Connect headphones to your recorder using the headphone jack. Make sure that the volume control knob is turned counter-clockwise to its lowest volume level, and then turn on the power to the unit. If you're using powered monitor speakers connected to the unit rather than headphones, make sure that the volume knob on each speaker is turned to the lowest position. Failure to do this can result in damage to the equipment. With the recorder turned on, an LED display screen will light up. This is where you'll be able to access the menu to perform various functions and check the volume levels of your recorded tracks.
Create a "new song" on your digital recorder. Different brands of recorder will have variations in the placement of their controls, but usually there will be a "Select Song" button which will give you access to a menu on the LED screen. Using the cursor controls, you'll be able to bring up the new song screen. You'll then hit "Enter", much like you would with a computer mouse and keyboard. This will assign a song number for the new song that will serve as a blank canvas for your recording.
Connect your instrument of choice to the recorder. If you're going to be recording an electric keyboard and wish to record in stereo, you'll run a cable from the L output of the keyboard and insert it into input 1 of the recorder, and then connect the R output of the keyboard to input 2 of the recorder. Bring up the monitor volume to a comfortable listening level so that you can hear the sound and fine tune the recording level.
Set the input recording level by adjusting the "Gain" or "Trim" knob. This is a control usually located by each of the channel inputs on the top of the recorder. When controlling the level of the signal being recorded to each track, it's important that the peaks don't exceed 0dB on the meter. The result will be an unpleasant digital distortion known as "clipping" and it should be avoided at all costs.
Press the record buttons on channels 1 and 2 to arm them for recording. This button will usually be in the channel strip controls above each channel volume fader. Then, press the "Record" button on the transport control panel, to put the recorder in record-ready mode. When you're ready to begin recording, press the "Play" button and begin your performance. Afterward, press the "Stop" button to stop recording.
Rewind and play back the song to review your performance. Most modern recorders will allow you to return to the beginning of the song by tapping the rewind button at the same time as holding down the stop button. If the track has been recorded to your satisfaction, you can then continue to record other musical parts on different tracks to build your song piece by piece. This is known as overdubbing, and gives the solo musician the opportunity to craft full band productions all by themselves.