Friday, 29 August 2008

Converting your tunes to mp3

If you subscribe to internet forums, sell records on ebay or have an mp3 player you need to know how to produce sound files from your records.

USB Turntable

The most obvious method of getting music from vinyl to mp3 is to plug a turntable into your PC and play records!


It really is that easy, there is a bit of (free) software to use and the odd lead to plug in but nothing too difficult. You can record tunes onto your PC and save them as .wav files (for making into CD's) or mp3 files (for ebay, internet forums, ipods, other players and mp3 CDs)


The USB turntable I use is the ION iTTUSB model, it comes with just 3 leads; a mains lead (plug this into the wall socket then); a USB lead - which plugs into a USB port on your PC; and a twin audio lead that you can plug into the auxiliary socket on your hi-fi to use the turntable as a normal deck. The software comes with it and is simple to install and use, you can get quite expert at recording from vinyl with just a little practice. I've no idea what it cost as it was a prezzie from my wife (aww!)


You can even get these turntables with an ipod docking station now so you don't need to record on to your PC first! Costs vary according to features, I've seen them advertised at £60 but worry whether this is a scam. I'd expect to pay around £100 for a basic model.


Click the picture above or here to visit Firebox.com and see the full range with in depth instructions.


Thursday, 28 August 2008

Little Esther Philips - Wild Child - Warwick

Right, so now my blog is visible from my website, time to move stuff over here.

I've been highlighting some of the records I own and am buying at the moment so I'll start with one of them:

Little Esther - Wild Child - Warwick 610

An early outing for Esther Philips of "Just Say Goodbye" and
"What A difference A Day Makes" fame.

Mid-tempo R&B that sounds just right for today's dance floor.
Esther sings about the effect her new man has on her then the chorus
breaks in accompanied by driving saxaphone. "Wild, Wild Child!"

Esther Philips - Wild Child - Warwick 610

Dunno what the going rate for this is as I haven't seen it before and
it isn't in the guides. Probably paid too much.

Click here to listen



Wednesday, 27 August 2008

Stumbling On

Not had a lot of time to do anything much with this blog, its still sitting aimlessly in cyberspace not linked to anything.

I think I'll try and integrate it into my website so that I can ramble on here and highlight records, tunes, review CDs and that sort of thing and it will be viewable from my web site http://www.paulsrecords.com/.

That should keep me busy for today.

Meanwhile here's a podcast of some popcorn/R&B?Northern for you to listen to:












Track list:
  • Jocko – Blast Off To Love
  • Diplomats – Honest to Goodness
  • Charles Farren – You’ve Changed My Whole Life Around
  • Donald Height – Girl Do You Love Me
  • Judy Clay – Do You Think That’s Right
  • Prince Conley – I’m Going Home
  • Candy Reed – Give Me love
  • Charles Lamont – I’ve Got To Keep Movin’
  • Nat Wright – Ron, Sonny Run
  • Marie Knight – Come On Baby
  • Fabulous Playboys – Honky Tonk Woman
  • Tommy Neal – Goin’ To A Happening
  • The Turnpikes – Cast A Spell
  • Johnny De’Vigne – I Smell Trouble