Home Recording
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Posted on Apr 07, 2011 03:19 pm
Chari
Member Since: Apr 07, 2011
Hi
I am absolute beginner and do not know ABCD of home recording. I have DGX 620 Yamaha keyboard, which has MIDI and USB output. I have PC HP 6300 series which has realtek sound card. My queries are:
i) Do I require audio interface for my keyboard
ii)If I want to record keyboard and vocals simultaneously what is the best option?
iii)If I require audio interface which is the appropriate one (not too expensive) that can take keyboard and mike input
iv) Music software
Would appreciate an early reply
Chari
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cruxTypo SzarMember
Since: Jul 04, 2002
Apr 07, 2011 10:00 pm To record vocals u will need an interface, but ur keyboard with a USB out can connect directly to ur computer as a midi controller.
If u only want to do one vocal, then there are a ton of not expensive choices for soundcards that are one or two channels (best to get two, the price wont be much different and y not have the option?).
M-Audio, Presonus, Line 6, Tascam, the list goes on and on. Go to ur store and have a listen adn talk to a sales person who doesnt rub u the wrong way and try out a unit.
Get Reaper software online, its free and does almost everything the pay programs do. Its good to start small, get the basic setup (ull also need a mic) and start recording, once u get into the actual recording everything will make sense and ull know wat else u need, or dont...
Apr 08, 2011 10:31 pm Chari, welcome to my world! I'v been recording a short while. These guys on here are smart and they know their s$#t. I'm older and not the brightest bulb in the box. My background is cassette technology. I'm telling you this because I have some midi gear, don't understand it, can't grasp the concept. I also have never used the USB technology for input. If you know how to use that stuff, rock on, my friend. But I have a nice soundcard with 2 inputs, like Crux described. I bought a $60 behringer mixer, ran it to my inputs. I run line outs from my keyboard. In other words, I interface it like I did 20 years ago. Just doing it like I do, can bring extreme pleasure and quality. If you know all the tech stuff, thats just icing on the cake.
Well...good luck...ask questions!...These guys are quick to help you out..You stumbled upon a great community of musicians and recording gurus. Rock on!
ChariMember
Since: Apr 07, 2011
Apr 22, 2011 06:17 am Hi
Thanks for the encouragement Bigbluesman. @Crux. Well I took the plunge. Bought Tascam US144 MKII, Alesis M1 Active 320 USB speakers and a shure PG58 mike. After downloading the latest drivers for the interface, my yamaha and stuff, I could record the vocals. With great struggle (it took sometime to really the silly mistakes I was making) I could make the Cubase LE5 which came along with the Tascam to recognize my keyboard.
Here comes the issue. When I try to make live audio recording from my keyboard to Cubase via Tascam the rhythm of the notes changes as if the notes are tripping (latency settings). Off and on the Cubase does not record even though recognizes the keyboard as the Portable Grand I (DGX 620). I tried different latency settings, shut down my internet connection, antivirus, still there is this latency issue. There is no latency issue with vocals. I was assured by the supplier simultaneous connections of Alesis (has audio interface) & Tascam will not conflict with each other. So where is the mistake?
Appreciate little bit of help here.
Apr 22, 2011 11:19 am Just tossing this out there, as I have dealt with this...though I don't know much about your specifric keyboard other than it's USB...are you letting USB power it? If so, plug it into the wall. I have a keyboard that if I let USB power it, gets horrible latency, if I plug it into the wall, it clears it right up.
cooloFrisco's Most UnderratedMember
Since: Jan 28, 2003
Apr 22, 2011 01:58 pm Chari I'm not sure how that keyboard USB works when you record, do you record midi events or the actual audio? That keyboard looks pretty nice, and if I were you I'd probably want the audio straight from the keyboard... will be better than almost all piano sounds you have in your computer that don't cost a lot of money. Since I don't see any dedicated audio out on the specs, you can always use the headphone jack and connect it to one of the audio in puts on your Tascam USB device. That's probably what I would do if I were you... unless the USB out of the keyboard allows you to record the audio output to your computer.
ChariMember
Since: Apr 07, 2011
Apr 23, 2011 08:01 am I prefer to record actual audio. When I bought Tascam the dealer told me it is possible to record audio straight from the keyboard headphone output to Tascam Line in. However, Cubase does not notice the keyboard input. Only when the USB is connected to the PC (after PC mode/local on off setting in the keyboard is set to off) then Cubase recognises it. when I was fiddling with it yesterday, I noticed there was some conflict between Microsoft Gwavesynth (in built) and Portable Grand i.e. mine. If the keyboard is played slowly there is no latency. The latency occurs when the keys are played fast. @db Masters, the USB is not powered. It is meant to (as you know) to transfer the midi events. I am not yet comfortable with midi stuff. Tried to use help offered by someone in the Microsoft forum by deactivating Microsoft Gwavesynth but did not quite succeed. I suspect there is conflict between the two instruments in the context of Midi. My question is how to do direct audio recording. I think it should be possible but I dont know how. Any help in this regard will be highly appreciated.
Tim NUh, at least one more time . . .Member
Since: Feb 07, 2007
Apr 23, 2011 11:05 pm You should be able to send the keyboard's analog signal out through the headphones jack into the LINE in on the Tascam. You'll need a splitter cable--a 1/4 inch stereo plug that terminates in two 1/4 inch TS (tip-sleeve) jacks. This way, until you get your MIDI issues out of the way, you can play the keyboard and outuput the exact same thing you hear in your headphones into the recording software. Turn down the headphones jack volume to about midway; that should keep things from overloading, and once you get a signal showing in Cubase, you can adjust accordingly, via the keyboard's headphone volume, the Tascam's input gain control(s), and Cubase's input parameters.
So: Does Cubase recognize the Tascam? It should, and if it does, you're in business. (Because your keyboard is going in through the Tascam, only the Tascam will be recognized. Anything plugged into the Tascam should work, whether it's a home stereo, another recorder, an mp3 player, etc.) You'll be "recording actual audio" (analog in), and you can learn about MIDI implementation along the way. This also bypasses that pesky Wavetable synth thing. You need to disable that device in the future--perhaps someone here has a good way of explaining how to do that. (It's never been a problem for me with my set-up--I wish I would have been more open to using MIDI early on, it's definitely something to learn about and implement!)
cooloFrisco's Most UnderratedMember
Since: Jan 28, 2003
Apr 25, 2011 01:28 am Yeah, basically, what TIm N said. Don't look for the keyboard in Cubase, look for the Tascam and you want to choose whatever input on the tascam that you plug your keyboard into as the recording source. You will probably need to tell the track what you want to record, so for the recording in, select something like Tascam input 1 or something like that (I don't know exactly how it will look because I don't use Cubase or a Tascam, but it should be something similar).
You're almost there.
