Okay, how do I do this?

Beer Can · 08-14-2006, 12:45 AM

As mentioned in the stickied thread, I have a kick-ass CasioTone MT-68. Well, nearly kickass, but we'll be getting to that in a bit. I also have an M-Audio FastTrack USB interface. Assume cables are not a problem, because if I don't have them, I can get them for less than a dollar. Yeah, seriously. Well, give or take a little bit.

Anyways, the deal. I want to record my keyboard inputs, preferably into FL Studio. But even recording seperately into a .wav file or such will work.

The problem? There is one thing the MT-68 lacks: A MIDI port. It has a monaural RCA-type audio line (think of the red, white, and yellow cables on TV's; it's the white one) and it has a 1/4" port for headphones. The FastTrack interface has the following ports: 1/8" heaphones, Stereo RCA output lines (White and Yellow cables), 1/4" "Guitar" input, and a big 3-pronged Mic input XLR.

I know my equipment is working, as I can play the MT-68 through my computer speakers via the interface. The computer and FL Studio both recognize the existance of the Fast Track interface. So no problems there.

Now, I'm not trying to do fancy things with the keyboard, like apply FX or anything. I just want to be able to record what I play onto my computer. HOW DO I RECORDED KEYBOARDS? If I can't do this with my current equipment, what do I need to get?

Any and all help is appreciated on this. Useful help may be rewarded with tokens, probably rep (as if it matters), and definitely a shout-out on the first song I finish with said keyboard.

DJ SymBiotiX · 08-14-2006, 10:07 AM

umm.. you have a headphone jack on your keyboard right? So couldnt you just route the headphone jack to your computers line in jack, and record it with a program that way? Thats what I do sometimes.

Beer Can · 08-14-2006, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ SymBiotiX

umm.. you have a headphone jack on your keyboard right? So couldnt you just route the headphone jack to your computers line in jack, and record it with a program that way? Thats what I do sometimes.

I tried this, but FL Studio couldn't find the keyboard. I could get it to make sounds through the computer this way, but I couldn't get it to record.

Of course, I probably just missed the right option. So, if this sounds familiar, would you mind writing up a walk-through, please?

Thanks!

DJ SymBiotiX · 08-14-2006, 10:30 PM

well you can use acid to record the keyboard sounds in to the computer.. unless you mean record it midi style. If its midi style, well then you need a keyboard with a midi out/in jacks.

Beer Can · 08-15-2006, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ SymBiotiX

well you can use acid to record the keyboard sounds in to the computer.. unless you mean record it midi style. If its midi style, well then you need a keyboard with a midi out/in jacks.

THIS MEANS I MUST GET ACID!

Because I have only FL Studio, which seems incapable of this kind of recording.

*Sigh* Time to find $60...

babbagamp shramp camp · 08-15-2006, 11:36 PM

Unfortunately, neither your keyboard nor your interface support MIDI (I just looked them both up to be sure). Hence, you will need to get a MIDI interface and a MIDI controller keyboard in order to record MIDI.

For the interface, you could either replace the Fast Track with a different interface that supports MIDI or buy a separate MIDI interface. If you want to replace the interface, I'd recommend the M-Audio Fast Track Pro, which I own. If you want to complement your Fast Track with another interface, M-Audio's Midisport 1x1 has been around for years.

In terms of a MIDI keyboard, M-Audio makes a handful. Here's a short list of 49-key (4-octave) variants:

Keystation 49e
Entry-level. You get 49 keys, pitchbend and modulation wheels, and that's it. Not recommended for electronic music production for reasons detailed below.
Radium 49
Same as above, except you get 8 sliders and 8 knobs for controlling whatever. FL (and just about any other music software worth its salt) lets you map MIDI controllers to any parameter you choose. This is how you record automation.
Oxygen 49
Essentially the same as the Radium 49, except you get a few buttons too. You can map these to, say, the FL transport controls should you so choose. You also get one more slider than the Radium.
Axiom 49
The Axiom series is pretty much the top of M-Audio's controller line. Same features as the Oxygen 49 except you also get 8 velocity-sensitive drum trigger pads.

I should mention one more thing. All of these M-Audio keyboards also have their own internal USB MIDI interface, so you could actually forego the separate interface unless you had a different keyboard you wanted to use.

Hope that helps, and I hope I didn't come off as an M-Audio saleperson.

-will

DJ SymBiotiX · 08-16-2006, 09:07 AM

btw, the thing I was talking about, you dont necessarily need acid, you just need any program that will record from the line in jack.

^^

Beer Can · 08-16-2006, 09:52 AM

Off topic: Filterchild, the change in sig and avatar was certainly an improvement. Can't top the kitties. :3

On topic: Is FL capable of line-in recording? Because I haven't found that option yet. I know I can't do MIDI with my current setup, and while that may be important in the future, for now I want to take advantage of the MT-68's unique sound.

For future reference, though, M-Audio is a trustable brand, then? Good to know.

But if FL can't do line-in recording, what would be the cheapest alternative that would still result in decent quality? And by "cheap", I mean "not pirated." Because if I wanted to pirate something, I wouldn't be worried about price, no?

Thanks again for all the assistance. Tokens and rep will be coming once this problem is cleared up.

Rush More! · 08-16-2006, 10:44 AM

M-Audio is most deffinately to be trusted. I swear by them.

And I'm fairly certain FL can do line-in recording, as some of my old projects have things recorded directly into them. I have no idea how though. they end up showing up in the playlist where automation clips generally go.

Beer Can · 08-16-2006, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the red rebel

M-Audio is most deffinately to be trusted. I swear by them.

And I'm fairly certain FL can do line-in recording, as some of my old projects have things recorded directly into them. I have no idea how though. they end up showing up in the playlist where automation clips generally go.

Checked the FL Studio Bible... Best I can find is live recording with USB/Firewire. And that does not assist me when I've got an RCA output or a 1/4" headphone jack on the keyboard. Unless someone knows of an adapter...?

babbagamp shramp camp · 08-16-2006, 06:13 PM

If I'm not mistaken, FL 5 and later can record into audio tracks. I'm not sure how this is done, but Red's right, audio clips and automation clips go in the same area below the pattern sequencer.

Beer Can · 08-20-2006, 11:20 AM

http://www.flstudio.com/k.asp?P=143 At the bottom of the page.

Well, I found a nice link... now if only I can find that e-mail they sent me with my username/password to logon...

Unless, of course, someone wants to make things easy and post the basics on how to do this. Until then, I shall dig through hundreds of spam emails in that account and PRAY I didn't delete the email.