Monitoring Latency - Impact on MIDI note timing

L

LaceSensor

Member
**Assuming quantization is turned off

This will seem like a bizarre question and I'm not sure I know how to really describe what I've got in my head. When I am recording MIDI I have to use the "processed" sounds for monitoring as there is no real input to monitor with 0 latency. If I am recording a song this way, would this latency cause my MIDI notes to end up offset from where I intend them to be recorded?

Also regarding latency what is an average acceptable amount of delay for monitoring? And what buffer size would be an average setting for monitoring?
 
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I assume your problem is the sounds are coming from inside the DAW - as in they are VSTi sound? MIDI timing is sharp enough to always be accurate, so using my cubase for example - if I use the MIDI metronome click, then play along with it, the notes are very close to the bar starts and note devisions. On a lower spec computer using internal sounds and more importantly, often rubbish drivers and the computer sound system, then your timing will suffer. My latency displays as 8mS. I can play fine up to maybe 11? The snag is that if on my interface, I use any driver apart from the manufacturers one, it's worse - ASIO4ALL being the worst at 43mS - which is horrible and unusable. ASIO drivers are normally OK. I have never changed the buffer size - in fact, I've no idea what it's set to because everything works.If you have a modern interface with the latest drivers - even a modest PC doesn't have latency issues. Generic drivers on the computer motherboard sound card just won't cut it in most cases.

Not sure what you are using, but Cubase has the MIDI click, but you can also use real sounds for the metronome - so a snare, or hi-hat sound, or wood blocks, that kind of thing. On my system MIDI and real audio click are the same timing wise.
 
Thank you. To be clear I don't have an issue it is just something I've been thinking about.

Here is what I'm using. I have not tried yet but I am fairly certain I will be able to get sub 10ms latency with my Tascam 208i buffer setting.

StudioOne - version 5
Tascam 208i interface
Computer specs (I use external ssd for song file storage)

● Processor: 10th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-10510U Processor (1.80 GHz, up to 4.90 GHz with Turbo Boost, 4 Cores, 8 Threads, 8 MB Cache)
● Operating System: Windows 10 Pro 64
● Display Type: 15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS, anti-glare, 250 nits
● Memory: 16 GB DDR4 2667MHz (Soldered)
● Hard Drive: 512 GB PCIe SSD
 
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I doubt you'll get any issues at all and I'd bet all the default settings will work. It's rare for people to post about problems that they haven't got? Are you a worrier? I've been using an older Tascam for years and their drivers are well written - so you'll be pretty sorted as the MIDI ins and outs are well designed too. Have fun with it!
 
rob aylestone said:
I doubt you'll get any issues at all and I'd bet all the default settings will work. It's rare for people to post about problems that they haven't got? Are you a worrier? I've been using an older Tascam for years and their drivers are well written - so you'll be pretty sorted as the MIDI ins and outs are well designed too. Have fun with it!
Click to expand...

Lol, yes I am a worrier and about to start a new project with a new DAW and just trying to account for everything up front. The default buffer settings have relatively large latency. How low would one usually run the buffer down to in order to bring latency into check?
 
No idea? I've never in all the years recording adjusted buffers. In the old days when people were scraping every scrap of power from their processors some people were on a Don Quixote quest for a few extra mS , but now this is unimportant in normal setups where computer power is no longer the bottleneck. What latency have you actually got when you start the software and record a few things? You say the default setting has bad latency? what figures are you getting? Maybe something is wrong. If they are large, then are you certain you are using the Tascam drivers and not generic ones?
 
My latency is 11 msec, and I don't notice any real issue with MIDI-VSTi. I have more problem with the latency of my keyboard playing - that's the great thing about MIDI! I just slide any 'late' note over (not quantize).
 
Yep - me too, but working with really good pianists has made me realise that real players do NOT play on the beat for most of the time they play ahead or behind - so only edit it in time if it sounds wrong. If it sounds right, do not edit it. 11mS works for me - make some music.
 
Update - was able to bring my latency into check. I didn't realize StudioOne has an extra layer of settings called low latency mode. I do have to bring my buffer size down from 256 to 128 to get into the acceptable range. But this shouldn't be an issue, hopefully.
 
But you were already on 11? Was that too high for you when you played. My concert pianist friend has a brain latency acceptable delay. Go over it and he cannot play properly. However, it is a physical thing. His system says 9 and he is just happy, he comes to my studio with 8 and he says he can feel it worse than his. The numbers are a guide. Fiddling with buffers does mean you are closer to the edge, and it doesn’t take much to do things that take processor power and discover your tweaked buffer sizes mean you get glitches. What is your new acceptable range, and importantly, how does this impact the whole system. I must reiterate, I had to look to see what mine was because it plays perfectly, and is very stable. Why would I want to potentially mess this up? For what purpose?
 
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