Do you record with the on board audio recorder or use an audio interface?

[Toril S]

Hello friends.
When I first began recording songs from my PSR-2100 I used a Focusrite audio interface to record into Audacity. When I got my S970 I went on doing it, even though the S970 had an on-board audio recorder. Now I have Tyros 5 and S975, both have excellent audio recorders, so I could put away the audio interface now, but I wonder if the sound is better with the interface or not? So I ask you who record songs with keyboards that have an audio recorder built in; do you just use that recorder, and maybe adjust a little in your DAW afterwards, or do you use an external audio interface?

[Del]

Hi Toril
I record straight from the audio recorder on my T5 then normalise it in audacity.
I set the record level to about 74 and keep the volume knob on the T5 to about 12 o'clock to try and avoid any distortion,
that's about it keeping it simple.

[Toril S]

Thanks Del. I tried it now, and it works great! Your recordings sound so good, so I can't go wrong with this. Gary also do this, I recall, so this makes it easy for me. I can reserve the audio interface for recordings on keyboards that do not have audio recorders, and stop using it with me T5 and S975.

[Roger Brenizer]

Hi Toril,

I also record straight from the audio recorder on my T4, then normalize it in Audacity, just as Del does; however, I also apply equalization to the MP3 file.  I hope this helps you. 

[Roland]

Hello Toril,

If I were to playback whatever I play on the keyboard also on the keyboard, then I think the on-board recording facility is perfectly fine and well tuned for exactly that.

But if I record something that I want to listen to away from the keyboard, then I use my audio interface. But don't be fooled; just copying the keyboard's audio to a DAW and maybe normalising it will never give you really good results. It takes quite a bit of mixing and mastering on your DAW to make the end-result fit nicely for whatever device and speakers you will use later to listen to it.

Hope that helps. Have a great time and wish you a Happy New Year! Cheers, Roland

[Toril S]

Thanks Roger and Roland😀

[DrakeM]

Hi Toril,

I just use the Keyboard's wav recorder as well. I set the Master Knob at 2 o'clock. The Master Style Volume level at 68 and leave the MIC volume lever at 100. Using these levels keeps the recording from Peaking Out and no matter how loud I am singing.

I record the song and play it back on the keyboard and adjust the sound level of parts in the style until is sounds perfect as it is coming through the keyboard's speakers. After all when I am gigging this is what the audience is going to be hearing. If it doesn't sound correct and balanced at this point it won't sound correct later on, no matter what you tweak.

Then I take the WAV over to my PC and normalize it and then post the MP3 link here in the forum. Done.

Regards
Drake

[Toril S]

Thanks Drake😀 You always sound good!

[pjd]

Hi Toril --

Just finished a short demo. I pulled the piano track together in Sonar on a PC, exported the MIDI file (SMF) and transferred the SMF to the Genos. Then I selected different voices, experimented with effects, and mixed on the Genos. Finally, I recorded a WAV using Genos' audio quick record.

Genos has a record level meter. I tweak the level so that I get at most a few over peak indications. A few rare peaks in the red are usually not heard as distortion. In this case, normalization is unnecessary because the highest peak is already hitting 0dB or so. If I post to the web, I convert to MP4 using Sound Forge Audio Studio.

Digital to audio converters (and vice versa) are pretty decent these days, but why convert to analog and back when it isn't really necessary? That's my philosophy anyway!

All the best -- pj

[Toril S]

Thanks pj😀

[beykock]

For my T5 audio recording there is much work involved, I guess but I love it.😸

All my recordings are always made in the T5 midi sequencer.

Then I open the 16-track midi file in Sonar Platinum to edit all midi tracks seperately.

I prefer to add VST's ( and/or effects ) after all tracks are seperately ( one by one ) recorded in the audio section of Sonar.

Last but not least I am using the T5 VH to record the vocals.
Effects ( reverb etc. ) are added after the vocal recording.

After editing and mixing all tracks, I am finishing the job by creating a 2-track ( stereo ) wav-file, called the Master.

I cannot work without my mixer nor audio/midi interface.

Happy New Year, Babette

[Toril S]

Thanks Babette. Some serious studio work there😀

[travlin-easy]

Toril, you will do just fine. Be sure to set the input level below 70 and keep your main volume down below the 12-O'clock position when recording. Then normalize the .wav file to -6.0 using Audacity.

Good luck,

Gary

[Toril S]

Thank you Gary! I am doing that, and the result is fine😀