Easily Connect a Yamaha Keyboard to a PC or Mac

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Complete guide to Yamaha keyboard setup for MIDI and audio

Co-authored by Luigi Oppido and Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: March 20, 2026 Fact Checked

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Connecting the Keyboard

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Troubleshooting

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Video

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Q&A

Connecting your Yamaha keyboard to your Mac or PC is simple—all you need is the right USB or MIDI cable and the latest version of Yamaha’s MIDI drivers downloaded to your computer. In this article, we’ll show you which cords to use based on your keyboard model and how to get recording in your preferred digital audio workstation.

Quickly Connect a Yamaha Keyboard to a Computer

USB: Connect the USB-B end of the cable to your keyboard, and the USB-A or USB-C end to a free port on your computer.
MIDI: Connect one end of the cable to the MIDI “In” port on an audio interface, then connect the interface to your computer with a USB cable.
Download the MIDI drivers for your keyboard to your computer to record into your digital audio workstation (DAW).

Section 1 of 2:

Connecting the Yamaha Keyboard

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1
Connect a USB or MIDI cable to your keyboard. Your Yamaha keyboard may have different USB ports depending on the model. There are four types of audio-out ports you are likely to find on your keyboard:^{[1]
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- USB audio and MIDI: A USB audio and MIDI port is capable of sending both audio and MIDI data. Connect to these ports using a USB B-to-A cable or a USB B-to-C cable, depending on the ports available on your computer.
- USB MIDI Only: A USB MIDI-only port can send MIDI data from your keyboard, but not audio. Connect to these ports using a USB B-to-A or USB B-to-C cable.
- MIDI Port: Some keyboards only have a MIDI out port (MIDI ports are circular with 5 pins). To connect a MIDI cable to your computer, you will need an audio interface with a MIDI in port.
- Line-out/Auxiliary: Some keyboards have a line-out or auxiliary port you can connect to using a 1/4" audio cable. You can also use the headphone port on your keyboard as a line-out port.
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Connect the USB plug to your computer or audio interface. In most cases, the port on your Yamaha keyboard is USB-B, a more square-like connector. Connect the USB-B end of the cable to your keyboard, and the USB-A or USB-C end to your computer. If you don't have a USB input on your computer, buy an adapter online.^{[2]
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- MIDI: If you are using a MIDI cable, connect the other end of the cable to the round MIDI In port on your audio interface. Then, connect the audio interface to your computer using its included USB cable.
- Line out/Auxiliary: If you’re using a 1/4" audio cable to connect to your computer, connect the other end of the cable to the Line In port on an audio interface. Then, connect the audio interface to your computer using a USB A-to-B cable.
  - If you are using a 1/4" audio cable to connect to your computer and you do not have an audio interface, connect directly to the microphone port on your computer using a 3.5mm adapter.
  - Tip: For the best quality audio recording, opt for a USB audio interface instead of using your computer's onboard sound card.
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3
Download the MIDI drivers for your keyboard. To record your keyboard using MIDI data, install the latest MIDI drivers using these steps:^{[3]
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- Windows:
  - Go to the MIDI drivers for PC download page.
  - Scroll down and click the checkbox to agree to the license agreement.
  - Click the purple button to download the zip file.
  - Click the zip file in your Downloads folder or in your web browser to extract the files.
  - Open the "um3141x64" folder in the extracted folder.
  - Double-click the Setup file and follow the onscreen instructions.
- Mac
  - Go to the MIDI drivers for Mac download page.
  - Scroll down and click the checkbox to agree to the license agreement.
  - Click the purple button to download the zip file.
  - Click the zip file in your Downloads folder or in your web browser to extract the files.
  - Open the um132-2mx in the extracted folder.
  - Double-click the Yamaha USB-MIDI Driver V1.3.2.pkg file and follow the on-screen instructions.
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Turn the keyboard on. Once your keyboard is connected to your computer and you've downloaded the MIDI drivers, power it on. Some keyboards may require you to put them in PC or MIDI mode to record MIDI data.^{[4]
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- If your keyboard was on while you downloaded the MIDI drivers, turn it off, wait 6 seconds, and turn it on again so it recognizes the drivers.
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Select the keyboard/audio interface in sound settings. Use these instructions to select your keyboard or audio interface in Windows and Mac:
- Windows:
  - Click the Windows Start menu.
  - Click the Gear icon/Settings menu.
  - Click System in Windows Settings.
  - Click Sound in the sidebar to the left.
  - Select your keyboard or audio interface in the "Input" drop-down menu.^{[5]
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- Mac:
  - Click the Apple icon in the upper-left corner.
  - Click System Settings in the drop-down menu.
  - Click the Sound tab.
  - Click Input.
  - Click your keyboard or audio interface.^{[6]
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In order to record with a Yamaha keyboard, you need digital audio workstation (DAW) software. Mac computers come with their own DAW, GarageBand, which is a great starter program for recording. If you do not have a DAW, Reaper offers an unlimited free trial. Audacity is another free recording program.
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Add a new audio or MIDI track. The way this is done is different from one DAW to another. Typically, you click Track in the menu bar at the top, then click New Audio Track or New MIDI Track or something similar.
- An audio recording records the exact sound that comes out of your keyboard.
- MIDI records the play data (the keys you press and the volume) but uses your computer or DAW to apply the sound or tone. For example, you can select a synthesizer, guitar, or other instrument in your DAW, then use your Yamaha keyboard to play those sounds instead of the ones built into your keyboard.^{[7]
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After you add a new audio or MIDI track, arm the track (select your keyboard as the input channel for sound) and click the record button to start recording.

