I have a laptop with just microphone port I believe. I wanted to plug in my piano to my laptop with simple audio cable to record, but unfortunately my laptop is not able to recognise the line in and I can’t see the option to pick line in. Is there anything I can do to actually record, just by using audio cable or do I have to buy an external device that will add line in to the laptop? My gaming PC does have line in and it’s all working fine, but I was just surprised when I couldn’t see line in, in my laptop.
The [u]Behringer UCA202[/u] is an inexpensive audio interface with line inputs. Beware of regular “USB Soundcards”. Most are like laptops with only mic-in and headphone-out.
There are laptops that can convert between line and microphone, but they usually do both badly.
That’s the connection from my stereo mixer. The UCA202 is also one of the three devices I certified for sound-on-sound overdubbing, should you have any desire to produce six-hand piano.
All I want to do is to record the music using simple audio cable if possible. I’m assuming I can plug in my audio cable to this Behringer UCA202 device, the other end to headphones slot in my piano and my laptop should be able to recognise the line in so I can record using Audacity?
No software. If you have a relatively modern computer, you plug it in and it just starts working. It’s a simple Stereo Audio Input/Output.
I’m assuming I can plug in my audio cable to this Behringer UCA202 device, the other end to headphones slot in my piano and my laptop should be able to recognise the line in so I can record using Audacity?
Yes. That’s how I do it. My keyboard has no stereo connections, so I use my headphone socket. It will not announce “Behringer” or “UCA202” It says “USB Audio CODEC.” Connect it and then start Audacity. Don’t do it out of order.
Thank you very much! I just purchased it and I’m happy with it. Laptop is portable unlike my gaming pc and now recording with Audacity is going to be so much easier. Cheers!
One shortcoming with the way we do it. You can’t listen to the computer speakers when you play, the sound will be late or an echo. So I split the keyboard headphone wires. One split into a set for my amp and speakers and the other split goes to the computer for recording.
Another way to do it is take the headphone connection in the UCA202 and put that into your speakers. Switch the UCA202 to Monitor and it should let you hear the sound both directions.
Another variation: I think the UCA202 Line-Out has the headphone mix on it. So you don’t have to adapt the headphone socket.
My piano is pretty good, I can plug in 2 headphones simultaneously, meaning that I have 2 headphones ins. I will attempt to use Audacity option to play the sound as it’s being recorded, and if it’s going to be delayed then I’ll just use my headphones. Anyway, thanks for all the help I really appreciate it!
You can use the second headphone output of the keyboard assuming you can control each independently of the other. If you can’t, then the headphone volume controls are going to mess with your recording.
You can listen to the computer speaker or headphone connection, but on most computers, that has to go through digital conversion twice and is always late. Try it.
You can listen to the UCA202 which has excellent sound, but is a little hard to manage that little volume control and it won’t go to ear-splitting volume. Note that if you do opt for overdubbing, you will be listening to the UCA202 anyway. That’s the only way to get a perfect, live, theatrical mix of your show.
I have a small, stand-alone sound system, so all I need is a proper sound signal that’s there all the time and I can control it outside of the show sound path.
I bought this device along with the cable and I’m not disappointed! Delay is only about 0.1s so it’s not an issue, I don’t even need the headphones. Thanks guys for help, this audio device is amazing!
