Hello fellow Audacity Users!
I am Brand new to using Audacity and could sure use some help.
This is what I’ve done so far:
- I have downloaded version 2.0.6 on my laptop and I am using Windows 8.0.
- I have downloaded the lame decoder for exporting files.
- I have downloaded a driver for my Yamaha CP-300 keyboard onto my laptop.
- I have connected the keyboard via a USB from my keyboard to USB in my laptop.
I’m getting a signal on the level monitors (red & green) from the computer speakers but No Signal straight into the program. Something’s not right.
I’ve used other recording equipment (ancient) and have some understanding of recording music but none on digital recording.
I have read the help questions on “connecting a device using USB” but I don’t understand all the directions. I don’t know what setup to use? I’m completely lost and frustrated. THIS IS MY LAST RESORT!
What I want to do first is record the songs I have created on-board my CP300’s sequencer so I can export them to CD.
I will greatly appreciate any advice on what to do regarding this matter even if it’s step by step process.
Thank you all in advance for taking the time to read this and hopefully respond.
PS I have some advice for connecting Yamaha CP-300 to PA that I will share in further posts.
Gone For Now,
Thanks Again All!!! 
Usually, the USB connection between the keyboard and the computer carries MIDI computer machine control instructions, not sound. Was “MIDI” one of the words that went by you didn’t understand?
Musical Instrument Digital Interface The computer tells the keyboard which key to press, how hard and for how long. Whether the key makes any sound or not is irrelevant.
I connected my MIDI keyboard to Audacity and my sound system by extension cables from the keyboard headphone connection.
http://www.kozco.com/tech/organfinale.mp3
I didn’t look up your keyboard instructions, but the above is pretty normal. If you do expect the sound to come down the USB cable, restart Audacity. Audacity checks for USB sound devices when it starts.
Koz
The reason your computer seems to play keyboard music is that MIDI will run both directions. The keyboard can tell the computer to play Bb above middle C, medium hard and hold it for two seconds. The MIDI interpreter inside your computer will obediently do that. It may not sound as good as the keyboard doing it. The keyboard sound is carefully captured from high-quality instruments. The instruments in the computer software interpreter are generic “anything that sounds sorta like a piano.”
Koz
Audacity doesn’t speak MIDI.
Koz
Thanks Koz I kinda understand how MIDI works??? Do you think it will help if I connect my keyboard to my computer from headphone jack? Did you use a 1/4 inch jack from keyboard headphone to a 3.5 mm to the computer or did you use adapters?
I still don’t understand why my recordings sound weird and sped up. Maybe the connection will help.
I’m totally lost Man! I’m going to have to do some reading and research to get a handle how this stuff works.
I’ll keep working on it and see how it goes. I’ll ask for help if I can figure out exactly what I need help with?
I sure appreciate the help that you have taken the time to offer.
If you think of anything else I might can try please let me know!
Thank you very much for your time & knowledge,
Tim In Tennessee
Basically, my Yamaha keyboard has MIDI connections (which I actually got to work several years ago) and a 1/4" stereo headphone socket. I jacked that into stereo “Y” cables. One branch went into the power amplifiers, speakers and bass cabinet. For a while, I was using this system in my “Music Room.”
The other branch was adapted down to 1/8" stereo plug and jacked into the high quality, stereo connection on my Mac.
If you don’t happen to have one of those, you can get a very good quality stereo USB adapter for your PC like the Behringer UCA202.
Almost 100% of the time you can’t use the “mic-in” of your PC. That’s designed for a microphone to plug in, not a stereo music system.
Koz