Piano sound in FL Studio

[Squint]

Hey guys, I'm just sort of starting out in FL Studio (working with the demo version, currently) and have just been able to get my digital piano hooked up as a MIDI controller and start recording stuff. This may or may not be a pretty basic question (hopefully it is).

Is there a way for me to record my piano with its natural sound? Like, as if I'm just playing without it being hooked up to anything. The only way I can seemingly record any sounds from my piano is by doing it through those plugins FL Studio comes with. So basically, the furthest I've gotten so far is to insert something like the "Concert Piano" plugin into a new channel and recording with that sound.

The reason I ask is that my piano's natural sound offers way more touch and responsiveness than what's offered when I play it through any of the plugins. I understand that there are probably some pretty awesome plugins that would be superior to my piano sound, but I don't have anything like that at my disposal right now.

Thanks if anybody can help, hopefully this question makes sense!

[eilios]

What piano are you using? Some of them have drivers that you use to get just that.

[Nabeel Ansari]

Microphone...?

Does your piano have a 1/4 in. out jack? If so, you need to record the audio of your piano.

If you have an audio interface, just hook it in right there like a guitar. If you don't, get a 1/4" to 1/8" cable and connect into the "microphone" port on your computer. Sound quality will be bad, but that's expected with integrated audio.

[Squint]

Eilios -

I've got a Yamaha Clavinova CLP320: http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-instruments/keyboards/digitalpianos/clp_series/clp-320/?mode=model. I guess I haven't downloaded any drivers since I first got it a couple years ago, so maybe I can look around about that.

Neblix -

I was previously using Pro Tools (which you may know, since you were helping me on that other topic), which came with something they call the Fast Track USB interface. http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Tools-Recording-Studio-Music/dp/B002P3KINE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296518498&sr=8-1. Does this qualify as an audio interface you mentioned?

I used to record in Pro Tools, straight from my piano to the computer, using a line out from my piano, with a 1/4 inch converter cable to hook into that Fast Track USB interface. The sound from my piano was preserved that way, which was great, but unfortunately, it was only recording in mono, so I was limited with what I could do production-wise (which the judges were critical of). Should I be able to still use this USB interface, but with FL Studio instead, you think? I tried messing around with it a day or two ago, but couldn't figure anything out with it.

Also, the only mic jack my laptop has is one of those real small ones (is that 1/8?), which I use to plug my ear buds in. Are you saying I could hook my piano into that small jack (using the proper converters if needed) and record straight up that way? Would that be in MIDI format, or would I be stuck with limited options as before?

Thanks again for the help guys, it is much appreciated!

[Nabeel Ansari]

Eilios -

I've got a Yamaha Clavinova CLP320: http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-instruments/keyboards/digitalpianos/clp_series/clp-320/?mode=model. I guess I haven't downloaded any drivers since I first got it a couple years ago, so maybe I can look around about that.

Neblix -

I was previously using Pro Tools (which you may know, since you were helping me on that other topic), which came with something they call the Fast Track USB interface. http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Tools-Recording-Studio-Music/dp/B002P3KINE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296518498&sr=8-1. Does this qualify as an audio interface you mentioned?

I used to record in Pro Tools, straight from my piano to the computer, using a line out from my piano, with a 1/4 inch converter cable to hook into that Fast Track USB interface. The sound from my piano was preserved that way, which was great, but unfortunately, it was only recording in mono, so I was limited with what I could do production-wise (which the judges were critical of). Should I be able to still use this USB interface, but with FL Studio instead, you think? I tried messing around with it a day or two ago, but couldn't figure anything out with it.

Also, the only mic jack my laptop has is one of those real small ones (is that 1/8?), which I use to plug my ear buds in. Are you saying I could hook my piano into that small jack (using the proper converters if needed) and record straight up that way? Would that be in MIDI format, or would I be stuck with limited options as before?

Thanks again for the help guys, it is much appreciated!

In order:

1. Yes

2. A sound card is not DAW specific

3. Yes. It's not MIDI, MIDI data is transferred via either USB or MIDI cables. 1/8" or 1/4" jacks are analog signals only. (just the sound of your piano)

Also, recording in mono probably makes a zero difference when it's just a regular piano sound. You could also apply stereo separation if you REALLY wanted a stereo piano sound.

Also, do not plug your piano into your laptop if you have the M-Audio Fast Track just record to there.