This should get you started.
Getting recorded material off of a recording unit and onto your PC will take a few steps. Nothing all that difficult though.
Step 1.
First mix down your song as best you can. Meaning, EQ and pan your tracks until you are satisfied with the song's overall balance.
Step 2.
You will need to buy a RCA stereo cable, this is the same cable you use to hook up a VCR to a TV (sometimes), A DVD to a TV (sometimes), or a CD player to a Stereo Reciever (always). It is almost always a red wire and a white wire.
You will also need an adapter to go from Stereo RCA to 1/8th inch jack. An 1/8th inch jack is the same jack you would use on a set of headphones. Its smaller than a 1/4 inch jack which is always used for a guitar.
Plug the STereo RCA plugs into the LINE OUT or STEREO OUT on your recording machine. Make sure you match the colors.
Plug the other end (which is now an 1/8th inch jack adapter) into the back of your souncard on your computer. Its will probably be orange (but not always) It should be labeled LINE IN.
Now you have a direct connection from your recording machine to your PC.
Step 3.
Go to
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ and download the free version of AUDACITY. (download to your desktop so its easy to find)
Install AUDACITY by double clicking on the file you just downloaded to your computer.
Either double click on the small speaker icon on the bottom most right hand side of your screen and a volume control window should pop up. If LINE IN is muted, unmute LINE IN and turn up the volume 3/4's of the way. Or go to START on the bottom mmost left hand side of your screen, click on CONTROL PANEL and double click on SOUND & AUDIO DEVICES, click the volume tab, now turn the LINE IN volume on and up to 3/4's level.
Step 4.
Open up Audacity. Go to FILE - PREFERENCES and choose STEREO input in the CHANNELS menu. Click the red button labeled RECORD.
Step 5.
Press play on your recording machine.
You should now be watching your song being recorded by your PC and hearing the song through your PC speakers. If its not playing go back and make sure LINE IN is on, and that AUDACITY is using LINE IN as the source.
When your song is finished, press stop on AUDACITY.
Now in AUDACITY click FILE, EXPORT TO WAV, and name, choose a destination to save, and click save.
You now have a digital master copy of your song on your PC.
Step 6.
Your computer must have come with a CD writing/burning software. If you have a DELL then you most likely have ROXIO EASY CD CREATOR.
Open up the program EASY CD CREATOR.
Choose AUDIO/MUSIC CD, choose the second option on the second menu ( I think its MUSIC CD or MUSIC CREATOR. You should now see a window with a lot of white space and a button that says ADD MUSIC/SONG.
Find your new Song and drag and drop, copy and paste, or click ADD SONG and find your song and add it your MUSIC CD window. You can add up to 80 minutes of music on one CD. If you don't have blank CD's go to staples, office max, circuit city, etc. and buy a large pack of CD-R Data, not CD RW, and not CD R Music. CD R Data is cheap and works just fine.
Once you have added your desired songs, choose the option called DISK AT ONCE (this option is either on the window you are staring at, or you have to hit the record button in EZ CD CREATOR and then you choose DISC AT ONCE. Either way you want to choose that option because it will allow most CD players to be able to read your audio CD.
Thats it, just say yes or no to whatever windows pop up after your CD finishes recording and you should have a good CD.
You can do more with Audacity by boosting volume level or applying an EQ. I use a demo version of GOLDWAVE for volume boosting, sound removal, and Parametric EQ, its better for that stuff, but Audacity is better at recording.
Go get those cables and figure out that wiring, then try your hand at the rest.
Good luck!
