PG Music Home Forums PG Music Product Forums Band-in-a-Box for Windows Band in a Box 2025 stutters when I play MIDI [Resolved]

I know how we can determine if your PC is too old and underpowered and the cause of the stuttering behavior. After all, I think I did see smoke coming up from it in your demo. Here is how I can help you. Just pack up the Clavinova CVP 307 piano and send it to me and I will use it with my new PC (which is a beast). You may have to do it quickly before the Trump tariffs kick in. I would be glad to help.

Thank you for the information and for the great video. So it seems like Band-in-a-Box 'catches up' if you stop playing your piano.

No, there doesn't seem to be anything unusual in the list. The note On message with velocity 0 is the same as a note Off message. I half expected to see a flood of data of some kind (maybe sustain pedal data) coming from the synth, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Go to the MIDI/Audio Driver setup, and choose MME for your audio driver type. That may be the difference between 2025 and your 2020 install. Also, a couple of questions
- if you use a MIDI style like ZZJAZZ and disabled RealDrums, do you have the same problem?
- if you play one note at a time on your piano, does the same thing happen?

Hello again AudioTrack,

I now have the answer to your question 2: I tried to return to all the factory settings and ... it does not change anything: Band in Box 2025 still stutters when I play normally on my piano with the MIDI Input Driver activated!

But the return to the factory settings caused something new that I can not explain: in the mixer the realtracks are indicated as unavailable **N/A** (screenshot 1 below) while their location in my computer indicated in the Preferences/Realtracks is correct (screenshot 2), that the folders exist in this location in my computer (screenshot 3 for the bass Realtrack), and that they are played by Band in a Box!

Another mystery :-)

Thanks for the info, Mario D.

I assume from your picture that you are a guitarist and that you do not record yourself in MIDI but only in audio via a DAW.

In my case, I'm a pianist and I do not record myself in audio via a DAW but only in MIDI: I usually do not use Band-in-a-Box to produce music, but only as a backing track software to work and rehearse ; and when I record myself it is mainly to keep track of my ideas.

But if by chance you have connected a MIDI keyboard to your music computer, I would be interested to know if you encounter the same problem as me with Band in a Box 2025 when you make a MIDI recording from your keyboard!

Very good idea, DrDan!
But I'll take it the other way around: since we haven't yet planned to increase tariffs in Europe, send me your computer instead: I dream of testing my Claninova and Band in a Box 2025 with a real beast :-) !

Hello Andrew,

Yes, Band in a Box is "catching up" when I stop playing (so the term "stuttering" is perhaps not the best choice!).

I did the tests you suggested:

- The problem remains the same when I switch from WAS to MME

- The problem remains the same if I select ZZJAZZ as the style and disabled RealDrums

- BUT the problem disappears if I play only one note at a time: I played a solo with the right hand for 5 minutes on the same song that I usually do the tests on and there was just a very short stutter of 1/4 of a second after 2 or 3 minutes!

So, I hope this last test can open a lead!

[quote=Lazy Bird

I assume from your picture that you are a guitarist and that you do not record yourself in MIDI but only in audio via a DAW.

In my case, I'm a pianist and I do not record myself in audio via a DAW but only in MIDI: I usually do not use Band-in-a-Box to produce music, but only as a backing track software to work and rehearse ; and when I record myself it is mainly to keep track of my ideas.

But if by chance you have connected a MIDI keyboard to your music computer, I would be interested to know if you encounter the same problem as me with Band in a Box 2025 when you make a MIDI recording from your keyboard! [/quote]

Actually I do more MIDI recording in my DAW than audio recording.

When I get a chance, probably tomorrow, I will try recording in BiaB. It may take me awhile as I have never recorded in BiaB before.

LB..

heres some more info and my reply...
(if you think im wrong you can fact check me by going on gearspace.com
where there are tons of very experienced studio owners.)

1..re your Dell...
is this your dell xps ??

https://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/pc-mac-desktops/dell-xps-18-1137185/review

2..if so...the specs indicate the processor is i7 4510u.
(please confirm.)

3..as you will see not all i7's are equal..
eg...here are the performance specs for your 4510u..

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i7-4510U+%40+2.00GHz

sad to say the performance is poor compared to other i7's.
and the single and multithread scores are low.
(1557 and 2617. NOTE...music work is lots of math by an app.)
(page down right hand side)..i prefer to see much much better scores.
the link above also compares the 4510u to lots of other processors.

(fyi ive had many people say to me over the years...
'but i paid tons of money for this *expletive* pc.'
and "my friend paid lots less and has no probs'.
the answer is one needs the right pc config for music.)

3..whether its a bb problem or not please read my optimisation tips in
pg tips forum and note point one in the tips..
run this utility which will give clues as to why you might get glitches
or other probs..like latency...its all a process of elimination...like detective work...lol.

https://resplendence.com/latencymon

in fact you might want to run LMON on your other pc and see what it reports for that one.

please report back what the results are so people can help you.

4..as a benchmark my production pc which only cost a few hundred bucks boots into win from cold and into rb or bb very fast.
please post back how long your times are with the dell.
it would also be helpfull to post back a pic of your win task mgr
showing all the active tasks at any point in order to be thorough..
to see if other processes are interfering with bb.

note...irrespective whether its a bb prob or not i suspect that
the dell needs optimising...if thats never been done.

a question for everyone...is anyone else have this stutter prob
with bb 2025 ?? ie useing an external kbd ??
or is all smooth sailing ?? (i work differently.)

LB please post back re the details ive asked for.

happiness.

om

In the early part of this tread I showed how I have no problem with recording my midi keyboard in BIAB 2025. But I am using only the "internal synth" sounds while the OP is sending midi into and out of BIAB (or some other unusal routing) to get external sounds. Something I did not even think was possible in BIAB. The key to me is the OP says this has always worked for him with prior versions of BIAB. So something is different in BIAB 2025.

