MIDI input delay

  • Thread starter Thread starter Uladine
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Uladine

Uladine

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When I hook my MIDI keyboard up to my staudio c-port to try to record MIDI its nearly impossible because there is a substantial delay from the time that I press a key to the time the note is triggered in the PC. I'm using Sonar and I can't find anything that talks about a delay like this and how to fix it.

Is there anything I can adjust to get rid of or lessen this effect? I don't know if its a software or hardware problem.
 
I believe it's a driver problem. Have you reinstalled it again ?
 
Are you sure that the MIDI itself is delayed? If you are using virtual instruments and the like, the delay is called "latency" and can only be reduced via low latency drivers (WDM, ASIO).

Slackmaster 2000
 
I'll check the drivers when I get back to the machine.

I'm using Battery and it does make sense that that could cause some latency issues. I believe I'm using ASIO drivers, but I may need to mess with some settings on the soundcard.

If all else fails maybe I'll just set up a similar preset on the keybaord to what I'm using in battery and just monitor the output of the keyboard.
 
without being an expert, it's to do with the way your soundcard handles asio, but i've not heard of your particular soundcard so ican't be sure.

basically, low end soundcards give high latency (the time it takes to route an audio signal through the pci bus or something like that)

high end cards give low latency, so you get virtually no delay.

I used to have a cheapo soundblaster = delay of about 2 seconds after hitting a key on my midi keyboard.

now i have an RME Hammerfall = about 25 ms delay (effectively zero). the hammerfall has a dedicated chip to handle asio.
 
klytus said:
without being an expert, it's to do with the way your soundcard handles asio, but i've not heard of your particular soundcard so ican't be sure.

basically, low end soundcards give high latency (the time it takes to route an audio signal through the pci bus or something like that)

high end cards give low latency, so you get virtually no delay.

I used to have a cheapo soundblaster = delay of about 2 seconds after hitting a key on my midi keyboard.

now i have an RME Hammerfall = about 25 ms delay (effectively zero). the hammerfall has a dedicated chip to handle asio.
But Sonar only works with WDM-drivers. I don't think the C-Port has WDM-drivers, but you can check their website (I might be wrong, I am all the time...:D )

If it has WDM-drivers and you have installed them, see if the checkbox "Always use MME-drivers ...." in Options -> Audio -> Advanced (in Sonar) is checked. If it is, uncheck it.
 
I know nada about Sonar so I can't offer any help there, but my advice in any case would be...

To switch to Cubase or Nuendo - they are superb :D

And they use ASIO.

And RME soundcards are designed to work perfectly with Steinberg software, so get one of those too.

I'll shut up now.
 
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