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Best practices for volume settings when recording using the PX-5S?


dc2k

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Hey guys,

just wondering if you have any tips for setting the volume when recording. 

It seems to me than when I record something and play it back on the PX-5S, it sounds loud but when I play it back on my computer, I have to turn the volume up past the normal volume setting to hear it. 

I was just wondering if this is normal of perhaps there are some best practices for setting the volume on the board when recording. For example maybe it's best to have stage settings' volumes up, while the tone volume settings are down or vice versa, or maybe there is a recommended position for the master volume control.

 

Here is something I recorded yesterday. I'm playing around with the Blade Runner theme using an adjusted version of stage setting 3:3

Please let me know if you think the volume is too low and what to do about it.

 

https://soundcloud.com/smallchanger/blade-runner-main-theme-casio-px5s

 

Thanks guys!

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The volume of the recording is based on the stage setting.  Piano stage settings have a very wide dynamic range and have a much lower average level than stage settings with lots of layers of sound and drums.  Many parameters of a stage setting effect recorded volume.  Zone volumes, tone volumes.  You have to be extremely careful.  The recorded sound can easily run into distortion from clipping when many layers are present in a stage setting. 

 

Also, the playback volume of the recorded sound is adjustable here.....  System settings>sound generator>audio volume.  

The master volume knob won't affect the recorded sound.  Pay mind to the signal chain going backwards.  Zone volumes and then tone volumes.   Personally, I never worry about low volume level on the recordings.   If I want them normalized, I run the file through audacity and run the normalize effect.  The PX-5s noise floor is so low, that boosting a low signal never introduces noise.  At least I never have heard any.  

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  • 3 months later...

Here's something to add: If you are using the headphone jack from the PX-5s going directly to the line in of the computer sound card hoping to playback or record audio (on the computer), you may also be getting very low volumes.  The short answer, the headphone jack does not output enough power to drive the line in on the sound card properly.

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  • 5 months later...

I do not understand the answer here. What is the end solution? And, exactly how is that done? I don't know the moster behind this piano. All I want is a piano and to record what I'm playing on the piano. This is the first digital piano I have ever had, so I don't know some of the termonology that is being used in the answers above. For instance, "I run the file through audacity and run the normalize effect." Where is that done?

 

"The master effects outputs will." If that will effect my recorded volume... where is that? Becuase, apparently it's not defaulted to that method, so I need to know where to go to make those necessary changes.

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The USB recorder should, however, playback on the PX-5s at the same volume that it was recorded on.  Externally, the output on the PX-5s is what is considered consumer level (-10 dBV) which might be quiet depending on the equipment and the situation.  It's likely the USB recording is at this same relative level.  The short of it is, if you record and playback using the USB strictly on the px-5s you should be good to go.  If you use that recording on an external device (computer, etc.) by loading what had been recorded the USB, or even running line outs from the px, you are likely going to have to boost the volume using a computer program.  Audacity was mentioned earlier which is a free option.

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  • 6 months later...

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