Sound Advice: Unconventional Audio (page 2)
Analog Answers
In addition to turntables and telephones, there is a multitude of analog sources to record. In fact, you might need to record from a cassette deck, a radio or even an aging analog camcorder. Virtually all these devices have one thing in common: they output audio at line level, not microphone level. This presents a bit of a challenge if your only recording option is a camcorder, which wants a microphone-level signal. Without a mixer or another device to reduce the signal to microphone level, your next best option is to record directly into the sound card of your computer. Once again, it's time to dig in your bag of adapters for the magic combination, but a simple RCA to 1/8-inch stereo cable and a couple of dual-female adapters should do the trick. Play a sample of the audio and, using the software recording control in your operating system, adjust the input level so it never clips. Now you're ready to record. One last reminder: DV video projects are best at a sampling rate of 48,000 Hz. If you have the option to start recording at this rate, it eliminates a (hopefully automatic and transparent) conversion step …
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