External sound Interface/mixer or NOT? - DGX 670 piano setup w Cubase ai 11

Steinberg Hardware UR-C Series
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I have the Yamaha dgx 670 piano, with a built in 16 bit/ 44.1khz audio cart. There is a built in software mixer (or whatever) on the keyboard.
So I haven’t bought an audio card or a mixer but thought a lot about it.

There is usb to daw which handles both midi AND AUDIO directly.

Would it be foolish to have an external audio card or mixer? I sing too and also if i record audio from the piano, with the mic plugged in, it comes into the daw as one track: NOT TWO SEPARATE TRACKS, fir respectively mic/ instrument sounds.

I read up on recording quality and wonder if I should have an audio interface/mixer to get it at 24 bit or even 32 (considering the Steinberg Ur22c or ur24c because it has DSP FOR LIVE effects, ie. Reverb, on the card itself (so it does not get recorded but is helpful while singing). This option is what attracts me a lot to the idea of an external, unless that effect thing is exxagerated and route around that in cubase would be just as fine. THere is a fix I saw, to minimize the latency if applying FX effects in CUbase and not recording them. But there still will be some audible latency since all needs to pass Cubase and then be monitored. Any ideas if the DSP on the UR22C/UR24C is unnecessary in my case?

Or should i stick with the Piano’s 16 bit 44.1 khz interface? I use an Acer Nitro 5 laptop with 8gb Ram.

I am most likely purchasing a premium condenser MIC with cardiod and other patterns, but perhaps with the currrent 16 bit, 44,1khz, it won’t shine as it could with high sampling depth. I know cd quality is 16/44,1. But some suggest to record at highter quality then perhaps convert. But if my laptop can handle that, i dont know.

Also there is no line out on the piano. Only a headphone/loudspeaker output.

Perhaps introducing an external audio card/mixer would add more noise and/or latency, plus then the midi goes through there (unless the daw handles both direct usb from piano to daw AND connection via an external interface.) So many loose ends…
If anyone could help me,please. Its killing me :confused:
Ps: I only need to process the piano and one/ maybe 2 mics (but I am getting a mic which can be omni or 8 figure pattern to record duets). I use Cubase ai11.

PSS: Of course I might also use an external interface without connecting the piano and then ONly use it for the song/vocal recordings. but well then the loudspeakers have to be plugged in (with Xlr cables) if wanting to use them as playback (unless just headphone monitoring). I guess all including the piano should pass the interface or it would not make sense. THe setup needs to be permanent and contain it all.

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Audio interface would be better when it comes to microphones. I guess the keyboard doesn’t have phantom power so you are limited to dynamic or battery powered microphones.

If you choose to use an audio interface then you would need to route the audio from the keyboard through the interface too. Cubase cannot handle 2 audio interfaces. At least not easily and without problems. So keep that in mind when choosing number of inputs of the interface.

I have the DGX 650 piano. Don’t use it much these days. But I have it connected to line inputs of the UR44C. This still leaves me with 4 microphone inputs available. Midi is handled over usb.

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Thanks. SO do you record both the piano and 1 or more microphones simulataneously?

Is the DSP effects, directly monitored from the UR44C nice? Or with my short latency is it even necessary? I understood from some studio sales person, that it would come in handy with like 40 different tracks. But that with just 1-2 tracks I could just add some FX effects in Cubase and monitor it there with a slight latency/delay.
Already have a Behringer Phantom power:PS 400 which I use with the Shure sm 35 condenser mic.

That guy also said that 16 bit or 24 bit depth would not alter the sound of the mic.

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It is an option.

I find the reverb very nice. Often use it afterwards as vst plugin in Cubase. The guitar amp sims not so much. The channel strip eq and compressor, ok for tracking but usually use some other plugins after recording.

Yes, you could do that. But you would preferably need good interface with low latency.

That could very well be true but if you plan to do some processing 24 bit is better. It also gives you more headroom when it comes to gain staging and recording levels.

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Txs. So how much do you record with the effects and how much in postprocessing? I use the pianos onboard compressor and some reverb that I decided for. I use ratio 1/3 for the compressor or 3/1. Mild setting. Wonder if its the compressor making that funny noise when singing: some low frequent blowing sound? I just ask since you have the dgx too.
So if just choosing some reverb plus compression on the piano I will minimize the postprocessing. Well I guess compression ought to be Preprocessing. Else not much sense to it. Once distorted distorted it will be. I mean the compression is also to avoid that right plus to keep the amplitude fairly stable and not too exxaggerated.

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Right, I am not sure I am the best person to answer this. I can’t play piano that well. If I do record the DGX it’s usually just some simple chords. I pick a sound I like and just record the audio to Cubase. I don’t use the onboard keyboard sequencer or effects. Unless they are part of the chosen voice already. Even then I might roll of some reverb.

When recording acoustic sources (guitars, vocals) I record them dry to keep the options open. I may use a bit of reverb and maybe compression for monitoring but I do not record those effects.

But if you do all your arrangements and processing on the keyboard and then just capture the final result it’s fine too.

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