Where should I turn up the output when recording from a keyboard through an audio interface?

Question

I use a Roland External sound interface to record from my Yamaha keyboard to my Laptop, with Cakewalk LE as the recording software.

The output seems to be too strong using the volume control on the keyboard, as I then have to turn down the controls on my sound-interface to avoid clipping. What would be the best way?

1. To turn down the sound-output on the keyboard and lift the controls on the interface? Or
2. To turn up the output of the keyboard and turn down the controls of the interface? I know I can then lift the gain in the software program on the laptop to lift the volume of the recording.

Answer 1

I would keep the source (keyboard) loud, turning recorded strip in the DAW mixer down. It gives you flexibility during the mixing/mastering stages. If you record low signal in, it would take you a lot of gain staging later on to boost the signal up if needed. Besides noise to signal ratio would be to big.

Recording loud signal however gives you far better signal to noise ratio and it's way easier to boost everything up. No gain boosters needed, just mere mixer slider adjustement. It's easier to keep things down than turning them up beyond the treshold losslesly.