Do you listen to music on your PC every day through streaming services or via FM radio but would you like to record some songs locally?
There are many programs to record music from PC as it was done once with the stereo and cassettes, all simple to use, even without the need for a thorough computer knowledge.
The methods presented in this guide involve the use of free programs to use as tools to record songs while they are played from the PC, so as not to have to search for titles and use capture or conversion software.
What you listen to records: nothing simpler, from online radio or from a website.
In this article we are going to find out how to use the best free audio and music capture program, Audacity, and some less powerful, but perhaps easier and automatic alternatives.
1) Audacity
This free program, of which I have already spoken often, was created as an editor for audio files (it is also one of the best free) but it allows you to record the audio emitted by the PC sound card.
In this guide we see how to use Audacity to record music and songs using the PC as if it were an audio recorder.
Before you can use it to record audio, you need to enable Stereo Mixing on your PC; then right click on the volume symbol at the bottom right, go to Recording devices, right click again on the area that will appear and make the check mark appear on disabled devices; now you can enable the Stereo Mixing voice.
Now you can record PC audio with Audacity!
Open the program and, next to the microphone icon, select Stereo Mixing.
Now the program is ready to register!
Start the video or stream you want to save locally and press the Rec button.
Do not play any other sounds while recording or you will hear them in the final recording.
When you are finished recording, press the Stop button, go to the File menu and click on Export audio .
Choose the MP3 file format and a name then click on Save .
Now repeat all the steps for each audio track you intend to record. The program is free, so you can use it for registration an infinite number of times without having to pay any license; the only limit is in the compilation of the Tags for MP3, where you have to proceed manually.
You can download Audacity for free from here -> Audacity
2) Cinch Audio Recorder
If you want to record and simultaneously have the tags filled out Cinch Audio Recorder is the program for you. This shareware program (ie free but with limitations) can record music from PC while listening to it through the sound card. While listening to your favorite songs, the program will record everything and automatically divide the songs recorded into many MP3 files, complete with precompiled audio tags (the songs will have the name of the singer or band and the name of the song already compiled). To use the program, just follow the following steps:
- Open the program or web service (inside the browser) that will play the music
- Pause playback, possibly before the song even starts
- Open Cinch Audio Recorder and press the yellow button on the top left to start recording the audio output from the sound card
- Launch the song or music playlist on the program or web service
- Listen to everything without interruption and (possibly) without making other sounds emit to the operating system (such as notification windows)
At the end of the listening you will have all the songs that you have listened to in streaming saved locally in MP3 format inside the folder set by the program (you can change the folder from the settings).
If this program inspires you, you can download it from here -> Cinch Audio Recorder.
3) SoundTap Streaming Audio Recorder
A good alternative to Cinch Audio Recoder is SoundTap Streaming Audio Recorder . This program is even simpler to use: start your favorite streaming program or start the web browser on one of the many music videos present and start recording by clicking on Start Recorder . All audio output from the PC will be recorded in an MP3 file.
The application also offers the possibility to record the sounds of a microphone connected to the PC: if you like to sing on the basis of famous songs, this program will allow you to get your personal covers!
You can download this program (available in shareware version) from here -> SoundTap Streaming Audio Recorder
4) RadioMaximus
If you love listening to music from the FM radio and want to record the songs aired in MP3 files you can use the RadioMaximus program, available for free for Windows. With this program you can recover all the FM broadcasters that stream via the Internet (including foreign broadcasters if you like), listen to them and simultaneously record.
Once you have chosen the country and started playing the streaming of the FM station, press the Rec button (present at the bottom, the red button next to the controls) to start recording the song. In this case, whatever goes on the radio will be recorded, including advertisements, presenters who talk and discuss between songs, so it takes a little more patience to make a good recording.
You can download this program from here -> RadioMaximus.
Other guides
You can record songs that you listen to on the internet even without downloading any programs, using the Windows music recorder to record audio from the internet, following the configuration guide in another article.
