Welcome to a brief look at Audacity an open source software program that can transform analog into digital. Audacity is a free, open source, cross-platform software for recording and editing sounds which is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, GNU/Linux and other operating systems.
Audacity has the capacity to:
- Record live audio.
- Convert tapes and records into digital recordings or CDs.
- Edit Ogg Vorbis, MP3, WAV or AIFF sound files.
- Cut, copy, splice or mix sounds together.
- Change the speed or pitch of a recording.
You can use Audacity and your computer to record sound from any external device which outputs an audio signal. Although cassette tapes and records (LPs) are the most popular examples, Audacity can be used just as easily to record audio from the following:
- Open-reel tape decks
- MiniDisc (MD) or Digital Audio Tape (DAT) players
- Radios
- Mixers
- Musical Keyboards
- Video cassette recorders (VCRs), Personal Video Recorders (PVRs) and DVD players (recording from a dedicated line-out containing audio output only)
- Televisions (via a SCART adapter cable connected to the computer sound card, or through a TV or VCR’s audio out)
- Personal digital voice recorders (DVRs)
- Portable MP3 players (such as iPods)
- Other computers.
