Converting 4 track to MP3 with Audacity

Question:

I’ve just recorded some songs on a 4 track recorder. Can I just connect from the ‘line in’ on the 4 track to the mic jack on my laptop PC? Then convert to MP3, using Audacity, from there?

Once I download Audacity can I also do the same with old tapes using my walkman as the ‘line in’ and then into the mic jack, on my PC?

I want to put my old band’s music, that are on cassettes and were originally recorded on a 4 track, as well as some new songs, onto a disc.

Answer:

Can I just connect from the ‘line in’ on the 4 track to the mic jack on my laptop PC? Then convert to MP3, using Audacity, from there?

Sort of, only your terminology is a little off. Let’s make sure we’re talking about the same thing:

You want to connect the ‘line out’ on the 4 track. (Not the ‘line in’.)

Assuming that’s understood, then yes: If you can make that connection from the 4 track’s output to the input on your PC, then Audacity will be able to record it.

Once I download Audacity can I also do the same with old tapes using my walkman as the ‘line in’ and then into the mic jack, on my PC?

Same qualification as with the 4 track - you should connect the walkman’s ‘line out’ (or perhaps ’speaker out’) to the PC input. Once you do that, yes, Audacity will be able to record it.

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3 Comments

  1. Lily:

    Ok, I just converted a cassette recording onto Audacity. Then in your instructions you say to save it as a WAV file “then you can convert it to MP3″. But that’s the question: how?
    I’ve done the “export as WAV file”. But now don’t know how to convert it to MP3. I tried the “export as MP3 file” but then it says I must download the “Lame MP3 encoder” to convert it.
    Hmm. Please tell me what to do next.
    Thanks!

  2. Andy Kaiser:

  3. angela:

    I am kind of new at this. when you say the 4 track i …well am lost, what exactly is this
    thank you!

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