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...if it can do videos, too, well that's nice, but secondary.

Needs to be free and easy to use, without a steep learning curve.

I found this list, any recommendations based on experience? Something not on the list?

www.hongkiat.com/blog/...o-editors/

I know that Audacity has been around for a while. No experience with it to speak of tho. The program I use to record MP3 from my old LP's and such isn't a freebie but for the price I'd give Audacity a try, and expect a learning curve as the tradeoff. Good luck!

Audacity is exactly what you are looking for. I use it since ages and it works fine.

I have 'ReCycle' by Propellerheads, not very much though.
I tend to create audio, which is done in 'Reason'.
Not sure ReCycle's really what you're looking for though.
What do you need to use it for, as that may illicit a different reply?

I heard a lot about Audacity but not used it so I can't really give you any feedback on it.

Windows Movie Maker could slice and join sound clips for you if that's all you want to do.
Real Player similarly.

Generally, I want to clean up, edit, shorten, or otherwise enhance sound files the original quality or level of which I have no control...say as in matching levels from CD's I've burned for use in the car (which seems to have issues with files of low modulation, it can "skip" over low levels). Eventually, I'd like to convert some audio cassettes and even vinyl (yes, vinyl) that I've accumulated over the years since cassette players in cars are so....passe.

A good "click and pop" cleaner upper would be nice to have, too, if it doesn't flatten the audio overall.

Looks like Stoop's suggestion would serve you well.
audacity.sourceforge.net/

Actually I wanted to do the same thing and had acquired a USB turntable at a warehouse store (Costco) for the purpose. The box said something about "free software to record and clean up audio tracks from LP". There was no software in the box and reading the manual - after I had to downloaded it from the manufacturer's website - only contained a link to Audacity's download page. Grrrr!

I figured if I had to download software I might as well look for something a bit higher quality than freebie, and ended up downloading and evaluating 3 or 4 different programs. Pretty much all the payware programs have a somewhat generous trial period. That's what led me to Vinyl Studio and I've been happy ever since. Unfortunately it is payware and purchased online via a credit card, which I know you don't do.

Audacity has probably come a ways since then and I'd bet there are even YouTube videos on using it, as there are tutorials for most things there these days, which ought to be an even quicker way to evaluate it off the cuff.

And these programs really are designed to work with audio formats no matter the media, so if it plays on your computer through a sound card, no matter if the source is a USB or a website or video recording, an MP3 recording can be made, cleaned up and trimmed, and burnt to CD or whatever. Vinyl Studio would just as happily record MP3 and clean up/save tracks from YouTube or any music website if I wanted it to, of course not that I do that kind of thing.

Good luck, it's great to get the old albums new life in MP3 format, especially your rare old stuff.

Yep just as suspected...you gotta love the information age and the huge amount of tutorial content on YouTube...

www.youtube.com/result...ApepWyxbQk

- JG300-Stoopy

Actually I wanted to do the same thing and had acquired a USB turntable at a warehouse store (Costco) for the purpose. The box said something about "free software to record and clean up audio tracks from LP". There was no software in the box and reading the manual - after I had to downloaded it from the manufacturer's website - only contained a link to Audacity's download page. Grrrr!

I figured if I had to download software I might as well look for something a bit higher quality than freebie, and ended up downloading and evaluating 3 or 4 different programs. Pretty much all the payware programs have a somewhat generous trial period. That's what led me to Vinyl Studio and I've been happy ever since. Unfortunately it is payware and purchased online via a credit card, which I know you don't do.

Audacity has probably come a ways since then and I'd bet there are even YouTube videos on using it, as there are tutorials for most things there these days, which ought to be an even quicker way to evaluate it off the cuff.

And these programs really are designed to work with audio formats no matter the media, so if it plays on your computer through a sound card, no matter if the source is a USB or a website or video recording, an MP3 recording can be made, cleaned up and trimmed, and burnt to CD or whatever. Vinyl Studio would just as happily record MP3 and clean up/save tracks from YouTube or any music website if I wanted it to, of course not that I do that kind of thing.

Good luck, it's great to get the old albums new life in MP3 format, especially your rare old stuff.

Yep, I downloaded Audacity and edited a couple of tunes ripped from my CD's, just to see what was involved. So far, pretty friendly.

I'm also looking to get a new turntable and if it do both the USB thing AND be a decent turntable, that would be great.

