How to Transfer Vinyl Records to MP3 Format

Vinyl continues to be a collectible, and sometimes very affordable, way to listen to music. No longer considered old fashioned, audiophiles now treasure their vinyl album collections. Listening to your prized platters on the go is more difficult, however. That's where converting your music to MP3 format for portable use comes in handy.

Things You'll Need

• A Turntable With a USB Output
• A Computer
• A USB Cable
• Your Records

Instructions

How to Transfer Vinyl Records to MP3 Format

1. Find and Buy the right equipment. There are a million options in the marketplace for turntables. Only a handful, however, are appropriate for transferring vinyl records to MP3 format. Shop around at your local electronics store to see what your local options are. If you can't find anything there, it's time to hunt online. There are several options that all fall between $100 and $200. This may seem like a lot, but if you consider that this will not only serve you as a means to transfer your vinyl to MP3 format, but also as a record player, the cost is justified. When shopping, try to find a turntable that does NOT have a belt drive. These are small motor driven turntables that burn out quicker than direct drive turntables and don't have the same amount of torque.

2. Download the right software. There are a number of computer programs that you can buy to help you with your conversion process, but one of the best programs is actually free. It is called "Audacity," and you can download it for free at audacity.sourceforge.net. This is, in essence, a multi-track digital recording program, but one of it's most appealing features is that it's very easy to convert vinyl to MP3's using this program. Once you have Audacity installed and your turntable purchased, it's time to start converting.`

3. Set up your turntable in an uncluttered area that is relatively close to your computer. Plug in your turntable and make sure it is working properly. Adjust the weight on the needle arm to the manufacturers specifications, and test out the turntable speeds to make sure it turns at the right torque. With your computer off, connect the USB cable from the turntable to a USB port on your computer that you aren't using. Turn on your computer. Once booted up, you may be walked through a quick "Install Wizard" setup. For more updated Windows versions, it may install automatically. Once booted up, for Mac users, it should install automatically.

4. Play and record your vinyl. Select a record and put it on the turntable. Open Audacity and press "Record." Turn on the turntable and play the record. It will record directly into Audacity. Press "Stop" at the end of the first side.

5. Separate your tracks and export them as MP3's. To separate the tracks, go through the track and find where the first song ends. Click on the track where you want the track to end. Then, go to the menu bar at the top and, under "Project," click "Add Label at Selection." This will create a break where the first song will end and the second song will begin. It will also allow you to fill in the name of the track at the bottom. Repeat this for the rest of the tracks. Then, under "File," click on "Export Multiple..." Choose "MP3" for the type of file, and specify where on your hard drive you would like to store the music files. Click "OK." Fill out the rest of the album information and click "OK" again. The files will automatically export separately. Repeat this with the other side of your record and the rest of your vinyl recordings.