windows Sound Recorder is one of the most versatile applications included in the Windows operating system. You can use Windows Sound Recorder to record, edit and manipulate sound files in many ways. You can even, indirectly, make an MP3 with Windows Sound Recorder.

1. Create your audio file with Windows Sound Recorder.
2. Step 2

   Use Windows Sound Recorder to manipulate your audio file. You can increase or decrease speed, increase or decrease volume, add echo, mix 2 files together, insert 1 audio file into another and delete portions of your audio file, all within Windows Sound Recorder.

3. Step 3

   Save your audio file to an appropriate folder on your computer.

4. Step 4

   Open your WAV to MP3 conversion software.

5. Step 5

   Load your audio file into your conversion software. Execute the conversion instructions for your particular softwareSave the file the software creates as an MP3 file.

A sound recorder is a program that allows you to record sound input. Sound recorder software now on the market also offers editing features. Windows operating systems come with a sound recorder pre-installed. However, the versions of Windows before Vista allow you to save only minute-long recordings. The sound recorder in Windows Vista allows longer recording sessions, but does not allow sound playback in the sound recorder interface, and contains very few features. If you want better sound recording features, it is best to install other sound recording software.

1. Open a web browser and search for sound recorder software that you would like to install. While there are free sound recorder programs available, some may require you to pay for a fee before you can download them. Paid-for sound recording software may offer better sound recording features. Two examples of sound recording software are Audacity and SoundEdit Pro.
2. Step 2

   Download the sound recording software and save it to a local drive. When the downloading is completed, run the installer and complete the installation process. Reboot the computer.

3. Step 3

   Launch the sound recorder and start recording. Make sure that you have a functioning microphone attached to your computer for a successful sound recording session.

The major components of a computer sound system are sound card and speakers. What happens if you are not getting any sound from the computer? Here’s how to troubleshoot the sound system so you can repair the problem.

1. If the computer sound system doesn’t work, check the speakers. There are articles on how to troubleshoot computer speaker problems in eHow. Verify that the speakers work before going to the next step. The steps below assume that the speakers function correctly. Many sound cards are embedded in the motherboard but it will still treated it as a separate component. These components will be referred to as “sound card” for the remainder of the article.
2. Step 2

   In Windows, check the device manager for any problems with the sound card. In Windows XP, go to Start, Control Panel, System, click on the Hardware tab, and double click on Device Manager. The steps are similar for all versions of Windows from 1995 to above.

3. Step 3

   In the Device Manager Window, expand the Sound and Video Game Controllers heading by clicking on the plus sign next to the label. If you see a yellow circle with an exclamation mark on a subheading that has any reference to “audio”, the sound card has some sort of issue.

4. Step 4

   If the Device Manager shows a heading that says “Other Devices” with a big yellow question mark and a reference to audio, sound card, or the name of the sound card, then there may be a problem with the sound card.

5. Step 5

   If the sound card is a separate printed circuit board in the card slot and Device Manager indicates any problem with the sound card, safely open up the computer and check if the card is inserted all the way in.

6. Step 6

   Get the CD with the sound card driver or device driver (the software which interfaces the sound card or sound component to the Windows operating system). If you don’t have the CD, you can download the sound card software via the internet from the computer, motherboard, or sound card manufacturer’s website. Obtain the sound card or motherboard (if sound component is embedded) model and serial number to find the drivers on the company’s website.

7. Step 7

   Download the device driver in a folder where you can find it later. Make sure the drivers are unzipped or extracted if they are packed in one file.

8. Step 8

   In the Device Manager, click on the label with the problem. Do a right click on the label and you should see an option to uninstall the driver or device. Select this and follow the instructions to uninstall the driver/device.

9. Step 9

   Once the component is removed, restart the computer. Windows will indicate that it found new hardware. Click on the message before it disappears. Follow the instructions to locate and install the driver. You will be asked to restart the computer if the installation was successful.

10. Step 10

    Test the sound by playing a music or sound file on your computer to see if the software device driver for the sound component or card was successful. If the software installation was not successful, consult free computer support on the internet to determine another answer.

11. Step 11

    If the sound card is bad or suspected of being bad, try adding another new sound card. There are many inexpensive sound cards for approximately twenty dollars. Even if there is a sound “card” on the motherboard, it is still possible to install another sound card in an open card slot in your computer. Just make sure the card matches the type of slot for your computer. If the card replacement was not successful, look for free computer support on the internet to determine other resolutions.