I'm wondering how conversion works with cassette tapes? Like on what do you play it and how is it connected (since they originally came with RCA plugs). I have about thirty years of accumulated self-made tapes from my own sources or captured radio from the good ol' days, all on high zoot metal oxide tapes and recorded (mostly) on a dedicated high-end cassette recorder that I didn't use for playback (had another unit for that, since it saw more hours on the heads). I have tons of tape that I'd like to convert since a lot of is not replaceable or available (assuming, in many cases, that I even knew who the artist was).

I only recently set up my stereo after moving (had to upgrade to new speakers, big 'uns, 40" floor standing Polk Audio beasts that almost blew me over the sofa when I played my first CD...man, technology has changed!) But I can only enjoy my tapes at home, and I'd like to put more of my stuff on CD as MP3's or something so I can enjoy in the car (the extra capacity is nice, too). Recommendations always appreciated, including format (MP3 or WAV or whatever). I'm hearing stuff on these new speakers that I never even knew was on my recordings, and that's with sexagenarian hearing!

I would get an MP3 player for your car and something like an an iPod.
Or, an iPhone.
I'm looking at a new set of wheels at the moment with a B&W system and an Aux MP3 player.
Not sure I will ever transfer my vynyl to any other format though.
I have over 2,000 albums and would probably die before I got through all that lot.
Got some old demo's on cassette from thirty years ago that I wouldn't mind preserving.
No matter how bad they make me feel now, there's always the chance that in another thirty years I might just be able to think of them fondly.
Did I mention yet that I got a new Les Paul last year?

I saw one just like that at Walmart in Chattanooga last month, but it seemed overpriced at $299.95 I'm a more savvy consumer than to fall for an overvalued gitfiddle.

- Shades

Did I mention yet that I got a new Les Paul last year?

- JG300-Ascout

I'm wondering how conversion works with cassette tapes? Like on what do you play it and how is it connected (since they originally came with RCA plugs). I have about thirty years of accumulated self-made tapes from my own sources or captured radio from the good ol' days, all on high zoot metal oxide tapes and recorded (mostly) on a dedicated high-end cassette recorder that I didn't use for playback (had another unit for that, since it saw more hours on the heads). I have tons of tape that I'd like to convert since a lot of is not replaceable or available (assuming, in many cases, that I even knew who the artist was).

A few years ago I hooked up my tape deck directly to the line-in of my audio card, using a Y cable, two RCA males to one 3.5mm stereo phono plug. Like this bad boy right here:

www.radioshack.com/pro...Id=3449316

This was on my old Dell with a Creative Labs Soundblaster card (a brand I still use today) and as a matter of fact somewhere around the time that CFS3 came out so it was just barely pre-JG300 timeframe. But I digress...

It goes to Line-In, not Mic In. Most sound cards or sound inputs on motherboards provide this, get the reading glasses out and look at the symbols or consult user manual, I believe the standard color code for this is light blue - as opposed to pink which would be mic in, and green which is for speakers out.

The manual for SoundBlaster cards specifically mentions tape deck or DAT players as devices to connect to this input, so it's cool. From what I remember it worked just fine, although I don't recall what I recorded. This doesn't work very well with turntables because the impedance is very different and also they are quite susceptible to hum, and there's no place to connect the small grounding wire that any good turntable should have. The USB turntables have this all worked out and if you keep an eye out, Costco gets them from time to time for like $40 or so.

And you're gonna need some HD space for the recordings. Most of my surf tunes which go around 2:30 take up anywhere from 2 to 3MB file size in decent MP3 format.

Oh and Shades, nice git-fiddle. Fer a squirrel. Gettin' turned on about a DiPinto Galaxie 4 myself...
www.dipintoguitars.com...t.php?id=2

- JG300-Stoopy

Oh and Shades, nice git-fiddle. Fer a squirrel. Gettin' turned on about a DiPinto Galaxie 4 myself...
www.dipintoguitars.com...t.php?id=2

Yeah, me little paws are a bit too small for the large fretboard.
Good job I can run quick.

Nice DiPinto.
Looks a bit like a Jaguar.
Unusual with four pups.
Them's the investments of the future they reckon.
I looked one up after reading this and note quite a few places are out of stock at the moment.
Significant.
Which one you after?

The 3-color sunburst Galaxie 4 would blend right in with my old Jaguar and Jazzmaster of the very same color scheme. I especially like that they use the old tremolo design from those models, it's a fantastic system. There's a boutique guitar shop in town that sells 'em, I need to go sit down with one for a while to be sure.

Ascout you get that thing hooked up yet or what?

Saw some nice 'glitter' versions.
Sounds a bit 'gauche' but they actually look quite fifties retro.