How to get the Keyboard's built-in sounds in Cubase

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Rinox

New member
Hi guys! I'm having a bit of a struggle getting my keyboard's built-in sounds (like the guitar sounds and some sort of fantasy sound) in Cubase. When I want to record the fantasysound from my keyboard I just switch the sound on my keyboard and record to my computer. Then, if I want to record a normal piano sound with my keyboard I switch the sound on my keyboard and record. But then comes the problem... If I save the file noe (containing the two different sounds) and open it later the two tracks in the file will both have the same sound as the keyboard that's connected to my computer. This makes it impossible to record any different sounds in one file in cubase. How can I record two different tracks with two different sounds from my keyboard? Do I have to save the sounds or something? I'm completely lost... I'm a beginner so please go easy on me :)
 
I don't use a midi cable, but a normal USB cable instead. But what you mean is that I should just remove the cable whenever I'm working on my project? What if I find out that I want to work some more with my project? There's gotta be something easier. I'm interested in learning how :)
 
And since you are using Cubase, you can download a FREE book (CubaseSX Complete - works with all versions of Cubase) that tells you how to do it over at www.auxbuss.com

My obligatory standard reply-for-newbies that I keep in Wordpad:

First off, immediately get a good beginner recording book (spend $20 before spending hundred$/thousand$) that shows you what you need to get started and how to hook everything up in your studio:
Home Recording for Musicians by Jeff Strong - $15
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/07...ce&n=283155&n=507846&s=books&v=glance
(Wish I'd had that when I started; would have saved me lots of money and time and grief)
You can also pick up this book in most any Borders or Barnes&Noble in the Music Books section!

Another good one is: Recording Guitar and Bass by Huw Price
http://www.amazon.com/Recording-Gui...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215734124&sr=1-1
(I got my copy at a place called Half-Price Books for $6!!)

And you can get a FREE subscription to TapeOp magazine at www.tapeop.com

Barnes&Noble or Borders are great places to start --- they have recording books and you can go get a snack or coffee and read them for FREE! Don't pass by a good recording book --- this is a VERY technical hobby and you REALLY want to start a reference library!!!

Good Newbie guides that also explains all the basics and have good tips:
http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm
http://www.computermusic.co.uk/page/computermusic?entry=free_beginner_pdfs
http://www.harmony-central.com/articles/

21 Ways To Assemble a Recording Rig: http://www.tweakheadz.com/rigs.htm

Also Good Info: http://www.theprojectstudiohandbook.com/directory.htm

Other recording books: http://musicbooksplus.com/home-recording-c-31.html

Still using a built-in soundcard?? Unfortunately, those are made with less than $1 worth of chips for beeps, boops and light gaming (not to mention cheapness for the manufacturer) and NOT quality music production.
#1 Rule of Recording: You MUST replace the built-in soundcard.
Here's a good guide and tested suggestions: http://www.tweakheadz.com/soundcards_for_the_home_studio.htm


Plenty of software around to record for FREE to start out on:

Audacity: http://audacity.sourceforge.net (multi-track with VST support)
Wavosaur: http://www.wavosaur.com/ (a stereo audio file editor with VST support)\
Kristal: http://www.kreatives.org/kristal/
Other freebies and shareware: www.hitsquad.com/smm

Another great option is REAPER at http://www.cockos.com/reaper/ (It's $50 but runs for free until you get guilty enough to pay for it...)
I use Reaper and highly reccomend it...

Music Notation and MIDI recording: Melody Assistant ($25) and Harmony Assistant ($80) have the power of $600 notation packages - http://myriad-online.com
Demo you can try on the website.

And you can go out to any Barnes&Noble or Borders and pick up "Computer Music" magazine - they have a full FREE studio suite in every issue's DVD, including sequencers, plugins and tons of audio samples. (November 2006 they gave away a full copy of SamplitudeV8SE worth $150, November 2007-on the racks Dec in the US- they gave away SamplitudeV9SE. It pays to watch 'em for giveaways...)
 
