Recording Problems

[chris110012]

Hi guys, I'm having some issues when trying to record my keyboard(Yamaha P120) to my laptop VIA usb interface. I'm using an RCA cable(it's red and black on both ends, but I'm pretty sure it's RCA) to connect my keyboard to the line in port of my Interface, which connects to my laptop's USB port.

I have Audacity 1.2.6, and when I set everything up (playback and recording are all set to the interface), I try recording. I set the 'Audio I/O' channel setting to stereo and I play some songs, and all I get is sound detection coming through the right side. The left side shows no signs of life whatsoever. Then I try switching from Stereo to Mono, and NO sound is detected. The right side sounds perfectly fine on stereo, but I want to record my keyboard through both sides, so when I listen to it, I'm not just listening to the right ear. I read that switching to mono should fix it but my keyboard, for some reason, isn't detected on mono

I'm using this interface(Tascam US-100):
http://www.tascam.com/products/us-100.html

And I'm running on Windows XP

I'd appreciate any helpful suggestions, and I'll do my best to communicate to see if it clarifies my problem

Thanks!

[Gale Andrews]

Does the keyboard have stereo output, or does the cable only have one plug on each end? Is the Tascam line input left and right and you are only connecting to the right channel? If so:

• mix the input to both output channels of the Tascam if it can do that
• or connect to the left input of Tascam in the hope that recording in mono in Audacity will detect that channel
• or record in stereo then use the Track Drop-down menu in Audacity to "Split Stereo Track", close the left channel using the [X], then set the right channel to mono using the Drop-Down menu. A mono track will play through both speakers.

Gale

[chris110012]

I'm not really sure how I can change settings on the Tascam. There isn't really much to adjust on the interface(just a switch to alternate between Mic / line / Phono).

Anyway, here's how I'm set up right now

Interface:

The red and white cables are plugged into the 'input' port on the back of the Tascam

Keyboard:


You can't really see it too well on the keyboard, but the white/black cable is plugged in to the left of the white one so both the red and white sockets are filled.

I just tried it out, and even when I'm not recording, and my earphones are plugged into the Tascam and I just play notes from my keyboard, I'm just getting sound coming through one ear. If it means anything, I'm using a low budget crappy RCA cable that only seems to get a signal when I shift the interface into a certain position.

I'll try your 3rd tip in the meantime, but any other help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[Gale Andrews]

I'm still not clear what the output connection of the keyboard is (RCA left and right/ single 1/8 inch TRS?, headphones out/line out?) and if it's mono or stereo, but you should certainly set the input switch on the Tascam to line (not mic). that might even be the problem.

If you can only hear one channel when monitoring in the TASCAM, and if the RCA cable is "dodgy" it isn't Audacity's problem.



Gale