Yamaha PSR-S975 - What am I doing wrong?

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The_Chief
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Yamaha PSR-S975 - What am I doing wrong?

Post by The_Chief »

Hi there, Acoustica folks!

I'll introduce myself in another thread: but let's say that my proficiency level is somewhere below "Novice" and somewhere above "Lacking a Pulse". Hoping I'm in the right section of the Forums, here's my crisis du jour:

I have a Yamaha PSR-S975 Arranger/Workstation, going into a Windows 10 PC with 24GB RAM and a SoundBlaster Audigy 5 Rx soundcard. I'm running Mixcraft Pro 8.1 and I've looked at the video tutorials in Acoustica's Mixcraft University.

This workstation has over a thousand voices and I can do pretty much anything I want with any of them: ON THE WORKSTATION. The problem is finding any setting in Mixcraft that allows me to input what I'm hearing on the Yamaha, and not just use it as a simple MIDI controller for its own VST instruments. I've tried all the audio and recording settings I know to try... among the 1,250 instrument choices, there is no USB input listed that allows me to feed Mixcraft what I'm hearing on the Yamaha.

What am I doing wrong, folks? Or, what am I not doing correctly? I really appreciate your suggestions!
Drdish007
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Re: Yamaha PSR-S975 - What am I doing wrong?

Post by Drdish007 »

Hi,
If you are trying to record audio from your synth, find the audio outputs on the synth and connect them to your soundcard audio input. In Mixcraft, select that input as your source. Then press record to record the sound.
Hope this helps.

- Myran
Mixcraft9RS(469)64Bit, Win. 10 64Bit, Intel i5 @ 3.20GHz, ssd 250GB(os),1TB hdd(library audio),1TB hdd (recorded audio),Nvidia GeForce1050i video,16GB RAM,Focusrite 18I20 2nd gen usb,Motu 5 ch.midi interface, D5,U220,Keystation88,B4000+,Leslie,Rhodes73mk1
The_Chief
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Re: Yamaha PSR-S975 - What am I doing wrong?

Post by The_Chief »

Thanks, Myran, for the fast response!

So USB won't work, I take it - I need to use an aux cable to go from output to input. Well, I wouldn't have thought of that, so you've helped already! I'll buy a nice, long aux cable and some adapters. I'll follow up with the result!
The_Chief
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Re: Yamaha PSR-S975 - What am I doing wrong?

Post by The_Chief »

Okay folks, so I ordered a 3-meter aux cable and 1/4" adapter for the Yamaha. Plugged it into the L/R-Out jack on the keyboard and ran it to the 3.5mm Line In jack on the sound card. Opened Mixcraft and... it kept wanting to use the VST instrument and my Yamaha as a controller. After sleeping on it I woke up, determined that the USB input was possibly overriding the audio in - so I disconnected the USB from the keyboard. Now the only connection to the computer from the Yamaha is the audio out.

NOTHING! I tried "What You Hear" and "Line In" and Mixcraft gave no indication that it was receiving anything. I tried "Microphone" just for kicks and heard myself through my microphone... so at least I know THAT works.

I'll keep researching and experimenting... but does anyone here have any other ideas? Thanks!
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jlouvar
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Re: Yamaha PSR-S975 - What am I doing wrong?

Post by jlouvar »

You need an external audio interface... I use a Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 with my Korg TR-6 keyboard workstation.
- Joe -

MX9PS, 64-bit, build 460. Windows 10, Intel i5, 64-bit, 1.8GHz, 8GB.
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The_Chief
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Re: Yamaha PSR-S975 - What am I doing wrong?

Post by The_Chief »

Seriously? So my Audigy 5Rx sound card can't take in analog audio and send it to Mixcraft? Or Mixcraft doesn't know what to do with analog audio? I'm not trying to sound upset, and I appreciate the information. It's just very frustrating to learn that I need yet ANOTHER piece of hardware to get simple sound from here to there... it makes me wonder what else I'll need before it's over...
:|

EDIT: Since it's just me and the Yamaha workstation, and the mic goes into it, do I need everything on the Focusrite 2i4? Or would the 2i2 be sufficient, since the only input to it is the Yahama? And MAYBE a second microphone? Thanks
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outteh
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Re: Yamaha PSR-S975 - What am I doing wrong?

