Connecting a Keyboard to Record in Audacity
I'm trying setup my Casio CTK-6000 electric keyboard to be able to be recorded through my Windows 10 computer using Audacity. I have this cable connected to the two "L/R Line Out" spots in the keyboard and I have connected the keyboard to the computer. Windows asks if what I am plugging in is a headphone or "speaker out". Whichever I choose, the keyboard appears nowhere under "recording devices".
I turn on the keyboard, open Audacity and go to Edit -> Preferences -> Devices. The option for the keyboard is nowhere in any of the dropdown menus (it's still just the default stuff). How do I get this setup to work?
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Windows asks if what I am plugging in is a headphone or "speaker out".
I would have expected you had three options, not the two that you mentioned: "headset", "headphones", and "speaker out". The "headset" option should let you record sound, but...
Like many laptops, according to this page www.asus.com/sg/Notebooks/UX51VZ/specifications/ your ASUS UX51 has a "combo audio socket". This is not really intended for what you want to do. The fundamental problem is that the computer can't both record and play back sounds through the one audio socket, so at best you would be continually swapping the plugs between your Casio keyboard to record, and your headphones or speakers when checking the recording you made with Audacity.
The cheapest option would be to get a simple "USB audio adaptor" like this one: www.scan.co.uk/products/dynamode-external-usb2-sound-card-20-adaptor-(usb-stick)-pc-mac
Note, this is not a recommendation for this specific device (I've never used it) - it's just an example of what these adapters look like, i.e. a "thumb drive plus some audio connectors". There are many similar devices available in the same price range.
That plugs into a USB port and gives you two sockets for "microphone in" and "headphones out". Audacity should recognise it as two Audio devices, one for input and one for output.
There are many similar devices for sale, and some only provide audio out (for example 7-channel surround sound) so make sure you get one that has an audio input socket - and if you don't need surround sound output, don't pay extra for something you will never use!
If you get serious about recordings, you would probably want to upgrade to a USB audio interface (not adapter) but that would be in a price range of say 0 and upwards, rather than for a "get you started" adapter.
While USB audio is an option, there is an alternative simpler option that may be a bit more robust, i.e. use a TRRS mic / headphone slitter cable. Sometimes it comes in form of what is called a "Y" cable, that take the TRRS (i.e. a combined mic + headphone) jack, into a combination of TRS (for stereo headphone or speaker output) and TS (for mono mic input).
This combination may be preferable because:
It avoid the mechanical damage that most USB dongles suffer from lateral motion, push and shoves
It uses the high quality DACs that are already on-board most modern PCs
It is one less device to carry around and lose
It leads to slightly lesser battery power consumption on laptops (because most USB audio dongles are bus-powered, i.e. powered by your PC's USB socket itself)
It avoid adding another audio interface in the drop-down audio device selection menu for many audio applications, making it simpler for the user
On the other hand, a USB audio dongle is so inexpensive (only few dollars more than a TRRS Y-splitter cable), that it's perhaps something you won't fret over, if it broke or you lost it.
For those getting the TRRS Y-splitter cable, make sure that the 2 split ends are one for mic, other for headphone. Sometimes, there are Y-splitters available that are really duplicators / replicators, which makes the mic+headset combined connection available on 2 split ends. The latter is not what would help in this case.
This is regarding connecting your Keyboard / Synthesizer to mac computer for recording. Make sure both mac and keyboard are switched on. Connect a stereo cable between the Keyboard and Mac computer. Click on system Preferences > Sound > Input and in the option "Use audio port for " Select Sound Input from the drop down menu. The sound input will change to Line in option and the Type will change to Audio Line-in port. Now open audacity. Increase the Mic volume to max or according to your requirement in Audacity as well as in the keyboard. Now click on the record button and start playing in your keyboard. You can see the keyboard sound getting recorded in Audacity. Once completed you can export it to your required choice.
If you are using Windows this answer is for you.
Requirements:
aux 3.5mm male to male cable.
USB 2.0 external sound card.
Jack converter 3.5mm female to 6.35mm male.
Setup:
laptop <--> sound card <--> aux <--> jack converter <--> audio output/Phone slot of keyboard.
Setup Images:
Sounds Settings:
It will automatically select the USB device for sound but still, if it does not you can choose it and check whether it's connected or not anytime.
Audacity Settings:
Select 2-USB audio in both speaker and microphone as per shown in the image.
Hope this helps. Enjoy recording.;)
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