Latency with real tracks? - PG Music Forums

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I always use the "pause play until MIDI received" option and when using a midi only style and an external synth the song starts "instantly" with the first key press on my midi keyboard. When I choose a style with retracks there is a short delay before the song starts. I always have the external synth set as the output driver, the latency is set to zero and I wait until the real tracks are fully loaded.

Is this inevitable with real tracks? I thought the latency issue was only related to using a software synth?

Tony Wright

Have you tried freezing the realtracks in the song? I'd try that and report back!

Quote:

Is this inevitable with real tracks? I thought the latency issue was only related to using a software synth?

Tony Wright

Hi Tony,

"Latency" refers to how long after a MIDI note-on message is sent before we actually hear the note played, or in the case of recording Audio tracks, how long it takes the monitored Audio to make a "round trip" through the computer to the earphones.

What you are experiencing is not latency, it is the amount of time it takes for a RealTrack to start playing after it begins loading, and is normal.

The Freeze function can be used to eliminate that wait-state, just be advised that a Frozen file will always play the very same realtrack arrangement every time, it will not regenerate a new part when you press Play.

--Mac

I knew about the real tracks loading time and was waiting until they were fully loaded. I tried freezing the tracks but there is still a very small delay between pressing a keyboard key and the song starting. If you compare the start of a frozen real track song and a midi external synth song, using a midi signal to start both, there is definitely a small but annoying difference - unless it is a peculiarity of my system. It's just that I have got used to using BIAB to play an accompanyment without having to make a slight tempo adjustment as I start the song. If I were a better muscian it probably wouldn't bother me.

Tony Wright

I just add a longer intro.
Lately I'm been doing
C.d
C.db
C.dbg
then
C
This give me a measure of drums (or two), then bring in the bass, then the guitar, and to me this sounds cool. I jump in on keys later so any delay at the start is masked by my making eyes at some chick in the front row. In that I only play nursing homes I just hope she doesn't fall asleep before I start the song. Other than that I keep Band in a Box in the wrecked room.

Quote:

I knew about the real tracks loading time and was waiting until they were fully loaded. I tried freezing the tracks but there is still a very small delay between pressing a keyboard key and the song starting. If you compare the start of a frozen real track song and a midi external synth song, using a midi signal to start both, there is definitely a small but annoying difference - unless it is a peculiarity of my system. It's just that I have got used to using BIAB to play an accompanyment without having to make a slight tempo adjustment as I start the song. If I were a better muscian it probably wouldn't bother me.

Tony Wright

Maybe try ASIO audio drivers?

--Mac

Quote:

I always use the "pause play until MIDI received" option and when using a midi only style and an external synth the song starts "instantly" with the first key press on my midi keyboard. When I choose a style with retracks there is a short delay before the song starts. I always have the external synth set as the output driver, the latency is set to zero and I wait until the real tracks are fully loaded.

Is this inevitable with real tracks? I thought the latency issue was only related to using a software synth?

Tony Wright

You're confusing the issue. Midi is still midi whether it's hitting the key on your controller to start the song or hitting that same key to make a sound using a software synth. It's dependent on your midi latency setting either way. ASIO gives you lower latency than MME. If you need to read more about it, do a forum search using keywords "asio latency". It seems like there's a new thread about it every week in both the Biab and RB forums and they go into more detail than you will ever want to know.

Bob

Thanks Mac

Yes, I am using ASIO, the tracks are frozen, the software synth is not selected in MIDI setup, and the latency is set to zero but there is still a slight start delay compared with starting my external synth. Does no-one else get this delay? Perhaps I am expecting too much from real tracks.

Tony

Hello Tony,

In my testing, I do not experience any delay at all - it starts instantaneously whether I'm using RealTracks or MIDI tracks or both. I tested using ASIO4ALL, on a Windows XP machine, using both DXi and a hardware synth. I'm not sure exactly what is causing that problem for you. What is your setup - computer, operating system, soundcard, ASIO drivers?

Check your latency settings again. The setting you are interested in for audio playback is in Opt. | Preferences | Audio. The latency is set in the ASIO driver's control panel. One thing to try is to set ASIO Always On in that dialog. Another thing to check, is to see if you have the same problem if you start playback by pressing a key on your computer keyboard instead of your MIDI keyboard.

Got it!

It was the ASIO "always on" that needed ticking. I'm annoyed with myself because I thought I had that selected but somehow it got unticked. That's the problem with being a casual user of BIAB.

Thanks for your help

Tony