Connect your USB keyboard to your computer. Your USB ports contain an image of a crooked trident directly above, so you can insert your USB cable into any available port where the image appears.
Install the software driver included with your USB keyboard. If your keyboard did not include an installation disk, skip to the next step. If it did include a disk, however, you must insert it into your computer and install the audio driver before proceeding. This will enable your keyboard to transmit audio through your sound card.
Open your digital audio software. In order for your USB keyboard to transmit sound, it will require the use of a program designated for audio recording and playback. If you do not have a digital audio program, you can go online and download a free program such as Audacity, Ardour or QTractor. If using a USB MIDI keyboard, make sure to select a program that lists "MIDI" along with its other specifications.
Open your audio program. Select your "Options" or "Preferences" panel, located among your menu bar options at the top of your screen, to configure your keyboard. From there, select your "Audio" or "Input" tab (if applicable to your software) from the "Options" menu. If using a MIDI controller keyboard, select the "MIDI" tab instead.
Select the appropriate audio driver under your list of "Input" sources. It should read as the name of your USB keyboard, such as "Edirol PC-80," "Korg nanoKEY" or "Akai MPK61." If using a MIDI controller keyboard, you may need to select this object under your "MIDI" menu rather than your "Input" menu. If your keyboard did not include a driver, you may select your generic sound card driver, such as an ASIO driver (Windows) or Core Audio (Mac OS X).
Create a track for recording. A track is simply a horizontal work space on which your recordings will appear. The type of track you create will depend on the type of music you want to transmit. Some USB keyboards can transmit audio directly through your sound card, while others (such as MIDI controllers) can only sequence MIDI (digital) notes, which produce sound generated by virtual instruments in your software. If using a MIDI controller, locate the "New MIDI Track" (sometimes "Software" or "Virtual Instrument" track) option on your menu bar. If transmitting audio directly from the keyboard, select "Audio Track."
Select a sound setting (voice). This may include any keyboard sound, bass, drum or other instrument sound produced by your keyboard or software. If transmitting audio from your keyboard, you can select a voice using your keyboard's menu. If transmitting MIDI notes from your keyboard, select a voice by locating the "Virtual Instruments" or "Software Instruments" menu on your software.
Begin playing your keys. The sounds produced by the keyboard or by the computer will transmit through your computer speakers (or headphones) via the sound card. To record, simply press the "Record" button on your project window.