Post by outteh »

You should be able to go from line out on your keyboard to line in on your sound card. Usually it’s a simple dual RCA cable? Now, in Mixcraft make sure in preferences you have selected your computer sound card as the device and use wav as the sound. If you have speakers hooked up to your computer or using headphones you should hear the keyboard audio through the computer. Now in Mixcraft set up an audio track and arm it selecting your sound card as the input source. Should work. :D
The_Chief
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Re: Yamaha PSR-S975 - What am I doing wrong?

Post by The_Chief »

Thanks - I'll recheck my preferences and make sure everything is as you instructed. Sometimes the simple things trip us up. That would save me considerable time and angst, as I wouldn't look forward to telling the Darling Bride that I need ANOTHER gadget
:P
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jlouvar
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Re: Yamaha PSR-S975 - What am I doing wrong?

Post by jlouvar »

Tom has helped me in the past and is much more knowledgeable than I, so you’re in good hands. Thanks for jump in Tom and helping. 8)
- Joe -

MX9PS, 64-bit, build 460. Windows 10, Intel i5, 64-bit, 1.8GHz, 8GB.
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The_Chief
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Re: Yamaha PSR-S975 - What am I doing wrong?

Post by The_Chief »

Thanks Tom & Joe! I appreciate your taking the time to help!

First of all, it's a 3.5mm stereo aux cable running from the Yamaha to the sound card, not RCA jacks. I want to make sure we're all on the same page.

I went to Preferences and set up the audio per your advice. Line in, wav audio. SPDIF out is the optical audio out to my speaker system. I then set the audio track to Line in, stereo.

Nothing. I tried the "What U Hear" recording mode. Nothing. I went back to preferences, just for giggles, and tried WaveRT. Nothing. I moved the aux cable from the L/R Out of the Yamaha to the headphone jack in front and repeated all the above. Nothing. I'm quite sure the cable isn't in the wrong 3.5mm jack on the sound card (there are five and it's impossible to read the engraving, I looked at the box to cheat), but I will recheck that.
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outteh
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Re: Yamaha PSR-S975 - What am I doing wrong?

Post by outteh »

I don’t think you want SPDIF out from your device you want line or speaker out. Is your card a 5.1 channel sound card? If so you have different outputs for line out. Check your user manual or download one to find the correct outputs. You want to use the line out 1 in preferences in Mixcraft. :D

Sorry this is taking so long but trouble shooting from a distance is difficult. :D
The_Chief
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Re: Yamaha PSR-S975 - What am I doing wrong?

Post by The_Chief »

What do you mean, taking so long? Not for me! I'm grateful for the time you are giving me in troubleshooting!

Yes, it's a 5.1 channel card with an optical audio output. That's the SPDIF Out, and it's going to low-latency speakers. I don't think that's the issue as much as it is an input issue, because I get nothing in Mixcraft to indicate that it's receiving any audio level.

I'll double and triple check the inputs on the card and get back with you. Meanwhile, enjoy your weekend
:)
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outteh
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Re: Yamaha PSR-S975 - What am I doing wrong?

Post by outteh »

Looks like you also need to go into your sound card control panel and set it up for proper output.


Selecting a speaker configuration
1. ClicktheSpeakers&SPDIFI/Otab.
2. OntheSpeaker/HeadphoneSelectiondropdownlist,selectaspeakerconfigurationthatyou want.
3. OnlyforWindowsXPusers:Toensurethatyourspeakersettingsarealwayssynchronizedwith Sound Blaster Audigy 5/Rx Control Panel and Windows Control Panel, click the Synchronize with Microsoft Windows Control Panel checkbox. Only enable this synchronizing feature if you reg- ularly play games or install new applications, which can automatically readjust your speaker set- tings in Windows Control Panel.
Selecting a Digital Output Sampling Rate
1. On Sound Blaster Audigy 5/Rx Control Panel, click the Speakers & SPDIF I/O tab.
2. ClicktheDigitalOutput(PCM)SamplingRateSettingsdropdownlistandclicktherequired sampling rate.
The sampling rate of the PCM SPDIF output of your Digital Out connector must match the require- ments of the receiving device.
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outteh
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Re: Yamaha PSR-S975 - What am I doing wrong?

Post by outteh »

Here’s a link to your user manual.

http://files2.europe.creative.com/manua ... nglish.pdf
The_Chief
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Re: Yamaha PSR-S975 - What am I doing wrong?

Post by The_Chief »

Thanks Tom - I find it curious that I'm able to hear everything else on the PC via these speakers (music, video, messaging and that Cortana chick) but I would need additional setup for my music audio input... but I'll go in and check it all again, thanks
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