Any modern computer comes with a sound card. The presence of a sound card allows not only to reproduce, but also to record incoming sound signals. With its help, you can easily record your singing and playing a musical instrument, your friend reading poetry, or your mother telling fairy tales to your little brother.
Necessary
PC with sound card, microphone (or guitar), sound editor (optional)
Instructions
Step 1
Find the speaker shortcut in the Control Panel. Right-click on it and select sound volume settings. Make sure the volume for all applications is set to maximum.
Step 2
In the standard programs for your operating system, find your audio recording application. If you wish, install any other sound editor that will allow you not only to record sound, but also to edit it.
Step 3
On the side or back of your computer, find the microphone input (usually red), which is adjacent to the speaker output (green). Connect your microphone using a standard minijack cable or a jack to minijack adapter. In the same way, you can connect your electric guitar or synthesizer to your computer. Some more advanced sound cards, in addition to the microphone input, also have a so-called line input (usually indicated in blue). If there is a line-in, it is recommended to record the guitar into it to avoid extraneous noise.
Step 4
When you're done, click on the audio recording button (red circle), then “stop” when the recording is complete. In some sound editors, you will need to specify your main sound card in the audio settings before starting recording.
Step 5
When you finish recording, save your file as a.wav (sound file) or.mp3 (compressed sound file). If your sound editor allows editing the sound wave (usually it is presented in graphical form), cut off the parts of the file that contain silence or unnecessary noise.
