Should I use a Pre-Amp?

[pnutsandchips]

I have a Yamaha Keyboard that sounds OKAY...
has a lot of sounds on it, some really good, some
just OKAY, it ran me $149.00

I want to use it for recording, but it has a lot of
noise, a lot of "Hiss" when i plug it directly into
my recorder...

Do you think going: Keyboard thru a >> Pre-Amp >> THEN going into my
recorder will make a difference? right now i'm going direct into
the recorder, vocals are fine, instruments aren't...

(FYI: i'm working off of a Yamaha AW4416 Digital Recorder.)

 

[sixways]

No, I don't think a preamp will help your keyboard if it just sounds "ok" now.

6

 

[cpl_crud]

Instead of a preamp, I'd consider getting a DI box. A decent one is much cheaper than a preamp.

With a pre, that "hiss" you're getting will jsut be made louder with the rest of the signal. Whenever I have a keybaord on the stage, it will always go through a DI box. Simple as that. Sometimes it won't make a difference, sometimes it will. There are about a million factors that we could go into, but if you're desperate to try something then give a DI a go.

 

[dgatwood]

I have a Yamaha Keyboard that sounds OKAY...
has a lot of sounds on it, some really good, some
just OKAY, it ran me $149.00

I want to use it for recording, but it has a lot of
noise, a lot of "Hiss" when i plug it directly into
my recorder...

Preamp won't help, but you may get better results if you crank up the output volume of the keyboard and turn down the input level on the recorder. It's amazing what a difference it makes if the recorder isn't having to add tons of gain to make up for a low output level on its input....

 

[SHEPPARDB.]

I have a Yamaha Keyboard that sounds OKAY...
has a lot of sounds on it, some really good, some
just OKAY, it ran me $149.00

I want to use it for recording, but it has a lot of
noise, a lot of "Hiss" when i plug it directly into
my recorder...

Do you think going: Keyboard thru a >> Pre-Amp >> THEN going into my
recorder will make a difference? right now i'm going direct into
the recorder, vocals are fine, instruments aren't...

(FYI: i'm working off of a Yamaha AW4416 Digital Recorder.)

Try plugging the keyboard into an amp and listening for the same noise.
If there is no noise with the amp,there should'nt be any with the 4416.
You're not using the Hi-z input are you?(#8)Check your cables too.