To record music from websites and online radio I have also reported other programs present here -> Record audio and sound on PC from microphone, web or other sources
You can then record audio and video on Chrome of sites and desktops, even with webcam and microphone
There are many programs to record music from PC as it was done once with the stereo and cassettes, all simple to use, even without the need for a thorough computer knowledge.
The methods presented in this guide involve the use of free programs to use as tools to record songs while they are played from the PC, so as not to have to search for titles and use capture or conversion software.
What you listen to records: nothing simpler, from online radio or from a website.
In this article we are going to find out how to use the best free audio and music capture program, Audacity, and some less powerful, but perhaps easier and automatic alternatives.
1) Audacity
This free program, of which I have already spoken often, was created as an editor for audio files (it is also one of the best free) but it allows you to record the audio emitted by the PC sound card.
In this guide we see how to use Audacity to record music and songs using the PC as if it were an audio recorder.
Before you can use it to record audio, you need to enable Stereo Mixing on your PC; then right click on the volume symbol at the bottom right, go to Recording devices, right click again on the area that will appear and make the check mark appear on disabled devices; now you can enable the Stereo Mixing voice.
Now you can record PC audio with Audacity!
Open the program and, next to the microphone icon, select Stereo Mixing.
Now the program is ready to register!
Start the video or stream you want to save locally and press the Rec button.
Do not play any other sounds while recording or you will hear them in the final recording.
When you are finished recording, press the Stop button, go to the File menu and click on Export audio .
Choose the MP3 file format and a name then click on Save .
Now repeat all the steps for each audio track you intend to record. The program is free, so you can use it for registration an infinite number of times without having to pay any license; the only limit is in the compilation of the Tags for MP3, where you have to proceed manually.
You can download Audacity for free from here -> Audacity
2) Cinch Audio Recorder
If you want to record and simultaneously have the tags filled out Cinch Audio Recorder is the program for you. This shareware program (ie free but with limitations) can record music from PC while listening to it through the sound card. While listening to your favorite songs, the program will record everything and automatically divide the songs recorded into many MP3 files, complete with precompiled audio tags (the songs will have the name of the singer or band and the name of the song already compiled). To use the program, just follow the following steps:
- Open the program or web service (inside the browser) that will play the music
- Pause playback, possibly before the song even starts
- Open Cinch Audio Recorder and press the yellow button on the top left to start recording the audio output from the sound card
- Launch the song or music playlist on the program or web service
- Listen to everything without interruption and (possibly) without making other sounds emit to the operating system (such as notification windows)
At the end of the listening you will have all the songs that you have listened to in streaming saved locally in MP3 format inside the folder set by the program (you can change the folder from the settings).
If this program inspires you, you can download it from here -> Cinch Audio Recorder.
3) SoundTap Streaming Audio Recorder
A good alternative to Cinch Audio Recoder is SoundTap Streaming Audio Recorder . This program is even simpler to use: start your favorite streaming program or start the web browser on one of the many music videos present and start recording by clicking on Start Recorder . All audio output from the PC will be recorded in an MP3 file.
The application also offers the possibility to record the sounds of a microphone connected to the PC: if you like to sing on the basis of famous songs, this program will allow you to get your personal covers!
You can download this program (available in shareware version) from here -> SoundTap Streaming Audio Recorder
4) RadioMaximus
If you love listening to music from the FM radio and want to record the songs aired in MP3 files you can use the RadioMaximus program, available for free for Windows. With this program you can recover all the FM broadcasters that stream via the Internet (including foreign broadcasters if you like), listen to them and simultaneously record.
Once you have chosen the country and started playing the streaming of the FM station, press the Rec button (present at the bottom, the red button next to the controls) to start recording the song. In this case, whatever goes on the radio will be recorded, including advertisements, presenters who talk and discuss between songs, so it takes a little more patience to make a good recording.
You can download this program from here -> RadioMaximus.
Other guides
You can record songs that you listen to on the internet even without downloading any programs, using the Windows music recorder to record audio from the internet, following the configuration guide in another article.
To record music from websites and online radio I have also reported other programs present here -> Record audio and sound on PC from microphone, web or other sources
You can then record audio and video on Chrome of sites and desktops, even with webcam and microphone