I'm recording midi, so then I guess I'm playing back midi too? Is that my problem?
 
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When you record stuff from keyboard to cubase via USB, you are recording midi information. Midi is simply a set of instructions which tell a device which notes to play, when to play them and for how long. Midi also transmits information about which instrument to use.

You said:
"When I want to record the fantasysound from my keyboard I just switch the sound on my keyboard and record to my computer. Then, if I want to record a normal piano sound with my keyboard I switch the sound on my keyboard and record."

You might like to try this:
Start recording in Cubase. Switch to the sound you want while recording, then play. Doing this will mean that Cubase (via midi) records the sound switch you've made as well as the notes you've played. When you hit playback, Cubase (via midi) will tell the keyboard to change its sound through the program change that you've now recorded.
 
I'll try that gecko and post the result :) Chili, how do I do that? You mean just recording the audio that comes from the keyboard without any cables?
 
Rinox said:
I'll try that gecko and post the result :) Chili, how do I do that? You mean just recording the audio that comes from the keyboard without any cables?
Click to expand...

The alternative that Chili mentions is to record the audio, which you can do by:

1 Connecting the keyboard's audio output to the computer's input, and recording audio in cubase; or

2 Sticking a mike on the keyboard's speakers (if it has them), or an amp that you play it through(if you do that) and connecting that to the computer.

Both these can go in via inputs on the computer's soundcard. Results will be of dubious quality, and you really need an interface designed specifically for recording audio if you go down this path.
 
I'm really learning a lot here so thank you guys. I love this forum, and I've began reading the good guides and articles I've been suggested. :)
I tried Chili's method of recording the sound as audio. It worked but it was really crappy quality since I don't have any sound card yet. I'll get that this week I think. :)

gecko zzed said:
Start recording in Cubase. Switch to the sound you want while recording, then play. Doing this will mean that Cubase (via midi) records the sound switch you've made as well as the notes you've played. When you hit playback, Cubase (via midi) will tell the keyboard to change its sound through the program change that you've now recorded.
Click to expand...

But will I be able to convert the cubase file to a sound file like .mp3 or .wav then?
 
Rinox said:
But will I be able to convert the cubase file to a sound file like .mp3 or .wav then?
Click to expand...


The short answer is 'yes'.

The longer answer is:

If you want your keyboard sounds to be part of the recording, you can do this by . . .

Recording the audio direct:

1 Connect keyboard audio output to computer and record this in Cubase. Cubase stores this as a WAV file. Get a WAV to MP3 converter, and run your WAV through this.

2 If you want more complex creations using a variety of sounds, record these all in Cubase, then 'bounce' or 'render' to create a single, mixed, stereo file. Some applications will allow you to render directly as an MP3 (Reaper will do this, my version of Logic doesn't, I don't know about Cubase). If you can't render as an MP3, you will most likely render as a WAV, which then has to go through a WAV to MP3 converter.

Recording the midi, then the audio:

1 Connect keyboard via USB. Play your stuff, recording this and the program changes in Cubase.

2 Get into the midi editor in Cubase and fix your mistakes.

3 Play back the result. This will play your keyboard.

4 Record the audio of this as it is playing back, then do all the steps for recording audio.
 
Now I think I get it... I've been struggeling with that for a long time... Do you mean that when I'm done with my cubase file I should connect the audio output on the keyboard to the audio input on the computer and then I record audio as the keyboard plays the midi?
 
Rinox said:
Now I think I get it... I've been struggeling with that for a long time... Do you mean that when I'm done with my cubase file I should connect the audio output on the keyboard to the audio input on the computer and then I record audio as the keyboard plays the midi?
Click to expand...

That's exactly it.

You may not have much luck doing this until you get a dedicated audio interface which allows stuff going in and out of the computer at the same time. But it's worth a try
 
Thank you so much! :) I've asked and tried to figure this out for almost a month but you explained it so much easier :)
 
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