Acoustica User Forums

Hi. So this is weird.


Just started getting distortion when either playing a VI instrument on a new track/new song or just when playing back an existing, ages old song. But there could be a clue - if I save the song as an mp3 or wav then no distortion on playback. My simple brain logic says 1) the distortion is temporal (big word for a weekend!) and b) Its created/caused/generated by either my EMU 1212 sound card or Mixcraft.

For your delectation and delight, I've uploaded a simple Cmin riff using only the internal VI Acoustic Piano - its in both .MX8 and mp3.

Also, 2nd fun problem, the sound wavers from left to right or stays in one channel whilst recording and/or playing back.

One thought that could cover both issues is could my soundcard be going on the fritz?

Just want to bump this to see if Dan, Greg or nay other "Acousitcans" have any ideas etc.

T Hanks.

Just a little update - plugging just the 2 outs from the synth straight into the soundcard is fine.Soon as I hook up the midi cords to trigger the pain again, the distortion is there.

So straight audio through the card is not an issue. Triggering a VI within mixcraft adds the distortion. All guidance gratefully accepted.

Thanks.

Sorry I’m just a musician so I play all my parts straight to tracks (I’m working on a new song I just wrote called “But She Loves Me”, and it’s the weekend so Acoustica probably won’t reply to your post until Monday or so. Maybe its just a bad midi cable? Anyway good luck and best wishes.

Hi,
Are all your connections going through your audio interface?( 2 audio and midi )
I use a 5 in/out midi interface, and a Scarlet 18i20 audio interface. I can record midi and audio from my synths. The midi goes to a separate track and audio to its track. I also have no problems recording virtual instruments.

I would check your interface settings. Then check your midi cable. It could have a short or bad connection. If you have a second midi cable available try it. When playing a virtual instrument, do you get distortion in your audio? ( with or without the audio connected )

I hope this may help.
- Myran

Hi thanks for the replies. I record as you describe above - audio outs, through mixer to card then speakers, midi into card.

I get the distortion on VI sounds/tracks not in audio tracks. I unplugged the audio outs so the only connection was midi triggering VI instrument and the distortion is there - play a chord, distortion accompanies it.

Should also this wasn’t happening last week and nothing’s changed in my simple setup.

It doesn’t sound like distortion due to cables or keyboard. It sounds like the velocity is very high causing volume distortion? Check your settings.

It’s not velocity or redlining the meters. It’s not a hard digital overload distortion. .

If any of you friendly folks want to download the .mx8 file you’ll hear it of course. It’s a sort of swirling, sustaining, atonal noise.

I’ll try a new midi cable as well.

Downloaded your MX8 file - don't hear any issues. I reduced the velocity by 30% and it sounds better but I'm not hearing any swirling or other noise. It would appear it has something to do with your soundcard or setup?

Thanks - and it was the mx8 file not the mp3 you reviewed.

This is weirderer and weirderer.

The only thing - logically - I can think of is something else inside Mixcraft is being triggered. Another VI somehow? Or plug in?

If this is the case where would the detective in you check? Preferences? ASIO ins or outs?

Cheers.

Check your master track and make sure no effects are present. Try a different piano (bright piano, honky tonk piano) and see if there is a difference. Set your audio to 16 bit, 44100 and see if that helps. Also note that you said it happens using the midi cable. Try a new cable and try doing a “midi reset” in Mixcraft.

Thanks for the help Tom. I’ll try your advices.

I loaded the project, and loaded the MP3 into an audio track as well. Heard nothing unusual in either. Sounded fine.
As an experiment I replaced the piano instrument with Pianissimo. Different. In solo by default its got too much verb, turned that down, turned down the bass and boosted the treble a little. Sounded fine of course.

Based on your description, I have to suspect the interface. I'd find a way to test an alternative in a process of elimination.
But its a guess. And I don't do much midi beyond basics, (Grid programming or a basic USB keyboard input device) and as of yet have never plugged a midi cable into anything as far as I can recall.
So what do I know.

Hi, I don't know if you've been able to solve this, but it sounds to me like you have a midi feedback loop. In my synth there is a parameter called "local control" and it can either be on or off. If it is on, I can hear the internal sounds in my synth as I play the keyboard. If I turn it off I cannot not hear the internal sounds. If I arm a track in Mixcraft with the local control on, the volume is louder and some of the notes do not sound. What I am doing is double triggering the notes. The internal synth engine is getting midi commands from my synth's keyboard as well as from Mixcraft. Mixcraft is automatically sending (echoing) the midi information right back to the synthThe synth is getting two sets of commands to play the same sounds. If I turn "local control" off then I still hear the synth sounds, but the synth is only getting one set of commands and they are coming from Mixcraft.

I suspect that the midi parameter "local control" is on. If you turn it off the distortion should go away.