How to Hook Up a Laptop to Turntables

So we partially covered this in our video for how to record your mixes. Check it out after reading this and hopefully not only will you be able to hook your laptop up to your turntables but record them too.

Hooking up a laptop or a computer to turntables and a mixer allows you to record your already mixed audio for use later on. Its also helpful when using digital DJ software and time code vinyl. Time code vinyl allows you to control digital music whilst using your standard vinyl decks.

To start you’ll need a couple of different cables, we recommend JUNO HERE!!!!! for all your hardware related purchases. You’ll need a 1/4″ male to 1/8″ female adapter, 1/8″ male to male audio cable and a 1/4″ male to male audio cable.

1. Plug in the 1/4″ male to 1/8″ female adapter into your mixers output and then connect the two devices together using a male to male 1/8″ audio cable. The cable should plug straight into the microphone port on your computer or the line in port if you have one available. Line in is always the preferred input but if you don’t have one then mic in will be fine.

2. Connect one end of the 1/4″ male to male audio cable to your turntables output and plug the other end into the mixer as you normally would. You’ll need to do this for each turntable as we’ll be taking the final sound from the mixed and putting that into the laptop or computer. This means anything else attached to the mixer like a microphone, guitar etc will also be recorded.

3. You’ll need some kind of recording program. Windows comes with sound recorder for free or you can pay for some software that will give you more control.

You may require a fairly beefy pc to record properly. You don’t want your computer to slow down whilst recording your mix otherwise it may not record properly.

Also be sure to check sound levels as whats quiet coming out of the mixer may be loud when going into the PC.