Subject:usb keyboard

Posted by: joejon

Date:10/26/2005 12:26:04 PM

I hooked up a digital keyboard via USB. The drivers are installed. I've tried various setting in the properties and preferences of both Sound Forge and Vegas and also the Sound Card, but I can't get my programs to record the keyboard. Can you give me information on how to set this up to work? Right now I have SBAudigy2 SwSynth for the output and Casio USBIN1 for the input in Preferences/MIDI. In Preferences/Wave I have SBAudigy2 Audio [D8C0] for playback and recording. I have MIDI Synth selected in the sound card mixer.
Thanks

Subject:RE: usb keyboard

Reply by: Jamil

Date:10/26/2005 3:43:00 PM

Sound Forge will not record sound from your software synthesizer used on the same computer on its own. You can record the sound using a feature of your Audigy however. Open the Volume Control accessory that is included in Windows. Click Options|Properties on the menu. Click the Recording radio button. Make sure that "What U Hear" has a check by it in the "Show the following volume controls" listing. Click OK.

Click the Select check box under "What U Hear."

Now you can record sound from the software synthesizer.

Subject:RE: usb keyboard

Reply by: joejon

Date:10/26/2005 5:41:10 PM

Did what you instructed, but it didn't work.

Subject:RE: usb keyboard

Reply by: Jamil

Date:10/26/2005 6:25:30 PM

Okay. Lets backup a sec...

You have a keyboard connected to your computer via USB. This implies that you are using it as a controller, which means that your computer would play sounds through a software synthesizer. When you play the keyboard, does sound come from the computer?

If the answer is yes, then you should be able to record with the "What U Hear" settings a posted previously. You just have to make sure the Sound Forge is set to use the Microsoft Sound Mapper for the audio device.

If your keyboard has speakers and sound comes from it, then what you must do is connect the line out from your keyboard to the line in of your Audigy. You can record the sounds with Sound Forge for the line in of your Audigy.

Subject:RE: usb keyboard

Reply by: joejon

Date:10/27/2005 10:34:40 AM

No, the sound does not come through the computer speakers, it comes from the keyboard. I did get a cable to run from the keyboard Line Out to the Line In of the sound card. Thanks for your help. I have another question. In Sound Forge the Record meters register the volume that the keyboard volume control is set at and at its loudest setting doesn't record that loud, maybe -10dB if playing loud (hitting the keys hard). If playing a softer piano piece, the recording level would be very low (about -25dB with the keyboard volume turned to full). Would getting a small mixer or something give me more control over this? Or, once recorded at the low level, should I just do a volume increase in Sound Forge and forget about other things like a mixer?
Any input would be appreciated. Thanks

Subject:RE: usb keyboard

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:10/27/2005 11:41:49 AM

Have you turned up the volume on the line input of your sound card? When recording hot sources i usually have this level set around 1/5 of full scale. You may need to nudge that slider up some.

Adding a mixer will add noise. Increasing the volume in Sound Forge will add noise. Which is worse probably depends on the quality of the mixer and the quality of your sound card. If you are planning on getting a decent pro-grade mixer then it should be fine. If you were only going to pop for a cheap DJ style mixer then adjusting in Sound Forge would probably be the better option. But, possibly adjusting the sound card's input level will solve the problem anyway.