To determine if it is a computer Resource issue, start Windows Task Manager and watch CPU and Memory while playing along with the song.

Additionally, select the Performance tab in Task Manager, then click on Open Resource Monitor link and review the CPU, Disk, & Memory values. The problem may not be in BIAB itself.

This might help narrow down to find the 'culprit'.

Additionally, in the Resource Monitor, you can keep certain tasks at the top of the display by placing a tick in the check box at the left hand side of the display.

Hello and thank you all,

It's comforting to see so many comments trying to help me :-) !

Today, I probably won't have time to analyze all the messages, do the suggested tests and answer each one. Please excuse me

I just confirm to OldMuso that my Dell XPS 18 (1820) has the configuration indicated in his link:
- CPU: 2.6GHz Intel Core i7-4510U (dual-core, 4MB cache, up to 3.1GHz with Turbo Boost)
- Graphics: Intel HD 4400 graphics
- RAM: 8GB Dual Channel DDR3L (1,600 Mhz)
- Screen: 18.4-inch 1,920 x 1,080, LED Backlit Touch Display
- Storage: 256GB SSD
- Ports: 2 USB 3.0 ports, media card reader, headphone/mic jack
- Connectivity: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
But, even if this configuration is a little weak today, it has been quite sufficient for me so far, at least with my previous version of Band in a Box which was the 2020.

Have a good day!

DrDan/All.

Gotcha ! Dan...your comments bring back memories from the past when the keyboard player would sometimes swear at the keyboard...lol
over some issue or other or some setting regarding transmitting or receiving midi. so they would sometimes get another seperate hardware midi module for receiving midi and making sounds and useing the kbd just for midi transmission.

another question have pg said that 2025 works for them with no stutter ?
if so this would point again at the pc being used.
or a config issue imho.

@LB...another test you can run is to invoke RB (realband) that you
have and do two things that will offer further clues...

1..in the RB menus run ACTION>>TEST AUDIO PERFORMANCE...
such will reply with a track count.
as a benchmark here my recently new pc rb reports over 200 tracks.
please reply with the number of tracks reported as well as how long the
test took. as a benchmark here the test was literally 'two blinks of an eye'.
(ry 7 cpu and m.2 ssd.) its just a rough test...but gives clues.

2..run rb the same as your doing with bb and try recording midi.
report back if you get 'stutters'. you will need to check in rb that the drivers preferences are set up correctly.
in summary this offers further clues.
maybe ill get egg on my face but im gonna stick my kneck out and suggest
the stutters are caused by either other tasks on the pc or how the pc is set up or the fact that the processor has low performance specs.
(see my link previously to cpu benchmark site for a detailed analysis of your i7's performance.)

3..as i said see if you get the stutters with non pg apps.
eg reaper is a fast download. (note bb does things it doesnt).


@Audiotrack.

good points...the more we know about LB's task manager the better.
im very interested to see what latency monitor utility says.
maybe ill be proved wrong but i suspect that latmon will report some
dpc/driver issues. we shall see.

@LB...the more info you can give us ie latency mon test, task mgr
report, potential rb track counts etc etc..the better we can advise you.
otherwise in some respects we are flying blind.

happiness to all.

om

Thanks LB, we are obviously supporting your issue. Please consider giving priority to the items I have suggested regarding monitoring your computer systems performances.

I really am starting to think that there is potential that your issue is outside of the box.

I just ran two tests:
1-recorded MIDI using my keyboard controller and a GM patch
2-recorded MIDI using my keyboard controller and a Garritan Jazz and Big Band trumpet patch

In both cases I was able to record for 5 minutes each with no problems.

It sounds like you have a MIDI feedback loop:

https://support.sequential.com/hc/en-gb/articles/12826311546642-Troubleshooting-MIDI-Feedback-Loops

Make sure that your keyboard has the local control in the off position, usually unchecked.

I wondered about a MIDI looping issue earlier on also:
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=845522#Post845522

I am really starting to think the problem is not BIAB itself. That's why I would like to get some feedback on the resources being used by the computer.

Sorry AT I didn't mean to overstep. I just either missed that or more likely I forgot you had posted it.

I also suggested that he disable the Ethernet card and very thing running in the background. I don't think he has tried that yet.

Hey Mario, you definitely didn't overstep at all. It's more like "great minds think alike"

I think we're both leaning to an external problem being the culprit. It will be very interesting to determining where the issue lies

Mario.

great idea. kudos. your bringing back mamories...lol.
ie..way back the kbd player had a new midi kbd...and it was something regarding the way midi had been implemented in the kbd as to the midi spec that was causeing him to have issues if i remember.

whats baffling me tho' is if it was an issue with the midi kbd that LB is useing why does the problem not occur with the earlier bb version ?

frankly its very hard to help someone without knowing the requested info.
still...requested info like latmon//boot times//task mgr info hasnt been posted by LB.
its sorta like a doctor being asked to diagnose a patient without being able to see the xrays and the patient....

LB...if a midi setting in your midi kbd isnt the issue...please could you post back the earlier requested info so we can all maybe find a solution.
otherwise its very difficult for us other users to comment further.
and thus the thread will reach an impasse.
and also as i said before please read my tips in the tips forum re optimising a pc for music work. over the years ive seen a myriad of pc's with problems.

om

I know that this is a very long shot but maybe 2025 is sending a signal to turn on local control and after 2025 shuts down the synth returns to having it turned off. I don't know if that can happen or not but while working in a computer store I have seen some really weird things when it comes to computers.