A sound module is an electronic musical instrument that is often played by an external device, usually a standard piano-type electronic keyboard. Sound modules are often controlled using MIDI and sometimes require external speakers for audio output. Common sound modules include drum machines and keyboards, some with MIDI inputs and outputs that allow them to be controlled and sequenced by an external MIDI controller.

Setup

1. Step 1

   Hook up your sound module. If the sound module does not have built-in speakers, you will need to find some speakers with compatible inputs in order to hear the audio. A basic sound module setup will include the sound module, a pair of headphones or a speaker and a power cord.

2. Step 2

   Play your sound module. Often, sound modules are keyboards or other objects with keys like a piano. Other sound modules have their own unique key layout.

3. Step 3

   Change the sounds. Many sound modules offer multiple sounds that can be changed using switches or a selection menu. On a Yamaha Portatone keyboard, the sound selection is made using a selection menu with instruments that coincide with numbers. When an instrument number is entered into the menu using the numerical keypad on the Portatone, the sound comes up.

4. Step 4

   Tinker with the settings. Many sound modules offer options that allow you to tweak the sound, add reverb or change the way the keys work. Some sound modules have built-in rhythm and drum beats, pre-made songs and the capability to record, while other sound modules are very simple and lack even a headphone jack.

Midi Control

5. Step 1

   Install your digital MIDI sequencing hardware and drivers, and make sure it is properly detected by your MIDI sequencing software.

6. Step 2

   Connect your MIDI-capable keyboard to your digital MIDI interface (Midi to USB or Firewire, like the TASCAM US-122) using a pair of MIDI cables. The MIDI inputs on a keyboard are often located in the back, but check your manual to see if the keyboard has a guide to using your MIDI inputs.

7. Step 3

   Start up your MIDI-controlling software (Reason, Pro Tools). If the digital MIDI interface is correctly installed, your MIDI software should locate it and allow you to connect to the sound module. If the software does not automatically detect the keyboard on your MIDI interface, see References below for a way to install or specify audio and MIDI devices.

8. Step 4

   Choose your sound. Often, a computer MIDI software controller will not play a default sound. To hear sounds from the keyboard through the computer, you must specify a sound for the software to play.

9. Step 5

   Record your MIDI sequence. Most MIDI controlling software allows you to record the sequence that you play as you play it. This is an entertaining feature because it allows you to play back the notes and timing you played, but with different sounds. Try recording a song then playing it back with a different sound than you recorded it.

Want to know the trick to re-recording people’s voices during audio chats or streaming internet radio music? Or do you just want to unprotect your copy protected music? Well this is it!

1. First note that if your computer has a newer Intel based motherboard, the feature that allows you to do this may be disabled. Also I’ve heard this doesn’t work at all in Vista. The reason behind both of these is because the RIAA complained and convinced them that too many people were stealing music be re-recording internet radio. I think if you have a separate PCI sound card instead of just an onboard one, this will work for everyone with XP regardless of their motherboard though.
2. Step 2

   To set this up, you need to double click on the system volume icon in the lower right hand corner in the system tray. It’s the little speaker shaped icon that you use to adjust the volume. Some common XP glitches can make that disappear so you can also get to it by clicking on sounds and Audio Devices on the control panel then clicking Advanced under device volume.

3. Step 3

   
   

   Either way, the extended volume control should open up. On the Options menu, click properties. Then change the selection to Recording and make sure that there is a checkbox next to “Stereo Mix.” Usually there isn’t a check there by default. Your menu should look very similar to the one in the attached screenshot. If you don’t have an option for Stereo Mix, sorry, your system is one of the ones with that features disabled.

4. Step 4

   Now that Stereo Mix is checked, press OK. This will replace the normal extended volume controls with the extended recording controls. Under each audio channel, there’s a checkbox that says Select. What that does is sets the default recording device. By default, most computers will have the select button under Microphone because that’s the most common channel people use to record audio. What you need to do is change the Stereo Mix channel to be the selected one. You also need to turn the volume way down. Just below the 2nd tick mark seems good on my system. You need to do this because that channel is outputting at a very high power but the system is expecting to receive recordings at a very low level. See the attached screenshot for an example of how it should look.

5. Step 5

   Assuming you don’t have any other audio recording programs, you can open the Sound Recorder program that comes with Windows. You’ll find it under Accessories > Entertainment. As soon as any sound is coming out of the speakers, press record and that’s what will be recorded no matter what it is. Music, voices, game sound effects, anything!

6. Step 6

   Of course, sound recorder sucks so you’ll probably want to get something better. I’d recommend Wavepad. It’s a free program that offers way more functionality. You can graphically cut parts of sounds out and balance and EQ it and normalize and amplify it and all sorts of fun stuff. Plus you can save your files as MP3s. Wavepad has a tendency to reset the default recording channel as soon as the program open though but once you press record and it brings up the record options, you can choose which channel to record from then. Actually then you could skip every step except turning the volume down on the Stereo Mix channel.

