Creating MP3 files from CDs, tape or voice recordings requires the following software: MP3 Maker
This program converts Windows waveform files to .mp3 format MP3 Line-In Recorder
This program creates .mp3 audio files from external sources, i.e. tape recording devices MP3 Player
This program plays the .mp3 file
MP3 Line-In Recorders are companion programs found within MP3 Makers. The principal function of the MP3 Maker (commonly referred to as a "ripper") is to grab - or rip - audio tracks from a CD in your CD-ROM player, transferring these to the hard drive of your computer as Windows waveform files. An MP3 Encoder, another utility generally found within the MP3 Maker, is then used to convert these same Windows waveform (.wav) files to highly compressed MP3 (.mp3) files. As this tutorial focuses on the creation of MP3 files from sources other than CDs, however, it is essential that the ripper, or .mp3 Maker program, contain an MP3 Line-In Recorder, a utility that allows recordings - such as those from external tape devices - to be created in .mp3 format. MP3 Makers
Simply-Thai.com Computers have tested two of the most popular MP3 Makers (rippers) on the market, MusicMatch Jukebox and Audiograbber, each of which was found to contain the following features: Of the two, only MusicMatch Jukebox was found to contain a built-in MP3 Player. This, however, should not deter you from the Audiograbber product, in that one of the best MP3 players on the market, a product by Winamp, is available free of charge and integrates perfectly with Audiograbber. Test results for the 2 programs were virtually identical, with each permitting direct MP3 recording at (a) high compression/low quality for speech files; or at (b) low compression/high quality for CD comparable music files. One disappointing finding — with each program — was the absence of a Pause button on the MP3 Recorder. Stopping and then restarting the Recorder creates an entirely new track (file), with the result that if you intend to do microphone to PC recording, Windows own Sound Recorder program would be a better option. For software with advanced recorder control functions, visit Cakewalk or Sonic Foundry, both leaders in professional digital audio editing products. One particular product by Cakewalk — Cakewalk Pyro — along with a second by Sonic Foundry — Sound Forge XP Studio — appear to have all the necessary MP3 recorder functions. Review the product specs and download trial versions of the software by clicking the links below: 
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| Sonic Foundry | | | Cakewalk | | | Roxio Easy Media Creator 8 Suite | | | | MusicMatch Jukebox | |
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| | Spyware Removal Information | |
To search for similar MP3 products, enter the words mp3 maker in the text box of your favourite search engine. After installing the MP3 Maker/Recorder program, select from the following to begin creating MP3 files:
Microphone to PC recording is not recommended for professionals, as this requires constant use of a mouse as well as interaction with a software control panel.
Professionals should use the Line-In Recording method or — better still — a digital voice recorder (see our section on Digitizing Sound). Important: Speech files should never be recorded in Stereo Mode at High Quality. Use this setting only when creating CD quality music tracks. For speech recordings, adjust the settings on your MP3 program to record in Mono at Low Quality — no higher than 32 KBit/s, 22,050 Hz, as these files are less than half the size of MP3 stereo recordings. Connect a microphone to your computer If the microphone is equipped with a jack plug, connect this to the Mic-In input jack of your sound card.
For SoundBlaster compatible cards, this input jack is pink in colour If the microphone is equipped with a USB connector, connect this to an available USB Port Note: The following tutorial focuses on the use of Windows Sound Recorder for microphone to PC recording. Start Sound Recorder for Windows
Go to Start > Accessories > Entertainment > Sound Recorder On the menu bar of Sound Recorder, click File > New Click the Record button (red circle) to begin recording Say a few words in your microphone to test the setup Click the Stop button (black rectangle) to stop recording Click the Play button (single arrow) to listen to your recording If necessary, adjust the audio levels by going to Start > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices In the Sounds and Audio Devices Properties window — Volume folder — check the box to Place volume icon in the task bar
Volume settings can now be accessed from your task bar In this same folder, click the Advanced button under Device volume A new Play Control window appears If nothing is shown for Microphone, click Options and then Properties on the menu bar of this window Scroll through the list to ensure that Microphone has been checked Click OK The volume control for Microphone should now be displayed in the Record Control window Adjust the volume control if necessary Ensure that Mute has not been checked for Microphone Without closing this window, return to Sound Recorder to test your new settings If nothing is heard, check your Default device in the Sounds and Audio Devices Properties window — Voice folder This should display the device to which your microphone is attached, i.e. SB Wave Device Click the Test hardware button under this same folder to run the Windows Sound Hardware Test Wizard Still nothing? Check your cable connection to ensure that your microphone has been connected to the correct input jack When finished recording, click File on the menu bar of Sound Recorder Select Save In the Save As window, browse for a target location on your hard drive Under File name, enter a name for your new digital sound file Click Save You have now created a Windows waveform (.wav) file To convert the file to MP3 format, start your MP3 Maker program Important — Adjust the MP3 settings
For speech (dictation) files, adjust your MP3 settings to record in Mono at Low Quality — no higher than 32 kBit/s, 22,050 Hz. MP3 recording in Stereo Mode at High Quality should be used only when creating CD quality music tracks On the menu bar of Audiograbber, click Settings > MP3 Settings A new window — MP3 Settings — appears Under Grab To, select MP3 file via intermediate wav file. Delete the wav file Under Mode, select 32 kBit/s, 22,050 Hz, Mono Ensure that Encode with Highest Quality has not been checked In this same window, click the Browse button to Create an MP3 now Browse to locate the waveform (.wav) file recorded earlier Click Open The conversion process begins automatically, and a new file — in highly compressed MP3 format — is created and saved under the same file name Follow this same method of converting wav files to MP3 format if using another MP3 Maker program
Important: Speech dictation (transcription) files should never be recorded in Stereo Mode at High Quality. Use this setting only when creating CD quality music tracks. For speech dictation files, adjust the settings on your MP3 program to record in Mono at Low Quality — no higher than 32 kBit/s, 22,050 Hz, as these files are less than half the size of MP3 stereo recordings.
Connect a cable from the Line Out (Output) jack of your external tape recorder or transcription device to the Line In (Input) jack of your sound card Start your MP3 Recorder Program Select the Line-In option on your sound recorder program Using MusicMatch Jukebox, go to Options > Settings > Recorder folder, and then in the bottom left-hand corner — under Recording Source — select Line In from the drop-down list Important — Adjust the MP3 settings
For speech (dictation) files, adjust your MP3 settings to record in Mono at Low Quality — no higher than 32 kBit/s, 22,050 Hz. MP3 recording in Stereo Mode at High Quality should be used only when creating CD quality music tracks Above the Line In selection — under Custom Quality — select MP3 CBR Adjust the toggle control to the right of this until it reads 32 kbps Click OK to return to the main window Click the REC button on the MusicMatch Recorder to begin recording Click the Play button on your external tape dictation device The creation of a new digital audio file, in highly compressed MP3 format, then begins Follow this same line-in recording method if using another MP3 Maker program Troubleshooting — Refer to our Mic-In Recording tutorial, steps 11 through 25. The word Line-In should be used in place of Microphone
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