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- 1). Download some free audio recording software, such as Audacity, RecordPad or Goldwave. Your computer may already have a suitable program installed. Follow the instructions to install and run the program you downloaded if necessary.
- 2). Search your cassette player for the relevant output jacks. Find a headphone jack or red and white RCA outputs on the unit. Look on your PC for a blue "Line in" jack. If you have a Mac, find the circle symbol with two arrows pointing inward. Most computers with a sound card will have this jack, which can usually be found next to the microphone or headphone jacks on the outer panel of your sound card. Buy either a double-ended mini stereo cable or an RCA to mini stereo cable, depending on your cassette player's output. Mini stereo cables have two black rings around the metal contact.
- 3). Connect your cassette player to the "Line in" jack using the cable. Set your audio program to record sound from the "Line in" jack. You can do this by finding the "Input Source" or equivalent field on your audio recorder's menu. On Audacity, this can be found under "Preferences" in the "Edit" menu.
- 4). Play your tape to test the sound levels. Alter the input volume on your audio recording software so that the loudest parts of the tape just creep the volume bars into the red. After you are happy with the volume settings, rewind your tape to the beginning.
- 5). Press "Record" on your audio editing software. A wave form will display in the middle of the screen. Press "Play" on your cassette player to record the sound.
- 6). Stop the recording after each track if you want to be able to skip easily between tracks. Splitting the tracks during the recording process makes them easier to navigate after transferring them to a CD or portable music device. Alternatively, highlight each track on the wave form display and right-click it. Select "Cut" from the menu and "Paste" each track into a separate file. If you do this, you can record the whole tape and split it up afterward.
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