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How to Convert Cassette Tapes to Digital Files

As part of my Digitize the Family History This Month project, I've pulled out old audio cassette tapes with oral histories or other recordings of living and deceased family members.   At the end of this How To, I'm including some types of cassette recordings I've found to help spark your curiosity about what your family may have recorded.     How to Convert Cassette Tapes to Digital Files   There are several ways to convert old audio cassette tapes to digital files and I'll describe four methods. I've used three of these methods: one very low tech and two with better sound resolution and quality.   Here's an image of my final method of choice but your needs may be different than mine so I'll share a few different ideas.   Perhaps the Simplest Audio Method  (I haven't tried this) Purchase a Cassette to MP3 Converter from Amazon or another store. For about $25 you could save yourself a lot of recording hassle. This device will p…
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  • November 17, 2018
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Some Fall Projects

I'm going to be radio-silent for the next few weeks because I have several pressing Fall projects outside of work and family obligations. These are probably in reverse order of importance, but here goes.  

First, the grapes are overdue to be picked and juiced. I've processed 50 quarts and have at least that many more to pick and juice. The rest of the garden, mercifully, has been harvested.

Second, my brain finally reached input-overload and I can no longer juggle and remember all my accounts and passwords, my family members' accounts and passwords, and generally feel like I'm on top of things. I'm geeking-out and making a Home Operations Manual with Phone numbers, Bills & Accounts, the Family Budget, a Home Inventory, a Food Inventory, a Family History Inventory, and a section for Operations Manuals for every task necessary to run this home. 

Third, my family is co…

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  • November 3, 2018
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Quick & Dirty Family Trees for DNA Matches

Genealogists often build Quick & Dirty family trees (Q&D trees) for DNA matches who don't have linked family trees or for DNA matches whose trees aren't complete enough to help determine the family relationship.   I don't have the patience to build a tree for each tree-challenged DNA match, so I use a shortcut.  

Disclaimer.

I'm a hobbyist. My husband is a professional in the industry. Professional Genealogists probably consider this a very low-brow method partially because I'm using a public family tree that I didn't personally research and because the FamilySearch tree will have errors. When I research with my husband, he hands me a stack of these papers and tells me, "Document everything, especially failures." This isn't that; it's not original research. That's why the title includes the words "find" and "quick and dirty." I ain't doing the work. To some pros, this method is akin to dum…

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  • November 2, 2018
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