Record Keyboard’s Sound??

[PSR-220]

Greetings!

I am looking for the best (and preferably the cheapest!) way to record and edit the sound of my Yamaha PSR-220 keyboard. Ten years ago (roughly), I had a computer that came with an “audio in” port, and connected the two via the headphone port on my Yamaha (I used the headphone port on my computer to listen to what I was playing and recording). I used Audacity to record the tracks and put them together into each song.

During the recording and editing phases, I would play around with the various effects and pan values both on the keyboard and in Audacity for each instrument/track. However, after burning a CD of the songs I recorded, I still ran into the issue that, while it sounded like the instruments from my keyboard, the songs didn’t sound “full”, if that makes sense. It didn’t sound like it “filled the space”, like professional CDs’ songs do (I realize that’s probably a naive statement).

I no longer have that computer, nor the audio files I recorded, so I have these questions:

1. How can I connect my Yamaha PSR-220 to my Dell XPS-13 running (I believe) 64-bit Windows 10 so I can record the actual sound of my keyboard’s instruments (instead of just controlling the midi instruments that come with programs like Cakewalk by BandLab)?

2. Which is the best free (preferably newbie-friendly) program to record the different tracks and compile them together into a song after editing?

3. How can I get the finished product to sound “full” when I finish editing and save the file for listening on various devices/CDs?

Thanks for your time, and for any help you can give!

 

[ecc83]

AFAICT the PSR-220 has an "Aux Output" on 6.35mm jack. This will almost certainly be 'stereo' of some form and so you will need a stereo (aka TRS) plug on the end of whatever cable you use to the recording device. That recording device should be an Audio Interface and they are legion.

The MOST basic ones are of no use to you as they do not have two suitable inputs. Next up but still limiting would be the two input models such as the Focusrite 2i2, a very popular AI for reasons that escape me! Work very well but expensive for what you get.

An interface such as the Native Instruments KA6 or the MOTU M4 will give you two line inputs foir the keybaord* and two further inouts for microphones or guitar or other 'line' level devices. They also both have MIDI ports. You mentioned MIDI so it would IMHO be a bit daft NOT to get an interface MIDI capable? There is cheaper, the Behringer UMC404HD is comparable for connectivity but one factor should be born in mind...Latency. That is the delay you get twixt hitting a key and hearing a note. With your original (crude WTGR!) setup this probably was not an issue but it very well might be as your musical aspirations progress. Desirably low latency is a function of a well designed interface and especially well written drivers. The KA6 and M4 are excellent in both departments. Yes, these are both a decent chunk of cash but if you intend to get even a bit serious for a good time, going cheaper/fewer features will come back and bite you.

Software (aka "DAW")? Reaper is the most often recommended but the KA6 comes with Ableton which you might like and there are several free DAWs around now of serious power and utility.

*You need the TRS to TWO TS (mono) plugs cable. Same if you only have a haedphone output.

Dave.

 

[gecko zzed]

1. How can I connect my Yamaha PSR-220 to my Dell XPS-13 running (I believe) 64-bit Windows 10 so I can record the actual sound of my keyboard’s instruments (instead of just controlling the midi instruments that come with programs like Cakewalk by BandLab)?

If you want to do this kind of thing a lot, then its worth your while investing in an audio interface. You connect keyboard to interface, interface connects to Dell via USB. You would need a cable that has a stereo 6.5mm jack on one end to got ot Yamaha, and two mono 6.5mm jacks on the other to go to interface. There armany contemporary interfaces that would be suitable. Get one with midi as well. Think about the Behringer UMC204HD as a starting point.

2. Which is the best free (preferably newbie-friendly) program to record the different tracks and compile them together into a song after editing?

If you've been using Audacity, you can continue with it. Again, if you want to more recording, then consider Reaper, which is a flexible, powerful DAW that will satisfy any foreseeable need. It has a free, uncrippled trail that continues as long as you want. But as it is pretty cheap, it's worth paying for. There is an unavoidable learning curve on all software, but it's pretty easy to get going in Reaper.

3. How can I get the finished product to sound “full” when I finish editing and save the file for listening on various devices/CDs?

There is an art to this, and it takes patience and experience. You will be limited by the quality of sounds coming out of the Yamaha. However, you also need to be able to hear what you are doing accurately, so you will need a decent monitoring system to listen to what you've recorded.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

AFAICT the PSR-220 has an "Aux Output" on 6.35mm jack. This will almost certainly be 'stereo' of some form and so you will need a stereo (aka TRS) plug on the end of whatever cable you use to the recording device.
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You need the TRS to TWO TS (mono) plugs cable. Same if you only have a haedphone output.

It does seem to be 1/4" stereo. If so, what's known as an insert cable (because of a particular use on a mixing board) will do the job.

There are better ones with metal ends for triple the price, and there are different lengths, but this is the general idea:
Hosa STP-202 Insert Cable - 1/4-inch TRS Male to Dual 1/4-inch TS Male - 6 foot | Sweetwater

 

[rob aylestone]

The real problem with these keyboards is that they just don't sound big - they're always a bit weedy. I think Yamaha always designed them for use on stage or in the classroom, that kind of thing. They have on board reverbs that work terribly if mono'd - they've always been like this. The only trouble is what exactly can you do to them to make them sound bigger? Reverb and EQ is about it. I think more than that may be difficult to achieve - they're just not really designed to sound anything other than what you hear in the room. The really expensive ones are only a bit better I've found.