7. Step 7

   So no matter what program you use, that’s how you do it. If you play a digital rights management copy protected song, you can re-record it at full quality with no copy protection using this method. You can also record audio chats in IM programs but you have to mute your voice from within the IM program because as soon as you change from the mic to the stereo mixer, it will send that feed through the chat and basically bounce back everything they say which quickly creates a feedback loop. This re-recording can also work to quickly snag audio clips from DVDs while they’re playing.

A recording software program can be a free system designed for podcasters or an expensive professional quality system in which you can score and record orchestras. While they all share the same basic functions, some software, like ProTools or Cakewalk, can construct elaborate musical compositions or add sound bites from other sources to the mix. Here’s what to look for when choosing software for your recording studio.

1. Review all the functions you’ll need in your recording studio. Even the most basic software, including Sound Forge and Audacity, offers cut and paste capacity where you can move one track or audio blip to another point in the sequence.
2. Step 2

   Choose software that lets you use a MIDI device. That means you can connect an electronic keyboard, a guitar or other instrument to your computer and record songs and audio samples directly using your recording software.

3. Step 3

   Control pitch or tempo. Some recording software also functions as a pitch correction and can gloss over off-key notes or imperfections in a vocalist’s performance and eliminate the need for retakes.

4. Step 4

   Mix your recordings with a software system. High-end software, like Cubase, ProTools and Cakewalk, allow you to mix multiple tracks with your desktop workstation instead of relying on a separate mixer. Anything you can do with an analog mixer you can do with software, like bussing and adding sound effects, such as wah-wah and flanger.

5. Step 5

   Organize sound loops if you want to build a song from various tracks or pull loops or sound effects from a music library. Add samples or sound loops from a song or from effects software like Cakewalk or Sony Media and transfer them to your mixing program to get the sound you want.

There are a number of different reasons why your computer may no longer give sound. If you have this problem, read on to learn how to diagnose the problem and resolve your PC’s loss of sound.

Check the Speaker Connections and Volume Control Settings

1. Step 1

   Verify that the lack of sound is not due to faulty speaker connections. A simple way to test it is to substitute the speaker connection with headphones and see if you get any sound.

2. Step 2

   Open the volume control window by clicking your “Start” button and then “All Programs.” Click “Accessories,” then “Entertainment,” then “Volume Control.” Alternatively, just click on the speaker icon that’s in your System Tray.

3. Step 3

   Check the volume and mute settings. If any of the mute check boxes have been checked, uncheck them. If this doesn’t work, read on.

Perform a System Restore If Necessary

4. Step 1

   If the sound has been audible from your computer’s speakers and is suddenly lost, you may need to perform a System Restore. Click on the ” Start” button and then “All Programs.”

5. Step 2

   Click on “Accessories,” then “System Tools,” then “System Restore.”

6. Step 3

   Complete the System Restore Wizard. If this doesn’t work, read on.

Delete and Reinstall the Original Sound Drivers

7. Step 1

   Deleting and reinstalling your sound driver may resolve the problem. Your sound driver may have been corrupted or may be missing. The result of this is that the restore utility menu won’t be available. For Windows XP, follow these steps.

8. Step 2

   Click on your “Start” button. Click on “Control Panel” and then “System.” Next, click on “Hardware,” then “Device Manager, then “Sound, Video and Game Controllers.”

9. Step 3

   Click on a sound device named in the Device Manager, and then press the Delete key on the keyboard. Click “OK” in the window that appears. Remove all the listed sound devices i this way EXCEPT Audio Codec and Legacy Audio Drivers.

10. Step 4

    Restart your computer. Reinstall the deleted drivers using the Driver and Application Recovery CDs that came with your Windows XP system.

11. Step 5

    Visit your computer manufacturer’s official website. Check for any updated sound driver software for your sound card. If any, download them along with the installation instructions.

The speakers on an Acer Aspire laptop can vary in quality. As a result, the audio from the laptop’s internal speakers may not always be the best quality. The sound can sometimes sound muffled and distant when listening to audio from a file or on the Internet You can improve the sound on your Acer Aspire laptop by making a few simple system changes.

1. Find out which audio controller is installed on the system. Go to the “Control Panel” and double-click on the “Sounds and Audio Devices” icon. Click on the “Audio” tab to see what is listed for the default device for sound playback.
2. Step 2

   Download driver and software updates directly from Acer’s website (see Resources). Save the files to a folder, and then run the setup program to install the software.

