Hi
I am trying to record the audio dirctly from my yamaha keyboard (headphone out ) into audacity through the laptop mic in. While its recording successfully, If I increase the volume on my keyboard, the high notes are getting distorted in the record. Can you suggest how to record at high volume and making best of the quality. Help appriciated.
I am referring to the multiplese clipping ( red lines ) in the recording
A microphone produces a very tiny signal, therefore a microphone input is very sensitive so that it can pick up these tiny signals.
A headphone output is a relatively huge signal (hundreds of times more powerful than a microphone signal.
To avoid distortion into a microphone input from a headphone output you would need to have the headphone level extremely low, which is not ideal.
The better solution is to plug the headphone output into a “line level” or “instrument” input, which are designed to handle the much higher signal level.
If your computer does not have a “Line In”, then ideally you should get a sound card or external (USB) audio device that does have a line level, or instrument input.
There are a wide range of suitable devices starting from around $30 US.
Thanks Steve,
My laptop does have line in , will select it for any recording instead of microphone in.
I did get to increase the volume with amplify effect, with some clippings. But it lacks the depth.
Stereo Line-In and Mic-In are not only expecting very different signal levels, Mic-In is generally mono, not stereo, so they are going to sound different. Mic-In usually only gives you the “left” side of your show sometimes duplicated so it seems like you have two channels of sound, but both channels are the same and any instruments or performers on the right are missing.
You should not have any red line clipping. Clipping is permanent sound damage, and although it usually “sounds loud,” it also sounds different from the original show. If you want your show to be louder without clipping, you can try Effect > Compressor or Chris’s Compressor.
http://theaudacitytopodcast.com/chriss-dynamic-compressor-plugin-for-audacity/
Koz