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I’d like to be able to use my Zoom H2n digital recorder to capture exactly what I play on my Yamaha P95 digital piano. The plan is then to load the WAV file into Audacity on my Macbook Pro for editing, as I do when I record my acoustic piano.

The P95 has no line out, but has two headphone ports. (It also has MIDI facilities but I’d prefer not to start down that track.)

Lots of internet searching suggests a solution might be to purchase a double-ended 3.5mm stereo plug audio lead, and use it to connect one of the Yamaha’s headphone ports to the Zoom’s 3.5mm mic/line input.

Has anyone tried this? Is it that simple? Did it work?

Why not record direct into Audacity by connecting a headphone port on the Yamaha to the audio input of the MacBook Pro?

Yes, it's that simple. It will work. The headphone outs on the piano will be the larger quarter inch outputs (I think). So you need a quarter inch jack plug to mini-jack lead.

Just make sure you are careful with your recording level (on the Zoom). You want a fairly meaty level from the piano so the recording level on the Zoom needn't be too high. This will minimise noise.

(Or do as MRC suggests!)

Good luck,

Steve

Thank you both so much, MRC and Steve, for your quick and helpful replies. Apparently my MacBook Pro (13" mid 2012) has no audio input - with Audacity it would have been a neat solution. So I'll invest in the lead and the quarter inch jack plug, and see how my Zoom handles it.

PMFJI --

That is _very_ unlikely!

Can you plug in a computer headset (headphone + microphone), and use Skype?

. . . If so, there's at least a _monophonic_ audio input!

It's common for Windows computers to have a 4-contact "audio in + audio out" jack. Check the manual for the Mac -- it probably says something (though I hear that Apple computers are so "intuitive" that they don't need manuals, according to Apple).

But (as previously stated) running a stereo cable from the DP's headphone output, to the Zoom's stereo "line in", will work fine.

. Charles

There must be an audio input of some sort. Probably a stereo microphone jack (3.5mm). I think these double as line inputs - probably using clever software to detect the difference between a line in and a microphone.

....but, yes...I've just looked at the specification of your MacBook Pro and there is no audio input. Amazing! What are you supposed to do?...unless the headphone out somehow doubles as an input. Very strange.

I previously had a 13" MacBook Pro. You could choose in the settings about configuring the mini jack. By default it's a headphone but you can change it to an input in one of the menus.

That said, I seem to recall that some of the later 13" removed some sort of function and it could've been that.

It looks like the only input microphone which will work on my particular model MacBook Pro is the one that is part of iPhone's earbuds - the plug is different from the usual stereo headset plugs. So I think I'll keep things simple (?) and stick with the Zoom. Thank you Charles and Toddy for your help and advice.

With no line out on my digital piano, and no line in on my computer, I thought that I was out of luck as far as direct recording was concerned.

I picked up the stereo plug audio lead at the local electronics store this morning, and connected the Zoom to the DP with it - it worked a treat. The only adjustment I needed to make was to reduce the Zoom's mic gain. Great recording. Total cost? $4.95. I'm very happy - thanks to all for your advice.

Excellent. Enjoy your recordings!

MarieJ, it's great that you have the D/A recorder and that this fulfulls your recording needs so well. Glad you got it sorted!



I find this quite amazing. Sometimes, it seems to me Apple Mac take a rather high-handed approach with their customers. How can they assume the user won't want an audio input on a machine which is supposed to be arts & multi-media friendly? Just so the thing looks even more slim and super cool?