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Topic: midi delay (Read 2416 times) previous topic - next topic

midi delay

hi there
I have a MS GS Wavetable SW Synth in my e-machine. I have a MIDI keyboard hooked up also, and am using music score writing software. Here's the problem I am experiencing... During direct-notation input when using my MIDI keyboard to write music onto a score in real time, the ryhthms do not come out just right. I am using a CASIO keyboard, and I am hearing a split second difference between the note played on the CASIO and the note I am hearing played by the Soundcard,..
And this is effecting the ryhthmic notation in the score. What do I do?
Is my CASIO just not quality enough?
Or do I need a better soundcard, or...?

Thanks for any help you can be.

ps: im using winXP

Re: midi delay

Reply #2 –
You will have the same delay problem using any software synth except one that I know of.  I use a Yamaha SYXG-100 softsynth ($85 US, go to Yamaha's web site to order after using free trial version) along with Microsoft's DirectX 8 drivers (free download from Microsoft)installed on my computer.  The DirectX driver reduces the latency to virtually zero when the Yamaha's settings are set as follows:
Simple Settings: Custom Settings
Detailed Settings 1/2:  Direct Sound "On"
Detailed Settings 2/2:  Audio Device
DirectSoundOn
Response Time-all the way to the right (Fast)

Or you could break down and buy a soundcard with a hardware synth or an external sound module, preferably with a USB port.  Yamaha makes a very good module the MU-15 for about $250 which you can connect directly to the serial port of a Mac or with an adapter to a serial port on a PC.  Good Luck!

Re: midi delay

Reply #3 –
Oops, didn't see that you were using a CASIO.  Does it have MIDI IN and OUT jacks?  Maybe check in NoteWorthy Tools-Options-MIDI and under Available Playback Devices make sure the port to which your MIDI cables or interface connects is selected, instead of the Microsoft GS synth.  That should solve your problem.

Re: midi delay

Reply #4 –
Ok, if I have correctly interpreted your post then:

1. Your emachine probably has the ac97 integrated sound. Probably a budget system (I'm not sure if emachines made anything but budget systems) so your sound card is probably sharing IRQs with your PCI devices (if you have upgraded the on-board graphics to a PCI video card, for instance, it's probably sitting on irq 11) in fact it'll probably cram one more PCI device into that irq as well if given the chance (such as a network card). While IRQ sharing is commonplace nowadays, it can only mean bad things for the low-end system performance.

2. You are running windows 2000, and I'm not an expert on that version, but if its anything like XP then it wont let you manually assign IRQs. You might want to write MS a letter asking them what the hell they were thinking. Anyway,
you could try lots of things to correct this (like uninstalling all non-essential devices, powering down the system and cracking it open and removing them, then add one device, boot, shut-down, add one device, boot, shut down, add a device.... or simply switching the phsyical locations like PCI3 to PCI1 and PCI2 to PCI3.... etc...) BUT time is money, and its probably not going to yield dramatic results.

3. before you do any of the above, do this:
a.)  In your music software (cakewalk or whatever) go to the hardware setup section and find the audio device prefs.
b.)  somewhere in there should be a slider or a box indicating the amount of audio buffering in milliseconds ( like 224 ms or whatever). You need to make the buffer as small as possible. try setting it at 30. if eveything still sounds ok (you'll need to APPLY the setting  after every adjustment on some programs) then drop it to 25... etc
c.) eventually you'll find that the audio starts to get all screwed up... so raise it back up to the last setting that worked well... THEN fine tune it by 1 ms at a time. Youll probably find that your processor(s) can do the math more quickly if its given easier numbers to start with; so while 33ms might cause total chaos, 32ms (even though its lower) might run smooth like southern comfort.
d.) also (my apologies for laying this all out in reverse) before you do any of the above you should make sure  that directx is up to date and then in the "Run" box type "dxdiag" without the quotes. thats your dx diagnostics (duh) and go to the sound tab and look for the hardware acceleration tab. If its not set to Full acceleration then set it to full.
e.) alright from here, its all about streamlining your system load: so use google to find a few good sites on optimizing win 2000, but if they instruct you to edit your registry, be very careful, cuz you really shouldnt be messing with that unless you know what you are doing. They will tell you about cutting many of the OS services that are running and taking things out of your various start-up locations... do these for sure...

now if after all this you still have latency problems... which I think you will (not as bad but you will) then consider buying a new machine. or at least a new sound card.. the CASIO is not your problem.  At least not with respect to latency. it may however be a problem when it comes to sound enjoyability heheh... no I dunno.. anyways
hope this helps

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