Recording sound from a keyboard

Audacity Help Forum Windows
1

I am new to this, and all I want to do is record tunes from my keyboard and create a song. However, I have no idea as to how to record the keyboard’ sounds… I have the latest version of this here ‘Audacity’ thing (2.1.2), and I got the .exe installer. My laptop is running Windows 10 and the only 3.5mm headphone jack on it has both a ‘headphones’ symbol and a ‘microphone’ symbol. I have tried to plug the keyboard in using said port, but alas, nowt. Do I need an external recording device or something? Or am I way out of my league and should turn around immediately and run? Please help. Please.

2

My laptop is running Windows 10 and the only 3.5mm headphone jack on it has both a ‘headphones’ symbol and a ‘microphone’ symbol.

Two issues…

Regular headphones will work in the combo jack, but you need a [u]TRRS[/u] (4 conductor) plug to make the microphone connection.

And, a microphone input is “wrong” for a line-level (or headphone-level) signal from your keyboard.

You need an audio interface with a line input (or a desktop/tower computer with a regular soundcard, which will have a line-input). Don’t get a “USB soundcard”. These are like laptops with only mic-in and headphone-out.

The [u]Berhringer UCA 202[/u] is a popular low-cost interface with line inputs. (I don’t own one.) Note that the Behringer has RCA connectors so you’d need a different adapter-cable. Many audio interfaces have 1/4-inch or XLR connectors.

3

Thank you, very useful! You’ve helped a noob take his first step into the world of music… :slight_smile:

4

first step into the world of music

More than one. My musical keyboard has no stereo line-out, so I adapt the headphone connection to RCAs. My system is a little more complicated than a single UCA-202, but I do own one and that does work.

http://www.kozco.com/tech/organfinale.mp3

Further, the UCA-202 has a mini-mixer inside and zero-latency headphone monitoring, making it perfect for overdubbing/sound-on-sound. So the first time you decide to try that out, all you need is a well-behaved computer, special settings inside Audacity and good headphones.

Koz