Korg M50 to USB to Mixcraft = Long Lag Time

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DanTheSongwriter
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Korg M50 to USB to Mixcraft = Long Lag Time

Post by DanTheSongwriter »

I have my Korg M50 via usb going into Mixcraft but I'm getting a huge lag time. I've tried the different drivers and Core Audio is better than Wave but the lag is still there. Any suggestions on how to fix?

Thanks.
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Rolling Estonian
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Re: Korg M50 to USB to Mixcraft = Long Lag Time

Post by Rolling Estonian »

Are you using an ASIO device? It sounds like maybe the pc isn't powerful enough, which could be the case. I have a Korg NanoKontrol2 and a Korg Mini 37 as a keyboard, they both work fine.

M
DanTheSongwriter
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Re: Korg M50 to USB to Mixcraft = Long Lag Time

Post by DanTheSongwriter »

It never showed up in the ASIO list, which is what I have a guitar pedal board in, so I had to use the Core Audio or the Wave to get anything.

The computer isn't too old but is kind of a laggard so the Korg is just too much for it? Seems strange but possible.
cactus-head
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Re: Korg M50 to USB to Mixcraft = Long Lag Time

Post by cactus-head »

The USB input should have no bearing on latency. The USB input is for MIDI transfer which is so small and takes so little bandwidth from USB serial transfers that it's not even a consideration.

However, if you are driving a virtual synth or other virtual instrument, then the latency is all related to how you have your audio interface setup.

The other possibility is all of your inputs to your audio interface are taken up by your guitar pedalboard and you have to somehow plug in the audio outputs from the m50 either directly into the computer or some other way. If your m50 is not plugged into the audio interface and plugged directly into the computer, that's where your latency issues will reside.

I'm not sure how you would set up the audio for multiple sound cards/audio interfaces.
DanTheSongwriter
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Re: Korg M50 to USB to Mixcraft = Long Lag Time

Post by DanTheSongwriter »

If I'm understanding this correctly, I've only ever thought of my Tascam as the interface (stand alone, independent of the M50 and computer) but I'm not using that at all. So I then only have the three options in MX9 under Preferences: Core Audio (Wave RT), ASIO and Wave. In the drop-down menu under ASIO Device both the Pod XT and the Tascam are shown and this is where I expected the M50 to show up but it hasn't.

So, like you mentioned "If your m50 is not plugged into the audio interface and plugged directly into the computer, that's where your latency issues will reside." This sounds more like a computer issue then?

Thanks again.
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Acoustica Greg
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Re: Korg M50 to USB to Mixcraft = Long Lag Time

Post by Acoustica Greg »

Hi,

If your Korg M50 is connected via USB, I'm guessing it's sending MIDI into your computer, not audio, correct? I mean, you're recording it on a virtual instrument track? Or are you recording it on an audio track?

If you are recording it on a virtual instrument track, then the latency is coming from the time it takes the audio to travel from Mixcraft out to your ears. In that case, using the Tascam or another ASIO audio interface will lower your latency.

If you are recording it on an audio track, there would be some latency as the audio travels into Mixcraft, and then more latency as the audio travels back to your ears, and an ASIO audio interface would help somewhat with that as well.

But if you are sending audio from the Korg to your computer, you should consider going through the Tascam (which is what the earlier comment was about).

Most latency comes from the sound device. The soundcard built into your computer has really high latency, because it's not designed for home recording studios, it's designed not to use too much power and heat up the computer. And it might even share chips with other functions on the motherboard.

Greg
Mixcraft - The Musician's DAW
Check out our tutorial videos on YouTube: Mixcraft 10 University 101
DanTheSongwriter
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Re: Korg M50 to USB to Mixcraft = Long Lag Time

Post by DanTheSongwriter »

Hi Greg,

What I'm not understanding is, is there anything I need to be doing differently? I've recorded on the M50 and sent those audio tracks to MX9 but when I've converted them to midi some strange timing elements appear and sometimes notes get bumped to different registers too.

What is the most efficient way to minimize the latency then - go through the interface and/or get a new soundcard?

Thanks again.

Dan
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Acoustica Greg
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Re: Korg M50 to USB to Mixcraft = Long Lag Time

Post by Acoustica Greg »

Hi,

What are you doing now?

Importing an audio file and converting it to MIDI is not your best option.

If you want to capture the sound of the Korg M50, make an audio connection to your Tascam and record the audio in ASIO mode.

If you are recording MIDI on a virtual instrument track, use the Tascam in ASIO mode as your playback device.

Greg
Mixcraft - The Musician's DAW
Check out our tutorial videos on YouTube: Mixcraft 10 University 101
DanTheSongwriter
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Re: Korg M50 to USB to Mixcraft = Long Lag Time

Post by DanTheSongwriter »

Hi Greg,

I was able to hook up the Tascam and I'm getting a solid signal - but I can't hear it as a midi or audio file. How does someone hear the midi playback on a live punch-in?

Thanks again.
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Acoustica Greg
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Re: Korg M50 to USB to Mixcraft = Long Lag Time

Post by Acoustica Greg »

Hi,

Which kind of connection did you make: audio or MIDI?

Greg
Mixcraft - The Musician's DAW
Check out our tutorial videos on YouTube: Mixcraft 10 University 101
DanTheSongwriter
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Re: Korg M50 to USB to Mixcraft = Long Lag Time

Post by DanTheSongwriter »

It's a MIDI file and I think I just found out what happened. Looks like I'm getting the sound coming in.

Thanks.
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Acoustica Greg
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Re: Korg M50 to USB to Mixcraft = Long Lag Time

Post by Acoustica Greg »

Hi,

With MIDI, you need to make sure that you have a virtual instrument selected on a virtual instrument track if you want to hear sound, because the virtual instrument is what's making the sound.

Greg
Mixcraft - The Musician's DAW
Check out our tutorial videos on YouTube: Mixcraft 10 University 101
DanTheSongwriter
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Re: Korg M50 to USB to Mixcraft = Long Lag Time

Post by DanTheSongwriter »

It looks like I'm out of the woods on this one for now.

Thanks again.
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