Needlework – Digitize your LPs and cassettes with Audacity
Secret Code
Formerly, digital players obtained information about the artist, album, and track from the file name. The related album cover was only displayed if it was provided in the folder. These days, details of the recording are saved as metadata stored directly in the audio file. When exporting to such formats, a corresponding editor pops up (Figure 5); you then can add information such as the title, artist, album, release year, and more.
By default, the dialog only lists a couple of tags; if you want more, you also need to have a good knowledge of metadata standards for the desired format. Additionally, the editor is not particularly useful if you want to edit an entire album. Tracks exported from the same project appear over and over again with the same tags as the file saved previously. In many cases, it makes sense to export the recordings without the metadata and add the metadata later with a specialist tool such as EasyTag [5].
Conclusions
With relatively little effort, you can rescue LPs and tapes as MP3 or FLAC files for a new life in the digital world. Some caveats still apply; for example, the metadata editor is not always practical. The wxGTK basis of the program is also noticeably ugly in some places. The shift from Gtk2 to Gtk3 occasionally causes display glitches.
Alternative candidates are few and far between. EKO [6] and similar simple sound editors are of limited use for this job. Only KWave [7] offers functionality similar to Audacity; otherwise, you will be hard pressed to find a better audio editor in the repositories.
Infos
- Audacity: http://www.audacityteam.org
- RIAA equalization: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIAA_equalization
- Noise reduction systems: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolby_Laboratories
- Dolby profiles: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Audio/tape5.html
- EasyTag: https://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/EasyTAG
- EKO: http://semiletov.org/eko/
- Alternative KWave: https://www.kde.org/applications/multimedia/kwave/
« Previous 1 2 3
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Fedora 40 Beta Released Soon
With the official release of Fedora 40 coming in April, it's almost time to download the beta and see what's new.
-
New Pentesting Distribution to Compete with Kali Linux
SnoopGod is now available for your testing needs
-
Juno Computers Launches Another Linux Laptop
If you're looking for a powerhouse laptop that runs Ubuntu, the Juno Computers Neptune 17 v6 should be on your radar.
-
ZorinOS 17.1 Released, Includes Improved Windows App Support
If you need or desire to run Windows applications on Linux, there's one distribution intent on making that easier for you and its new release further improves that feature.
-
Linux Market Share Surpasses 4% for the First Time
Look out Windows and macOS, Linux is on the rise and has even topped ChromeOS to become the fourth most widely used OS around the globe.
-
KDE’s Plasma 6 Officially Available
KDE’s Plasma 6.0 "Megarelease" has happened, and it's brimming with new features, polish, and performance.
-
Latest Version of Tails Unleashed
Tails 6.0 is based on Debian 12 and includes GNOME 43.
-
KDE Announces New Slimbook V with Plenty of Power and KDE’s Plasma 6
If you're a fan of KDE Plasma, you'll be thrilled to hear they've announced a new Slimbook with an AMD CPU and the latest version of KDE Plasma desktop.
-
Monthly Sponsorship Includes Early Access to elementary OS 8
If you want to get a glimpse of what's in the pipeline for elementary OS 8, just set up a monthly sponsorship to help fund its continued existence.
-
DebConf24 to be Held in South Korea
Busan will be the location of the latest DebConf running July 28 through August 4