LINE IN help please?

[chiaowl]

Hello friends, I have recently purchased an electric ukulele which I use with an amp. But I want to play it through my PSR-S950 as it plays the backing tracks I've recorded. As is typical the instructions in the manual are dismal for plugging it into the keyboard, any settings I may need to change, or whatever; when I plug it into the LINE IN nothing happens so surely there is something else to do that I don't know about. Those who knew me way back in the day may recall I had a stroke...so if you have any help for me please write like you're explaining to a 5 year old child or I likely won't understand. And if you can't help me, thanks for reading this anyway 

[overover]

Hi Sherry,

here are some tips:

- Set the INPUT VOLUME knob to the minimum position (!)

- Connect the electric ukulele to the "MIC/LINE IN" socket.

- Set the MIC/LINE switch to "LINE" position.

- Set the INPUT VOLUME knob while playing on the electric ukulele: Adjust the control while checking the SIGNAL lamp (of the "MIC SETTING/VOCAL HARMONY" button). Make sure to adjust the control so the lamp lights in green. Make sure that the lamp does not light in orange or red, since this indicates that the input level is too high.

- Press the "MIC SETTING/VOCAL HARMONY". Make sure that the MIC is switched ON (using "F" button) and TALK function is OFF (using "G" button). VOCAL HARMONY should be OFF ("I" button).

- Press "BALANCE" panel button to call up the "BALANCE (1/2)" display and set the desired volume for the ukulele by adjusting the "MIC" volume parameter (upper/lower "4" buttons below the display).

- If desired, you can press the "A" button to call up the MIC SETTING display. Here you can change the EQ settings (on the "VOCAL" tab).

- Please refer also to the S950 Owner's Manual (from page 82) and the S950 Reference Manual (from page 81):
>>> https://uk.yamaha.com/en/support/manuals/index.html?l=en&c=keyboards&k=psr-s950


Hope this helps!

Best regards,
Chris

[mikf]

Should she not set the switch to mic rather than line in? The Ukulele pick up will probably be low output.
Mike

[chiaowl]

Chris - THANK YOU!!! Very clear and easy to follow directions got me there, I'll be playing my heart out now! I've been creating/saving these backings for my uke songs for a long time but this fulfills my dream to play along on the keyboard, so you can imagine how excited I am that it all works together as I'd hoped. VERY much appreciated that you explained things step by step!!! 🤓

Mike - When I didn't get any volume switched to line in, I tried mic as you suggested and W00T! it worked wonderfully well - THANKS!!!👍

[mikf]

Good. Have fun.
Mike

[overover]

Thanks for your kind feedback, Sherry! I'm glad it works for you now!

Actually, "LINE" is the correct setting for most instrument pick-ups. But if you can't get enough volume in this position even with the Input Volume knob set to maximum (because the ukulele's pickup has extremely little output), you can of course use the "MIC" position. If the SIGNAL lamp is then red, simply turn the Input Volume knob down a little, so that the lamp just lights up green or at most orange.


P.S.
When nothing is connected to the MIC/LINE Input socket, the Input Volume knob should always be turned completely to the minimum (to avoid unnecessary noise).


Best regards,
Chris

[mikf]

Chris - I think that all Yamaha manuals for these keyboards say that the Mic setting should be used when playing guitar and bass through the keyboard. The Line In setting is only for for high output devices like Synths and other keyboards, CD players etc.
Mike

[MarkF_48]

Chris - I think that all Yamaha manuals for these keyboards say that the Mic setting should be used when playing guitar and bass through the keyboard. The Line In setting is only for for high output devices like Synths and other keyboards, CD players etc.
Mike

The difference may be if the guitar or bass has passive (magnetic or piezo with no amplification) or active (amplified) pickups. An electric uke likely has an active PU system which has a builtin amplifier for its pickups and would have a fairly hot output. The Yamaha manual probably just made a generalization of what might be plugged in. Can't hurt to try the MIC setting as Chris noted.

[mikf]

Mark,
Think you have read this the wrong way round, the ukekele has a low output like a guitar, that's why I told her to set it to Mic (per the manual) and not line in.
Mike

[MarkF_48]

Mark,
Think you have read this the wrong way round, the ukekele has a low output like a guitar, that's why I told her to set it to Mic (per the manual) and not line in.
Mike

Do you know for fact the uke has a passive pickup that would have a low output? K&K piezo's for example that don't have a preamp in the uke and would need a lot of gain. Between my electrics with passive PU's and my electro-acoustics with preamps there is a lot of difference between their outputs and I can run an acoustic easily into a line in of an amp or interface and have adequate signal and volume, where the electrics would need the gain of a mic input. The other issue for a passive PU into a mic or line input is the impedance. Passives will generally fair better into a hi-Z input so as to not load the source and lose the high end. The uke if fitted with active PU's should work with either line or mic, but I'd likely go with the line if there is enough gain.

[mikf]

Mark - It was not working properly on the 'line in' setting, which Chris had recommended. I told her to move the switch to' Mic',  because these kind of pick ups are typically low level, and that is what Yamaha recommend. She says it then immediately worked perfectly.
Mike

[MarkF_48]

Mark - It was not working properly on the 'line in' setting, which Chris had recommended. I told her to move the switch to' Mic',  because these kind of pick ups are typically low level, and that is what Yamaha recommend. She says it then immediately worked perfectly.
Mike

My Takamine EAN10C electro-acoustic guitar into my PSR-S900...... adequate levels as indicated by green LED with input set to line and the level knob not at full gain (maybe about 3/4's up). On the mic setting the LED flickered orange (overloaded) at the level roughly at half. If the uke works with the mic setting for her that's fine and it may be the uke has a passive PU that needs the gain. I'm only trying to point out that most guitars or similar instruments with active electronics would likely not need the mic setting. While Yamaha may say a guitar can be plugged into that input, it's actually not an appropriate input for a guitar or similar instrument as the Z input is in the order of 150 ohms for the mic and 600 ohms for the line which may affect how the instrument sounds. She had mentioned having an amp and if the amp has a line out jack as some do, that may be a better method to connect up the uke.

[mikf]

Mark - Sherry wanted simple and the solution was pretty obvious.
Mike