Channels randomly silencing (MC6)

I'm brand new to Music Creator 6 and I'm having a problem recording my Yamaha Portable Grand keyboard. I have a chord from Radio Shack that connects to my keyboard through the headphone jack and my laptop through the microphone jack. When I'm recording a stereo track or the left channel, sometimes the left channel will go out and not come back on or come back on at a later time in the recording. Before I got Music Creator, I used Audacity 1.3 and didn't have this problem. I also do not have this problem in MC with my USB Microphone. Does anyone know how to fix this?

My Portable Grand has four ports: Power (of course), Pedal, Phones/output and USB. Some of my older keyboards have a MIDI port, but I haven't bought a MIDI cable because the cable I use has been sufficient.
I didn't have this problem before I began using Music Creator, so I really don't think that it's my cable. Also, -this might be related so I'll mention it- before I freeze my synthesizers, when I press play I don't hear all the notes in the MIDI; some play and some don't. It might be some hardware I have (or don't have), or a setting I have wrong. I'm clueless when it comes to sound cards and things like that.

Welcome StacyB. 
Music Creator 6 (MC6) is a whole different ball game than what you have done in the past with Audacity.

As I read it I was thinking cable problem too. It could also be sound card related since you are using a built in factory card. Try using the MME drivers. 

Gregs comments on the cable above are right on target. Those small laptop connectors are problematic. 

MC6 is such an amazing tool for making music. With all the built in loops and samples and the synths that are all included, recording a midi capable keyboard with an audio cable into a laptop's mic input is like walking to the store when you have a perfectly capable car setting there in the driveway. 

Look into getting a good audio/midi USB interface and jump in. Ask questions here when you run into problems. 


On the cord channel coming and going... perhaps a shot of liquid contact cleaner would help. I keep a can handy in the studio. I use it on input and output jacks as well as amp pots as well when they get scratchy. Dust and corrosion build up on the surfaces and will cause the drops.  Contact cleaner will remove it easily. Just be careful not to get the liquid cleaner on the plastic, laptop screen, or especially a finished furniture surface, since it can and will cause damage to them.