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Noob question: Connecting an analogue synth to a laptop
Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 8:35 am
by zeta
So about a week ago I bought my first ever piece of hardware - a Korg Monotron Ribbon Delay Synth. It was cheap and it's fairly pint-sized, and I enjoyed making some weird and crazy sounds with it.
But I don't seem to know how to connect it to a computer, so I can record what I do in it into Ableton. It has an aux and a headphone jack, and I haven't been able to find anything about it on Google. Can anyone help me?
Re: Noob question: Connecting an analogue synth to a laptop
Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 8:45 am
by wub
Great machine, I've got one of these
Output from headphone jack into the input on your soundcard. Set Ableton to record and start playing.
Re: Noob question: Connecting an analogue synth to a laptop
Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 9:24 am
by zeta
wub wrote:Great machine, I've got one of these
Output from headphone jack into the input on your soundcard. Set Ableton to record and start playing.
My laptop is just a standard one... will I need an external soundcard or midi/audio interface then?
Re: Noob question: Connecting an analogue synth to a laptop
Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 9:26 am
by wub
zeta wrote:wub wrote:Great machine, I've got one of these
Output from headphone jack into the input on your soundcard. Set Ableton to record and start playing.
My laptop is just a standard one... will I need an external soundcard or midi/audio interface then?
No, you could run it in via the mic input
Re: Noob question: Connecting an analogue synth to a laptop
Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 9:28 am
by Ongelegen
It should have a 3.5mm jack input, usually next to the headphone output.
EDIT: wub beat me to it
Re: Noob question: Connecting an analogue synth to a laptop
Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 9:32 am
by zeta
Project EX wrote:It should have a 3.5mm jack input, usually next to the headphone output.
EDIT: wub beat me to it
wub wrote:zeta wrote:wub wrote:Great machine, I've got one of these
Output from headphone jack into the input on your soundcard. Set Ableton to record and start playing.
My laptop is just a standard one... will I need an external soundcard or midi/audio interface then?
No, you could run it in via the mic input
Ah cool, I see it. Thanks, I'll head into a tech shop tomorrow and grab the cable I need.
Re: Noob question: Connecting an analogue synth to a laptop
Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 12:34 pm
by fragments
If you did have an interface with the right I/Os you could use it as an external filter/delay unit : )
Re: Noob question: Connecting an analogue synth to a laptop
Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 1:44 pm
by Depone
wub wrote:zeta wrote:wub wrote:Great machine, I've got one of these
Output from headphone jack into the input on your soundcard. Set Ableton to record and start playing.
My laptop is just a standard one... will I need an external soundcard or midi/audio interface then?
No, you could run it in via the mic input
Personally, I wouldn't trust a laptops built in mic input to record a nice bit of analogue kit. Id use a quality external soundcard, like the apogee series or a motu.
Re: Noob question: Connecting an analogue synth to a laptop
Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 1:50 pm
by wub
Depone wrote:wub wrote:zeta wrote:wub wrote:Great machine, I've got one of these
Output from headphone jack into the input on your soundcard. Set Ableton to record and start playing.
My laptop is just a standard one... will I need an external soundcard or midi/audio interface then?
No, you could run it in via the mic input
Personally, I wouldn't trust a laptops built in mic input to record a nice bit of analogue kit. Id use a quality external soundcard, like the apogee series or a motu.
I love the Monotron, but the sound quality isn't what I'd call nice

Re: Noob question: Connecting an analogue synth to a laptop
Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 1:56 pm
by Today
clearly the only answer is run it through a fat amp/cabinet with a 57 on the grill and two neumanns on the room imho tbf
Re: Noob question: Connecting an analogue synth to a laptop
Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 11:42 pm
by Theo Void
I have the Monotron Duo and I love it!!
I use an adapter w/ a 1/4 inch ring and tip on one end and a female 1/4 inch on the other. I use it for my Mikro Korg too! I just record audio from both into Live and then edit!
The Duo is sweet because it's got 2 o/c (obviously) and x-mod. That MS-20 filter is sweet as hell too! I have yet to run anything thru it though. I'm still using my old Fast Track Pro. Hopefully getting a new interface soon. Honestly, I'm just sick of looking at it.
Anyway, I love Korg stuff ! I just love their sound. My MikroKorg is one of my fav pieces of kit and I have quite a bit of shit! Really looking forward to the Volca series.
http://www.korg.com/volcaseries
Re: Noob question: Connecting an analogue synth to a laptop
Posted: Fri May 24, 2013 12:25 am
by zeta
Okay, I'm pretty sure this is meant to be working.
Got the cable, plugged from the synth's headphone jack into my laptop's mic input, armed Ableton's audio track, set 'ext in' and configured it to '1/2', hit 'record' and nothing there except a lot of static (and not the good kind).
Tried it with ASIO4ALL as well as the native Direct X drivers and still not working.