Need help with MIDI latency...

[spuds]

Hi,
I'm new to the world of MIDI and I've got a problem with latency. Hoping someone can point me in the right direction.

I've bought a MIDI keyboard but there's a significant delay between the time I press the key and the time the sound comes out of my speakers and its really annoying.

I plug the keyboard into my PC via USB, and I'm running "Absolute Piano Steinway" (but also notice lags when mucking around in Fruity Loops). I'm running a Pentium Core 2 Duo E4300 (1.8 GHz x 2), 512 MB RAM. I'm using the standard sound card thats built into the motherboard.

Whats causing the lag?

I realise I can bring the lag down by adjusting the software buffer size. But the sound starts distorting really badly when I bring it down to a level where it stops lagging.

Processor not fast enough? Not enough RAM? Need a better sound card?

I'm quite desperate to solve this issue.

Thanks...

 

[vinterland]

Re: Need help with MIDI latency...

512MB isn't much in the recording world when you're running softsynths/samplers... I'd look there first. Also make sure you aren't running any other unecessary programs when running audio apps.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Need help with MIDI latency...

I doubt your issue is actually MIDI. MIDI has tremendously low latency in and of itself.

You either need to get better computer hardware, or limit the amount of software you run at one time.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Need help with MIDI latency...

yeah, i doubt very much this is midi. it most likely is the soundcard in the motherboard, which adds a huge amount of latency. RAM helps, but it will not solve this problem. you should *never* use onboard sound for any softsynth or recording work. get yourself a good audio card (a firewire interface or PCI card, not a USB one) and adjust the buffer size.

 

[spuds]

Re: Need help with MIDI latency...

Thanks for your help guys!

I'll look into getting more RAM and a new sound card... But which do you think would make more of an improvement (which should I try first)?

If I were to get a new sound card, can someone recommened an affordable one that would do the job? What do I need to look for in this new sound card, that my current one does not have?

Thanks again.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Need help with MIDI latency...

a new soundcard- either PCI or Firewire- this will be better than more RAM. Look for high sample rate, and drivers with very low latency. I use the Mia card from Echo, but M-Audio has some good Firewire cards too.

 

[RushOfBlood]

Re: Need help with MIDI latency...

You could use this until you get a sound card, it will probably help: http://www.asio4all.com/

 

[spuds]

Re: Need help with MIDI latency...

Thanks again guys!