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How to Record Direct to a CD

If you want to record music or performances directly to a CD, you will need the correct CD burner and a sound mixer. Outboard CD burners look like CD players and have inputs in the back that are compatible with soundboard outputs. These CD burners record anything run through the soundboard directly to CD. With a little practice with the soundboard, you can record live sound or performances to CD using your outboard CD burner.

Things You'll Need

  • CD burner
  • Sound mixer
  • Appropriate cables needed for instruments and RCA cables
  • Headphones
  • Blank CDRs
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Instructions

  1. Setup

    • 1

      Examine the backs of your soundboard and CD burner. Look at the inputs on the CD burner and the outputs of the sound mixer to determine what kind of cables to use to run them together. In most cases, you will use RCA cables. Attach the RCA cables to the stereo output on the soundboard and the stereo input on the CD burner.

    • 2

      Attach all the appropriate cables for sound into the track inputs in the back of the sound mixer. These cables will be XLR and quarter-inch cables. Ask the performers to perform.

    • 3

      Plug the headphones into the headphone jack on the soundboard. Listen to the performance. Turn up the gain knobs to increase the signal input. The gain knobs are usually at the top of each track. Use the faders on each track to adjust the volume of each sound. You can adjust the texture of the frequencies with the equalization knobs on each track. Everything you hear in the headphones is what is recorded onto the CD.

    Burning Directly to CD

    • 4

      Press the record button on the CD burner. It is a button with a circle on it. The CD burner works in much the same way as a tape deck.

    • 5

      Tell the performers to begin. You can adjust the sound during the performance through the soundboard. Your changes will be recorded to CD.

    • 6

      When the performance is over, press "Stop" on the CD burner. The CD burner will ask if you want to finalize the CD. This action means it will be permanently burned onto the CD. Accept finalization if you were satisfied with the performance or sound you captured.

    • 7

      Listen to your CD to check whether it meets your satisfaction.

Recording Music

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