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Thread midi delay problem

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rbteach48

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First post

1 Posted on 01/24/2004 at 20:48:59

I'm a novice and need help. I have a Win XP computer with athlon 2400 processor 1.99 ghz with 224 ram. My midi controller is emedia. I'm connected with an Audiotrak midi mate usb midi cable. The sound card is Realtek AC 97. My problem is there is a slight delay from the time I hit the keys until it is sounded. Any ideas on what I can do?

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RedHerring

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2 Posted on 01/25/2004 at 03:22:47

Hey
What software do you use for testing ? Does it take a lot of CPU ?
For example if you do real-time synthesis on 32 channels, which requires a lot of CPU, I guess that the delay is coming from the software, not your midi controller. Try testing with different software and let me know.
bye

rbteach48

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3 Posted on 01/25/2004 at 07:38:32

Thanks for the reply Red Herring.

I have two programs, Cakewalk Home Studio 8, and Power Tracks Pro Audio 8, and it's the same on both. It's just a very slight delay, but it makes it nearly impossible to play along with a drum track. Any other ideas?

Sam Spastic

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4 Posted on 01/25/2004 at 07:40:59

If you are using MME only one program at a time can access the sound card and latency will be high. 160 - 750 msec.

DirectX 3 or later multiple programs can access at the same time. Latency in the 40 - 90 msec. range.

ASIO only allows one program at a time access but latency can be as low as 3 msec.

MIDI signals add a latency of about 3 msec. per note played at a time. Synths and controllers have latency also which adds to the total.

If you have a Mac, OS 9 has a constant 11 msec. latency, and OS X can be as low as 1 msec.

10 msec will seem to be instantaneous. 160 msec. will be almost unplayable on any but pad type patches.

So if you have local sound playing from the keyboard synth you may hear an echo from the PC.

I would go ASIO if I didn't have OS X.

rbteach48

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5 Posted on 01/25/2004 at 15:16:15

Thanks for the info Sam,

How do I know if my sound card is MME or ASIO?

Sam Spastic

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6 Posted on 01/25/2004 at 19:10:44

Look in the control panel. If your soundcard is listed under the system part it is using the MME driver.

If a CD-ROM came with the card, see if it has an ASIO driver. Else check the manual or the makers website.

alexbrasa

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7 Posted on 02/25/2005 at 15:34:56

I have a similar problem, eccept that my delay is not subtle. It is huge!
I am using Reason with ASIO multimedia audio card driver and a low latency of 7ms. Have the same problem with Logic Audio and Sybelius. Is my problem the keyboard, a casio with mdi connection? or may be the midi cable that goes in the game port of the computer? By the way, the midi port is MPU-401.
Thanks.
Alexandre.

supermiah

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8 Posted on 02/27/2005 at 06:56:25

Dido, Dido Dido,

I am glad someone posted this. I have the exact same problem. I am using a Clavinova on a E-mu 1212 sound card, with Cubase VST, and a Pentium 2.8 Ghz

HELP HELP HELP

Flabbergastedtony

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9 Posted on 03/05/2005 at 05:35:25

I, too have a latency problem. I have a m-audio 2496 card and a m-audio keystation 49e. I use SONAR 4.

Sam Spastic

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10 Posted on 03/10/2005 at 06:53:49

I'm sorry I can't be of much real help with this. I've been running a Mac for 5 years and my latency probs are really non existant. I was basically quoting the Reason 2.0 manual as it seemed good info.

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