I am looking for some audio recording software which will allow me to transfer my old music tapes to my computer. Do you have any recommendations for such software?

If you are looking for a straight-forward audio recording software package, one of the better utilities is Audacity (audacity.sourceforge.net). This is a free, open source sound recording program which also has filtering features such as removing static and other background noises from recording sources (which may be particularly useful since you are recording from tapes). There are some instructions in the Audacity FAQ for recording from vinyl records and tapes: audacity.sourceforge.net/help/faq. You may like to try Audacity, since it is free and may meet your needs (eliminating the need to purchase other software).

As you might have discovered, there are quite a few software packages which allow recording from sources such as tape or LPs, and also perform sound operations to help improve the quality of the recording (such as removing hisses from LPs, or distortions from tapes). I have never used any such programs and therefore do not have any specific recommendations. A Google search should yield results containing many applications which claim to provide this functionality. However, before purchasing any program you should always download a trial version and try before you buy. I would not recommend you purchase a program without first trying its functionality, otherwise you may be disappointed should the program not perform as advertised, or not meet your specific needs.

Coincidentally, the February 2006 edition of APC magazine has a cover CD that includes a full version of the program Acoustica, normally sold for $25 (see page 7 of the magazine). This program is advertised to ‘cleanup LPs and tapes’ and presumably can help improve the quality of the recordings from such sources. So, you may wish buy a copy of APC (making sure the magazine comes with the cover CD) and try this program to see whether it suits your needs. The magazine also includes a tutorial on how to use the more advanced features of Audacity. While not directly relevant to recording from tapes onto the computer, this tutorial may be helpful should you choose to use Audacity as your sound recording program. You can find this tutorial on page 108 of the magazine.

As a final note, before connecting any playback devices or stereo equipment (e.g. tape deck) to your computer make sure you understand how to properly connect the equipment, to ensure you connect the equipment to the correct socket. Connecting to the wrong socket or input could cause significant damage to your computer and/or the stereo equipment.