A method and system for direct audio capture and identification of the captured audio. A user may then be offered the opportunity to purchase recordings directly over the Internet or similar outlet. The system preferably includes one or more user-carried portable audio capture devices that employ a microphone, analog to digital converter, signal processor, and memory to store samples of ambient audio or audio features calculated from the audio. Users activate their capture devices when they hear a recording that they would like to identify or purchase. Later, the user may connect the capture device to a personal computer to transfer the audio samples or audio feature samples to an Internet site for identification. The Internet site preferably uses automatic pattern recognition techniques to identify the captured samples from a library of recordings offered for sale. The user can then verify that the sample is from the desired recording and place an order online. The pattern recognition process uses features of the audio itself and does not require the presence of artificial codes or watermarks. Audio to be identified can be from any source, including radio and television broadcasts or recordings that are played locally.