How to transfer recordings from a reel to reel to cd?

[Jack Goodson]

Anyone know how or of it can be done?....thanks jack

[Jimmy Gibson]

What I did to record my real to reel onto a CD was get a CD recorder a good mixer run the outputs from the Reel to Reel into the mixer inputs ,take the output from the mixer into the input of the CD recorder ,take the output from the CD recorder into your Hi-FI aux input then you can hear what is being recorded onto a CD. And adjust to tone using the mixer channels.Hope this helps.

[Bill A. Moore]

I moved some old recording using a cheap interface, and then used Audacity to name, edit, and format to WAV files.
audacity.sourceforge.net/download/

[Jack Goodson]

Jimmy, the only cd recorder/player I have is in my old desktop computer, I don,t have a mixer. I will probably have to get a mixer, etc....thanks jack

[Jack Goodson]

Jimmy, the only cd recorder/player I have is in my old desktop computer, I don,t have a mixer. I will probably have to get a mixer, etc....thanks jack

[Brian Saulsman]

If you figure out how you want to get from the tape player to your computer, I would recommend checking out this software: http://www.alpinesoft.co.uk/

I have only used it for records, but in my opinion the convenience made it worth the purchase price.

All the best.
Brian Saulsman

[Thomas Kowalchuk]

I convert all kinds of audio and video files for different projects I do.
Yes, you can achieve what you want to do. Essentially you need something that will allow you to convert the analogue reel to reel signal into digital...which you can then burn to CD, load on an ipod or just about anything else.
The keys here are:

• getting an audio interface that will accept the signal and
  pumping it into a computer that has some kind of recording software.

Someone mentioned Audacity in a previous reply...that is a good choice. Very simple to use.
If you have specific how to questions, let me know...I can probably point you in the right direction.

[Jack Stoner]

We've covered this many times on the forum.

Others, on this thread, have given you good information.

The output from the recorder should be able to connect to the "LINE" in on your PC's sound card. The Line in is 2 channel (stereo). The LINE IN accepts a 1/8" (3.5mm) stereo plug. You will need whatever type of cable from your recorder that will adapt to the 1/8" stereo.

Audacity is a free and popular recording program. If you want to make "standard" Audio CD's that will play on any audio CD player, save the songs as WAV type which is full fidelity. If you save it as an MP3 (compressed audio) that is "something less than full fidelity" and whatever fidelity that is lost can never be recovered if you convert the MP3 to some other format or wav file.

You will need a CD burning program. Many PC's come with a burning program. If not, the Windows Media Player has some CD burning capability but its limited. The free CDBurnerXP or Imgburn CD/DVD burning programs are popular and two to consider if you don't have one (I like CDBurnerXP for audio CD's). If you are making "standard audio CD's" burn at the slowest burn speed your burner has (usually 16X for SATA interface CD drives). Many older audio CD players have problems playing audio CD's burned at high speeds. I do a lot of audio CD burning for my home recording studio clients (I just completed a 50 CD order) and my audio CD burn speed "standard" is 8X as I have burner drives (I have a 5 burner setup) that will go that low.

I use Nero "Burning ROM" but that is not a free program. I use this program as it is the only program I've found that will burn to multiple burner drives at the same time.

Finally, DO NOT use Paper Labels for the CD's. Either just write on them with a magic marker or if you have a printer that will print directly on the CD's (what I have) then use ink jet printable CD-R's (DO NOT USE CD-RW).

CDBurnerXP: https://www.cdburnerxp.se/

Imgburn: http://imgburn.com/

Audacity: http://www.audacityteam.org/

One caution when downloading free programs. Many have "bloatware" programs with them. Be very careful and look over the screens and uncheck any "garbage" programs so you only get the one you want.

[Jack Goodson]

Just talked with a local friend of mine that has a device that he says will do what I am looking for without using a computer. Will let everyone know how it turns out....thanks jack

[Tony Prior]

For future conversations...

How about a ZOOM H2 or any small Tascam portable recorder ?

Each these has stereo LINE Inputs and can record in wav or MP3 format .Connect the stereo OUTPUT of the deck to the stereo Input. Record away.

Move the recorded files to your PC and burn a CD.

[Scott Duckworth]

There's one thing for sure... you have to do it in reel... er real time.

[Norm Fletcher]

I had the dubious chore of doing this with a 1955 family reunion recording and a 1966 music recording. Wow....getting past the old tape was problematic! To make sure they wouldn't just fall apart, I warmed both tapes for a couple of hours to make sure they were dry...(lowest oven setting about 140 degrees) and assumed that this would be the last time the tapes could be played-(it wasn't)
When I began playback, the tape speed was wrong-but not by the normal speeds. Just slightly high, like South Park characters. There was no fixing it with the synchronization built into the deck. The 1955 tape had no music on it as it contained the voices of many now deceased relatives. All of whom sounded just a little Alvin-the- Chipmunky. The 1966 recording was also about a step or so high. I recorded them both using Logic software, which could change pitch. The 1966 recording was easy, since I knew all the old song keys. The voice only stuff was a bit harder.But, I tuned in on my dads voice and lowered the pitch until he sounded right. Then everybody else sounded fine, too...and I got to hear my cousin Bill sing his naughty rendition of Blue Suede Shoes. Good luck with your archiving...it's worth every bit of trouble
,

[Bill A. Moore]

My wife's great aunt died several years ago, we used to get her to all the get together's, Christmas, Easter etc. She and my sister in law were really close, and she would always ask her to play piano. After she died, her son gave me most of her electronics, which included a German sound on sound reel to reel. Digging through the boxes I have 7 tapes, (both sides), of her playing piano, organ, and singing, (sometimes 3 part!) The first Christmas without her, I had spent some time, (and got parts from Germany), to get the machine working. After we had been there a while, I brought the tape machine in, and said, "Liz can't be with us now, but she's still gonna play", and switched on the machine. I don't think there was a dry eye from any of the girls!
I hope to get the tapes transfered, but the noise level is terrible, (all the overdubs?) I hope to have time this summer to try again with a parametric, and standard graphic EQ in the signal chain.

[Jeff Mead]

Has your computer got a USB socket?

If so, you you just need something like this...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Behringer-UCA22 ... SwNnRYm2ad

Plus some software such as has been recommended above.

No mixer, just plug your tape recorder into the interface.

[Dave Hopping]

I don't have a reel-to-reel and all my old tapes got lost long ago,but I've successfully recorded vinyl,cassettes,and the occasional Youtube into my Yamaha AW-1600,which has an internal CD burner.Worked fine.