9.   Recording the sound signal to hard-drive

Now that all the equipment is set-up, and we have configured your computer, so you can listen to your records, we are now up to the exciting part; recording your records to hard drive, and then de-crackling the noise and rumble.

To make things easier, I recommend you create and open a new folder on your hard-drive.  If you know how to do this, go to the paragraph titled "Opening Sound Forge".  To create a new folder, first you must click the "start" button on the bottom left of your computer screen.  On the pop-up menu, select run and you should get a dialog box, like the one below on the left.

Most computers just have one drive, which will most probably show up as a "C:".  If this is the case, just press OK and continue.  If your computer has another drive, you may like to check it.  If possible, It's advisable to store audio files on another hard-drive as they are large files.  Check to see what drive has the most free space.    When the Window opens, displaying all contents of the selected drive, select file.  On this drop-down menu, select  "New".  On the side menu that pops up, select Folder.  At this point, your cursor should appear blinking inside the name slot of a new folder, looking something like the diagram box on the upper right.  Let's name the folder "Record Collection".  Click away from it and close the drive contents box.

10.   Opening and configuring Sound Forge

You can open Sonic Foundry Sound Forge 6.0 by either the desktop logo, or through the start menu.  When you have opened the program, your open screen should look like this.

Before we record, we need to configure sound forge, so it knows what source it's recording from.  This is quite simple.

First look at the top menu strip that has the functions like "File" "Edit" "View" "Special" and so on.  Go along the "Options" and  select "preferences" from the drop-down menu.  You should get a box looking like Figure A.  In this dialog box you will then find three rows of tabs along the top.  There should be one in the middle that reads "Wave".  Click on wave and then you should have a box that looks like Figure B. 

The box in Figure B contains two bars; playback and Record.  Click on the first bar and then select the soundcard you wish to use.  In this case, we'll go with the Microsoft Sound Mapper.  The device you select should be the same for both the record and playback.  Now do the same for the record bar.    Your window should now look like Figure B.  Click Microsoft Sound Mapper and then OK. 

If you have an M Audio Delta 66, you can select "WavOut 1/2 Delta 66" for playback.  I prefer to leave the playback in "microsoft sound mapper", as this saves a lot of clicking back and forth on the "patchbay / router" function sheet, in the M Audio driver software.   With the record bar, you then select  "Mon Mixer Delta 66".   Mon Mixer is short of Monitor Mixer.  For more info on configuring your M Audio driver setup, go back to the previous page.