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I digitize my analog music to play it on my devices and as a backup to protect my record collection from excess wear and tear. Here’s how to do it using one of two popular free software solutions: GarageBand and Audacity.
1Set Up Your Analog Audio
To digitize your analog music, you’ll need to transfer it to your computer via your computer’s built-in sound card or an external audio interface. Once yourequipment is connected, open up your preferred digital audio workstation (DAW) software and follow these steps:
Create a New Project
Apple users will likely want to use the excellentGarageBandsoftware included on all iOS and Mac machines—GarageBand is an amazing DAW for beginners. So, for GarageBand, go toNew Project > Empty Project.
Windows and Linux users can choose to useAudacity. While this software looks dated compared to GarageBand and is limited to audio instruments, it is ideally suited for digitizing analog audio. A new project will open automatically on startup.
Select Your Audio Input Source
In GarageBand, select the audio track type for a microphone or line input in the popup window. Next, selectInput 1 + 2in the dropdown menu for a stereo track.
Screenshot by Jack Mitchell - no attribution required.
In Audacity, select theAudio Setupbutton in the toolbar, hover overRecording Device, and select your audio input source.
Add a Stereo Audio Track
For GarageBand, clickCreatein the popup window, and a stereo track is automatically added to the arrange window. For Audacity, right-click anywhere on the arrange window and selectAdd Stereo Track.
2Record Your Music Into the DAW
The recording process is the same whether you digitize your college notes, a single track, or an entire side of a cassette tape or record. Remember to check your levels every time you start a new project to improve your chances of getting it right the first time.
Check Your Recording Levels
Start playing your audio. In GarageBand, if your input source is correctly configured, the meter in the top-right panel will move according to the audio levels. Keep the volume button centered on zero and ensure the meterdoesn’t “clip.”
Clipping occurs when the audio distorts, and the light turns orange as the meter approaches the right-hand side. If this happens, lower the level on your input device (record player or audio interface) until the levels remain consistently green and yellow.
For Audacity, as your audio plays, the meter at the window’s top-right turns from green to yellow to red as the levels rise. As your audio plays, moderate the volume of your input device until the meter stays consistently in the green and yellow at around minus 6 dB.
Record Your Audio
Torecord your audio in Audacityor GarageBand, click the redRecordbutton at the top of the window and start playing your audio. The recording will be visualized as two sound waves representing the stereo signal as the audio plays. Once the recording is finished, click thestopbutton and save your project.
If clipping has occurred, delete the audio track, lower the input level, and start again.
3Edit Your Music Before You Export
Before you export your audio, you must split it into separate tracks and tidy up each track to remove unwanted spaces at its start and end points. You can also edit your audio to improve its quality.
Split Your Audio Into Tracks
In GarageBand, drag the cursor to the end of each song (the soundwave narrows between songs),right-click, and selectSplit at Playhead.
In Audacity, click on the audio track to set your cursor at the division point, thenright-clickand selectSplit Clip.
Tidy Up Your Start and End Points
In GarageBand, use the zoom slider at the window’s top-right to magnify your audio track between songs. you may then click and drag the start and end points to trim the tracks, leaving no dead space and eliminating static and hissing between songs.
For Audacity, go toViewin the top menu and selectZoom > Zoom In(or click the magnifying glass icon). Then, click and drag each track’s start and end points to trim down the parts without audio.
Add Noise Reduction to Your Audio
In GarageBand, pressBto bring up Smart Controls. TheTracksettings are at the foot of the arrange window; check the box markedNoise Gateand move the slider to the right to increase noise reduction.
In Audacity, select your audio track, clickEffectin the top menu, then chooseNoise Removal and Repair > Noise Reduction. You can then experiment with the settings in the popup window, but use this effect sparingly.
4Export Your Digital Audio Files
Finally, you are ready to export your audio files. Be sure to name them during the export process to avoid confusion when searching for your files and arranging them as a playlist.
Normalize Your Files to Maximize the Volume
In GarageBand, selectGarageBand > Settingsin the top menu. Under theAdvancedtab, ensure theAuto Normalizebox is checked to export your projects at the maximum volume.
In Audacity, select your audio track, clickEffectin the top menu, then chooseVolume and Compression > Normalize.ClickApplyto activate this function.
Export Your Audio
In the top menu in GarageBand, clickShare > Export Song to Diskand select your preferred digital format and sound quality in kBit/s in the popup window. Then clickExportto save it in the folder of your choice.
In the top menu in Audacity, clickFile > Export Audioand selectExport to Computer. Here, you can opt to trim the blank space before the first clip (if you haven’t already done so) and choose your preferred sample rate and digital format, as well as the destination folder. Finally, clickExportto save your file.
There are many reasons why you should digitize your analog audio. You might have old four-track recordings of a school band, college notes you want to preserve, rare recordings you wish to back up, or tracks that cannot be found on streaming services. GarageBand and Audacity are powerful free solutions that facilitate this while providing a valuableintroduction to the world of digital recording, which can be fun and rewarding in equal measure.
