Steve, as you said, this is not even beginning to strain the computer resources shown.
There are tons of things, such as DPC Latency, wireless networking, bad cables etc. but since you mention the combination of adding a VST causes the trouble, I'm first thinking drivers.
What are you using for the audio driver in BIAB? ASIO, MME or WAS? What is your audio output device? Can you snap a picture of the Options, Preferences, MIDI Driver screen, and then also click the button for Audio Settings and get a pic of that?
Can you record a snippet so we can hear the noise?
Another possibility: in Preferences, RealTracks, there is a checkbox for This Song Has Problems. Try that.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Just to clarify, are you using the piano VST to play a melody on the melody track,etc., or are you using it to give a sound to a midi controller keyboard?
1) the VST is on the Thru track, being driven by my keyboard. 2) here is the MIDI options screen: https://ibb.co/nhCQRL 3) I'm using ASIO through my AudioBox 96 interface. here is the audio setup screen: https://ibb.co/fUXmY0 4) here is the screen from the AudioBox 96 driver: https://ibb.co/eXavRL 5) here is my RealTracks preferences screen and mixer showing the tracks i am using. I don't see a "This song has problems" checkbox https://ibb.co/gdHmY0 6) the "audio breakup" sounds like crackling, like there is lost audio signal 7) the backing track plays fine by itself. the problem happens when start playing notes/chords on the keyboard. 8) i take that back. the degeneration gets worse over the course of the song, such that after a few minutes even the backing track is crackling 9) holding the sustain pedal seems to make it worse 10) another thing i've noticed is that BIAB won't let me run the driver at 48mhz. it is stuck at 41, even though my other audio applications can run at 48.
For your MIDI output driver, try setting it to Microsoft GS Wavetable (rather than "No Midi Sound Output") and see if that makes a difference. Even though BIAB won't be using it, when a VSTi/DXi soft synth is selected, the Microsfoft GS Wavetable output adds stability.
Hi It seems to me, that as you say it gets worse when you hold down the sustain pedal and engage in other midi activity , that your pc is getting short of resources , for processing the audio as well. This is why it gradually gets worse sounds like buffer overflow. You could try adjusting you audio buffer sizes And stopping other activity like AV and any other background programs running,
If W10 check that windows update has not changed your minimum processor state to less than 100% IN YOUR ADAVANCED POWER OPTIONS SCREEN Mike
Sounds a bit like some midi data loop is feedbacking where it shouldn't. Turned midi thru off in your keyboards settings?
If it's an USB audio device you're using; hickup stutters sound familiar to me, see picture below for adjustments, power management should be off in all USB hub drivers, and windows updates usually screws up these settings. Disable latter with something like Win Update Stop.
... static and crackling usually has to do with buffers, and if all USB data are running via just one controller chip can be a problem too ... F
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