Section 2 of 2:

Troubleshooting

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1
My MIDI keyboard isn't showing up. If your PC or Mac isn't detecting your MIDI keyboard or it's not showing up in your DAW, try shutting down your DAW, unplugging the keyboard from the computer, then plugging it back in. Also, make sure the keyboard appears in Windows Device Manager or Mac System Information.^{[8]
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- If your Mac won't recognize the MIDI keyboard, open the Audio MIDI Setup app, click the Window menu, and select Show MIDI Studio. Click Rescan MIDI (the refresh icon) to rescan for your Yamaha MIDI keyboard. You can also use this tool to test your MIDI device.^{[9]
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My computer cannot pick up audio from my keyboard. If your DAW isn't detecting audio from your Yamaha keyboard, first make sure the correct audio input is selected. For example, if your keyboard is connected to an audio interface, you need to select the audio interface as the audio input in your computer's settings as well as in your DAW.
- Also, make sure your Yamaha keyboard is not just a MIDI keyboard. If the keyboard is MIDI-only, it doesn't produce audio sounds you can record. Instead, you will use it to play virtual instruments or control other audio devices.
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I can't hear the audio from my Yamaha keyboard on my computer. This usually happens when you do not have the correct audio output selected in your computer's sound settings.
- On a Mac, go to Apple menu > System Settings > Sound > Output and select the audio device through which you want to hear audio. For example, your AirPods or external speakers.^{[10]
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- On a PC, go to Start > Settings > System > Sound, then select the correct playback device from the "Output" section.^{[11]
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Community Q&A

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Question

My keyboard doesn't have a USB port. What should I do?

Community Answer

Use the MIDI port instead if there is one. If not, your keyboard might not be able to connect to the computer.

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Question

Can I use this keyboard in logic like a MIDI keyboard?

Community Answer

Most likely, yes. Almost any keyboard that you can connect to your computer will have MIDI capabilities.

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Question

I have just downloaded a music downloader but my computer does not find my Yamaha keyboard PSR-350. I have it connected via midi usb. What should I do?

Raga Raga

Community Answer

Have you tried plugging the -IN- MIDI cable in the -OUT- port on your keyboard, and the -OUT- MIDI cable in the -IN- port? They will not work if put the other way around.

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