Latency/Tempo Issues

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Darktangent

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I'm completely new to recording with my comp, got Cakewalk's Sonar Home Studio 6 XL to use with my RadioShack MD-1700 keyboard and my PodXT. My computer's soundcard (Soundblaster Audigy) has no MIDI ports so I had to buy a MIDI to USB converter. The problem is, when using Sonar Home Studio, if I play something too fast, for example if I just tap a straight beat out, it lags or something, and makes two beats closer together, kind of like a swing beat but not really. like .. .. .. instead of . . . .
Anyways, I hate just giving up and wasting the 100 bucks I spent on the software and losing the dream I have of making music, but I don't know what else to do. I could buy a new $200 soundcard with MIDI ports but I don't even know if that would fix the problem. I called the software company before I bought the program and they said there was a latency adjuster that would fix that (I was skeptical), I found the adjuster and fooled around with it but it didn't fix the problem. The music store I bought the adaptor from said there was always going to be some latency involved, but I don't think it is exactly latency, since the tempo would still be fine just I wouldn't hear it at the exact time I hit it on the keyboard.
 
Try changing the offset start time within cubase, this should solve the problem.
 
Darktangent said:
but I don't think it is exactly latency, since the tempo would still be fine just I wouldn't hear it at the exact time I hit it on the keyboard.
Click to expand...

That is the definition of latency. You hit a key and there are from a few to many milliseconds of delay before the sound occurs. It has nothing to do with tempo.

If you're serious about this recording thing I recommend getting a new soundcard. In the meantime, google ASIO4all and try that. It's a freeware version of the kernel of the Steinberg midi/audio driver and may bring your latency down to a usable level.


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ssscientist said:
That is the definition of latency. You hit a key and there are from a few to many milliseconds of delay before the sound occurs. It has nothing to do with tempo.

If you're serious about this recording thing I recommend getting a new soundcard. In the meantime, google ASIO4all and try that. It's a freeware version of the kernel of the Steinberg midi/audio driver and may bring your latency down to a usable level.


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Click to expand...

I agree, get an internal sound card with midi. I have an m-audio usb midi interface and have always experinced problems.
 
ssscientist said:
That is the definition of latency. You hit a key and there are from a few to many milliseconds of delay before the sound occurs. It has nothing to do with tempo.

If you're serious about this recording thing I recommend getting a new soundcard. In the meantime, google ASIO4all and try that. It's a freeware version of the kernel of the Steinberg midi/audio driver and may bring your latency down to a usable level.


.
Click to expand...

I knew it was too hard to describe. It's a combination of latency and something else I don't know of a name for. If it were just latency then the notes would still be in perfect tempo, they would just be delayed. It's actually playing some notes close together and some in perfect tempo. I called Cakewalk's technical support and they walked me through several adjustments that made things a LOT better, but it's still not perfect. I still haven't figured out how to record and loop with SONAR yet, I probably should have just stuck with a simple freeware program first. I AM considering buying a new soundcard anyways. Any good proffesional ones for $240-300?
 
If the problem is just with MIDI, consider getting a Midisport 2x2 interface as a stopgap before shelling out for a new card. I used an Audigy with a Midisport for years, worked fine. I actually use a Firepod now but I still use a Midiman 8x8, M-Audio's support is really good.
 
would you get that from just having a computer that was too slow? It seems like if it's throwing notes around that the software is having a hard time processing everything. Are you using softsynths?

Yeah, midisports are just fine. I still use a midisport for my midi interface and it's just fine. You don't need too much for midi anyway (midi is not the most taxing thing in the world lol)
 
usb version?

"I agree, get an internal sound card with midi. I have an m-audio usb midi interface and have always experinced problems."

you got USB ver 1.0 or 2.0

not sure that it would make a difference although usb1.0 is (12)-mbits and 2.0 is around (490)-mbits you do the math a lot more but in the end Midi is such a little bit of data but ver2.0 might have better bus processing thus making a difference.

if you have a comp that was bought within the last few years it's USB2.0

and all my writing was for nothing:(

i gotta stop drinking and comming on here?
 
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