Topic: Will I be able to record my keyboard this way?

[Petzbreeder]

I have this keyboard which I want to record myself playing.

I have an idea of how I could record it, but I'm not sure if it will work. It has a headphone socket which works as an aux socket too. Only a big headphone plug can fit into it, but the cable I plan to plug into it is a small one.

That shoudln't be a problem, as I found one of these on ebay earlier.

The cable I plan to plug into it is a headphone splitter which will allow me to plug two audio outputs into it.

Plugging headphones in one socket, I'll also be plugging this into the other, allowing me to record it on my pc with this and listen to it at the same time.

I should be able to record it in something like Audacity, right? There is a certain backing track I want to use to record a song for a friend. The backing tracks (not the ones in the video) can be manipulated to play whatever chords I like.

[DaveTheTrainer]

This solution might be a bit overkill. If your computer has a microphone jack (line in), you should be able to just connect the line out from the keyboard into line in on the PC rather than using USB. If you're on a laptop you may have a combined jack, from which you could use a splitter to separate headphone and input. You'll need the 3.5 to 2.5mm adapter, but that's going to work just fine.

Headphone splitter probably isn't needed. Just run the audio into the PC and play it back using your PC while capturing it.

To put it another way. Connect keyboard to PC directly, pass audio to PC headphones for playback.

[Petzbreeder]

I don't think my microphone port works as a line in port as well. I tried doing something similar with something else once, and the result was just this loud unpleasant screeching noise!

I've tried playback while recording through my webcam while wearing headphones just to experiment, and I get a bit of lag. Like I said in the first post, the backing tracks can be manipulated by playing chords, but my chord changes will be delayed if there is a bit of lag.

I know I could just record the keyboard while pointing a camera at it, but I don't want to record the thumping sounds of the keys being pressed.

[DaveTheTrainer]

It's true that this may depend on the quality of your PC's sound hardware. A microphone signal is a lot weaker than an amplified keyboard output, so that might explain the noise! A headphone out --> line in connection should work, but maybe not --> microphone in.

You might anticipate a bit of lag if recording through a webcam, audio and video there isn't expected to be instant. A direct connection should give you no trouble.

[Petzbreeder]

I don't think my pc has a line in port. I know you said it was overkill, but would the idea I came up with using the USB actually work, or would I end up with the noise problem I mentioned earlier?

[Turner]

The best way of doing this would be to get a USB Audio interface like the focusrite scarlett, but you could just use a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cord to go from the line in (Microphone port, normally red) on the PC and the other end goes into your Aux Out/Headphone port on your Keyboard (with the 3.5mm -> 1/4" jack adapter).

Together that would probably cost no more than a tenner, a tenth of the price of a USB audio interface but it's true the output could be noisy. If you're looking for something to record more professionally (or if you plan on slowly getting better and putting them online or something) then the USB audio interface is the way to go.

[Petzbreeder]

you could just use a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cord to go from the line in (Microphone port, normally red)

Do you mean that red port on the far right? If so, I've wondered what that was for a while!
Edit: As it turns out, my speakers are plugged into that one. I only noticed it on the picture when I saw it on Amazon. My dad was the one who put my pc together. That's why I didn't know.



My keyboard only supports 6.35mm, so I'll have to get a cable like this.

[Turner]

Do you mean that red port on the far right? If so, I've wondered what that was for a while!
Edit: As it turns out, my speakers are plugged into that one. I only noticed it on the picture when I saw it on Amazon. My dad was the one who put my pc together. That's why I didn't know.



My keyboard only supports 6.35mm, so I'll have to get a cable like this.

First of all, if you want to save some money and you already have a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable (They often come with wireless headphones if you have any of those lying around) you can use one of these:

https://www.gak.co.uk/en/lynx-gold-plated-headphone-adaptor-3-5mm-stereo-jack-to-6-35mm-/924996

You just screw it on the end of the 3.5mm and you can plug it into your keyboard.

As for your Line in/Line out...that's a bit confusing. Red normally is the line in, and green will be the line out...You've probably seen it on loads of desktop PCs. This pic might help you figure it out:



For what it's worth, this isn't a strict guide on where things should go. Give or take a few differences, most of those 3.5mm ports on your PC are pretty much the same. If I were you I'd just try plugging your keyboard into all of them, chances are your sound card software will pop up on your PC when you do to inform you that you just plugged something in. From there you should be able to figure out which one is the correct port to plug it into (It'll probably pop up and tell you that something is plugged into the microphone in or something to that effect).

[Petzbreeder]

My dad found the line in for me. I found an audio splitter on Amazon which works the way I had in mind, unlike the one I linked to before.

Now I need to get my dad to find a HDMI cable (we have plenty in the house) for the next part of my plan.

I'll be able to fully record myself playing my keyboard soon.