Setting up Audacity to record from your turntable

To record vinyl into Audacity, you need three things: Audacity itself (free, open-source audio software), a turntable connected to your computer, and the right input device selected in Audacity's settings. The connection path matters — most turntables output a weak signal that needs amplification before Audacity can record it cleanly.

Start by connecting your turntable to your computer. If your turntable has a built-in preamp (many modern ones do), you can plug it directly into your computer's line-in jack or USB port. If it doesn't have a preamp, you'll need an external one — a small amplifier that sits between the turntable and your computer. Without this step, the signal will be too quiet to record properly.

Once everything is plugged in, open Audacity and look at the top toolbar. You'll see a dropdown menu that says "Microphone" or shows your current input device. Click it and select the input you just connected — this might be "Line In", "USB Audio Device", or the name of your turntable if it has a USB connection. This tells Audacity where to listen for sound.

Key Takeaways

  • Your turntable needs either a built-in preamp or an external amplifier to send a strong enough signal to Audacity.
  • Select your turntable as the input device in Audacity's top toolbar before you start recording.
  • Set your recording level so the waveform peaks around -6 dB to -3 dB to avoid distortion and leave room for the loudest parts of the record.
  • Record the entire side of the LP without stopping, then use Audacity's tools to split tracks and remove clicks and pops afterward.
  • Export your finished recording as MP3 or WAV — you may need to install the MP3 encoder separately depending on your version of Audacity.

Adjusting your recording level before you start

Recording level is the volume at which Audacity captures sound from your turntable. If it's too low, the recording will be quiet and noisy. If it's too high, it will distort and sound harsh. You want to find the middle ground.

Play a loud section of your record and watch the waveform preview in Audacity — the visual representation of the sound as it comes in. Look for the red and green meters on the right side of the recording toolbar. The peaks should reach somewhere between -6 dB and -3 dB. If they're hitting 0 dB or going into the red, turn down the volume on your turntable or your computer's input level. If they're barely moving, turn it up.

Most computers have a separate volume control for line-in or USB input. On Windows, right-click the speaker icon in your system tray and select "Open Volume mixer" or "Sound settings", then find your input device and adjust its level. On Mac, go to System Preferences > Sound > Input and adjust the input volume slider. Test a few seconds of recording to make sure the level stays consistent across different parts of the record.

Starting and stopping your recording

Once your level is set, you're ready to record. Place your needle on the record and let it play for a few seconds to make sure sound is coming through, then click the red Record button in Audacity's transport controls (the buttons that look like play, pause, and stop). Audacity will start capturing audio immediately.

Record the entire side of the LP without stopping. This is easier than trying to start and stop for each track — you'll split the tracks apart later in Audacity. Let the record play all the way to the end, including any silence at the end of the side. When the record finishes, click the Stop button (the square icon) or press the spacebar.

You now have a single audio file containing the whole side. Before you do anything else, save your project. Go to File > Save Project As and give it a name like "Album Name Side A". This saves Audacity's project file, which you can come back to later if you need to make changes.

Removing clicks, pops, and surface noise

Vinyl records pick up dust and develop small scratches over time, which create clicks and pops during playback. Audacity has a built-in tool to reduce these. Select your entire recording by pressing Ctrl+A (or Cmd+A on Mac), then go to Effect > Click Removal.

A dialog box will open with two sliders: Threshold and Width. The default settings work for most records. Threshold controls how sensitive the tool is — higher numbers mean it only removes the loudest clicks. Width controls how much audio around each click gets smoothed out. Start with the defaults and click Preview to hear a sample. If it sounds too muffled, increase the Threshold. If clicks remain, lower it slightly.

Click Removal isn't perfect — it can sometimes remove detail from the music itself if you're too aggressive. If your record is in good condition, you might skip this step entirely. If it's noisy, apply it once and listen carefully to the result before committing. You can always undo it by pressing Ctrl+Z.

Splitting your recording into individual tracks

Your recording is currently one long file. To split it into separate tracks for each song, you need to identify where each track begins. Play through your recording and listen for the gaps between songs — these are your split points.

When you find a gap, click at that spot in the waveform to position your cursor there. Then go to Edit > Labels > Add Label at Selection. A small text box will appear where you can type the song title. Repeat this for every track on the side. When you're done labeling, go to File > Export > Export Multiple and choose your format (MP3 or WAV). Audacity will create a separate file for each labeled section.

If you want to keep everything as one file instead, you can skip this step and just export the whole side as a single audio file. Some people prefer this for archival purposes — it preserves the original LP experience, including the gaps between tracks.

Exporting your recording in the right format

Audacity's native format is .aup, which only Audacity can open. To use your recording on other devices or players, you need to export it as MP3 or WAV. Go to File > Export > Export as MP3 (or Export as WAV). A dialog will open asking where to save the file and what to name it.

WAV files are larger but preserve the exact quality of your recording — use this if you're archiving the LP or plan to edit it further later. MP3 files are smaller and work on almost any device, but they compress the audio slightly. For most people, MP3 at 320 kbps (the highest quality setting) is a good balance.

If you're exporting as MP3 and Audacity tells you it can't find the MP3 encoder, you'll need to download it. On Windows, Audacity will prompt you to download the LAME encoder. On Mac, you may need to install FFmpeg. Both are free. Follow the on-screen instructions and try exporting again.

Troubleshooting common recording problems

If you're not hearing any sound when you press Record, check three things: First, make sure your turntable is actually plugged in and turned on. Second, verify that you've selected the correct input device in Audacity's toolbar — it should match where you plugged in your turntable. Third, check your computer's input volume settings to make sure the input isn't muted or turned all the way down.

If your recording sounds distorted or harsh, your level is too high. Stop recording, turn down the volume on your turntable or your computer's input level, and try again. If the recording is very quiet and full of hiss, your level is too low — turn it up instead. If you're getting a humming sound underneath the music, this is usually electrical interference. Try moving cables away from power sources, or use shielded audio cables if you have them.

If Audacity crashes or freezes while recording, this is usually a sign that your computer is struggling. Close other programs, especially web browsers, and try again. Older computers may have trouble recording at high sample rates — if problems persist, try recording at 44.1 kHz instead of 48 kHz (you can change this in Audacity's project settings).

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a preamp if my turntable has USB?

No. A USB turntable has a built-in preamp and outputs a line-level signal directly to your computer. Just plug the USB cable into your computer and select the USB device as your input in Audacity. A standard turntable with a USB connection still needs a preamp — the USB is just for power.

What sample rate should I use for recording vinyl?

Use 44.1 kHz, which is the standard for audio CDs and matches the original format most vinyl was mastered for. You can record at 48 kHz if you prefer, but it won't improve the quality of a vinyl recording and will create larger files. Set this in Audacity's project settings before you start recording.

Can I record multiple LPs into one Audacity project?

Yes, but it's easier to record each LP as a separate project and combine them later if needed. Each project keeps its own undo history and settings, so you have more control over the quality of each recording. You can always import multiple audio files into a new project later if you want them in one place.

How do I remove background hum or hiss from my recording?

Select your entire recording with Ctrl+A, then go to Effect > Noise Reduction. Click Get Noise Profile, then apply the effect. This works best if you have a few seconds of pure background noise at the beginning or end of your recording. Be careful not to remove too much — aggressive noise reduction can make the music sound unnatural.

What's the difference between exporting as MP3 and WAV?

WAV is uncompressed and preserves every detail of your recording, but files are large — roughly 10 MB per minute. MP3 compresses the audio to about 1 MB per minute at high quality, making it easier to store and share. For archival, use WAV. For listening on phones or portable devices, use MP3.