3. Step 3

   Download and install a new software driver for your laptop’s on-board audio controller. Many audio controllers in Acer Aspire laptops use the AC97 Audio Codec driver. Go to the Realtek website and click on the “Downloads” tab to see available software (see Resources).

4. Step 4

   Adjust the sound using the Master Volume setting. Right-click on the audio icon on the toolbar and select “Open Volume Control.” Use the Master Volume and Wave input settings to adjust the volume of the audio that is being heard.

5. Step 5

   Use a software program such as the Realtek Sound Effect Manager to control and adjust the laptop’s audio settings. There should be an icon on the desktop or toolbar, but you can also find the program in the Control Panel as well. The program contains an equalizer with presets to choose from as well as mixer and audio I/O options.

Surround sound is the sound of the future, and it’s all around you. You can record surround sound on your home computer with home recording software, as long as you have the right equipment, knowledge and patience. Once you have mastered recording in stereo, you may be ready to move on to bigger things.

Set Up Your Equipment

1. Step 1

   Make sure you have all the equipment you will need. It’s extremely equipment intensive to record surround sound on your home computer. In addition to a surround encoder, you will also need the following: a surround decoder for playback, 5 speakers and a subwoofer, a sequencer that creates surround audio files, an 8 x8 (or at the least 6 x6) audio interface, a DVD-R recorder and DVD burning software.

2. Step 2

   Ensure that your mixer has at least six discrete inputs and outputs.

3. Step 3

   Set up separate systems for creation and playback, so that you can assemble tracks in one room and decode them in another.

Set Up the Software and Hardware Mixers

4. Step 1

   Set up a bus for each surround stream in your software mixer. There will be six of them: left, right, center, subwoofer, rear left and rear right. You may want to check to see if your sequencer has an existing template. The buses will either send sound to the mixer, which will then pass it to the speakers, or they will send sound directly to the audio interface outputs.

5. Step 2

   Circuit your audio interface outputs through the hardware mixer, preferably using aux sends, because you can vary the signal of any channel to all six streams. However, you could also use sends, sub-outs and direct outs here.

6. Step 3

   Route audio interface inputs to the buses in your software mixer.

Record Surround Sound

7. Step 1

   Create tracks as you would if you were recording in stereo. You can monitor them via your software in order to play with the effects and plug-ins.

8. Step 2

   Use the sequencer to create buses that give you the output you are looking for. Recording in surround sounds allows for fewer restrictions than recording in stereo. You have more freedom to play with the sounds, delays and pitches, as well as to change the sound as you pass it from speaker to speaker.

9. Step 3

   Use a different surround panner for every track to optimize the position of each element. You should render them at the end of your song to create six separate mono audio files.

10. Step 4

    Choose an application that encodes the six .wav audio files into one .ac3 file.

Burn the DVD

11. Step 1

    Use a DVD burning program that lets you set up the menu like you would the menu of a DVD movie, so that you can select text with a remote.

12. Step 2

    Put together text and images, creating links which point to both the .ac3 files and accompanying MPEG videos (if you wish to add one). The links, when clicked on, will play the piece you have recorded.

13. Step 3

    Add as many songs as you would like the DVD to hold and burn the disc.

14. Step 4

    Use a DVD player and surround receiver to check your work.

There are many reasons you might want to add your live voice to a music stream. It is a method that is used with many audio book authors, as well as voice-over talent for commercials and other projects. In order to add your live voice to a music stream, all you need is music, a microphone, and software on your computer to record your voice.

1. Choose a music file on your computer that would like to add your live voice to. The music can be from a CD, MP3, MP4 or WMA file, as long as it is playable on your computer.
2. Step 2

   Connect a microphone to your computer so that you can record audio input. If you want a high-quality recording, you should use a high quality USB microphone such as those used by voice-over talent. USB microphones can be purchased from your local computer retailer for $20 to $40, depending on the brand.

3. Step 3

   Cue your music to the point you would like to begin recording your voice.

4. Step 4

   Open your sound recording software program. If you are running Windows Vista, you have the option of using the built-in sound recorder by clicking on your Windows “Start” button and performing a search for “Sound Recorder.” You can also compare and download free sound-recording software by clicking on the link in the “Resources” section of this article.

5. Step 5

   Begin playing your music. Click on the “Record” button in your sound-recording software program. Press the “Stop” button when you are finished recording.

6. Step 6

   Listen to your recording by pressing the “Playback” option. If you are satisfied with the recording, save it by selecting “File” and “Save As.”