Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

Hi,

"Quick" question:

I connected my DTXPressII drum kit to my computer recently via a
midiman midisport 1x1 interface. My computer isn't bad but certainly
not top-notch. Specs ca 1000MHz, 256 RAM,
integrated "soundmax"soundcard. My sequencer program is cakewalk pro
audio 9. I was very aware that there would be some latency which
probably has to do with the fact that it's a integrated soundcard.
Actually, the latency is up to, I would estimate, half a sec. I have
however no problem with that since I use everything to arrange, and
to get notes from it all. Therefore I have all sound directly from
my kit, or keyboard speakers, not through the computer. The latency
I DO have problems with however, is the one that makes the notes get
on the note grid about 50 ticks later. When I hit a drum along with
the computer metronome, the notes notated are about 1/16 later,
which I correct afterwards. So, any remedies to speed up the
NOTATION process, so it'll get written at the correct time? I really
don't care about the integrated soundcard for now.
Or am I way of track?

Regards,

Rick

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "freefunky12" <freakrick@h...> wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> "Quick" question:
> 
> I connected my DTXPressII drum kit to my computer recently via a
> midiman midisport 1x1 interface. My computer isn't bad but certainly
> not top-notch. Specs ca 1000MHz, 256 RAM,
> integrated "soundmax"soundcard. My sequencer program is cakewalk pro
> audio 9. I was very aware that there would be some latency which
> probably has to do with the fact that it's a integrated soundcard.
> Actually, the latency is up to, I would estimate, half a sec. I have
> however no problem with that since I use everything to arrange, and
> to get notes from it all. Therefore I have all sound directly from
> my kit, or keyboard speakers, not through the computer. The latency
> I DO have problems with however, is the one that makes the notes get
> on the note grid about 50 ticks later. When I hit a drum along with
> the computer metronome, the notes notated are about 1/16 later,
> which I correct afterwards. So, any remedies to speed up the
> NOTATION process, so it'll get written at the correct time? I really
> don't care about the integrated soundcard for now.
> Or am I way of track?

Hi Rick,

This isn't really my strong suit, but I'm in the neighborhood so I'll 
venture a comment, which others are free to supplement or overrule. I 
wouldn't be surprised if your note grid latency has something to do 
with your overall computing power. First of all, the integrated 
soundcard, as you surmise, is probably holding you back. But you also 
may be asking a lot of your CPU and your 256 RAM. More is always  
better with sequencers. You need good ASIO drivers and enough of an 
engine to pick up the timing slack. Tweakheadz (you should use our 
Links section to access his site) also recommends the following if 
you have Windows XP: "Go to My Computer->Properties->Advanced-
>advanced-> Performance options.  Optimize performance for Background 
Services, not Applications.  This gives better system latency and can 
avoid click and pops.  With some cards this can produce and 
improvements of 20ms!"  

Ed

I'll just say that I echo Ed's notes about the system though, 
basically more ram the better!... I too am running a 1ghz right now 
but my ram just went from 3something(I hate that 1024 stuff and I'm a 
computer nerd!) to 768mb and also switched to a Gina card.. BUT I was 
using it before (this is with Cubase mind you) and I didin't notice 
midi lag but as you can tell from previos post I might not be the 
best to judge timing ;)  Seriously though the midi stuff is right on 
for me and I was using the built in sound card and a midi adapter 
through the game port.  Cubase has some settings for adjusting 
latency of midi vs audio.. maybe this is where your problem is 
comming from?  I've even run some VSTi's over the network via FX-
Teleport ( www.fx-max.com ) and was supprised that it all synced up 
rather well.

Try looking for settings like that and if you still can't get it let 
me know.  I have a buddy that uses Sonar and he knows his shit and 
probably knows what the answer is.  He's the guy letting me use the 
Gina, he now has a kickass Motu!

Gilligan

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "freefunky12" <freakrick@h...> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> "Quick" question:
> 
> I connected my DTXPressII drum kit to my computer recently via a
> midiman midisport 1x1 interface. My computer isn't bad but certainly
> not top-notch. Specs ca 1000MHz, 256 RAM,
> integrated "soundmax"soundcard. My sequencer program is cakewalk pro
> audio 9. I was very aware that there would be some latency which
> probably has to do with the fact that it's a integrated soundcard.
> Actually, the latency is up to, I would estimate, half a sec. I have
> however no problem with that since I use everything to arrange, and
> to get notes from it all. Therefore I have all sound directly from
> my kit, or keyboard speakers, not through the computer. The latency
> I DO have problems with however, is the one that makes the notes get
> on the note grid about 50 ticks later. When I hit a drum along with
> the computer metronome, the notes notated are about 1/16 later,
> which I correct afterwards. So, any remedies to speed up the
> NOTATION process, so it'll get written at the correct time? I really
> don't care about the integrated soundcard for now.
> Or am I way of track?
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Rick

CPA 9 can't use ASIO neither can it use kernel streaming, only the 
latest SONAR can do it(as well as Cubase). Anyway, problem may be 
that there is somewhere in CPA preferences a setting like "MIDI to 
Audio delay" that needs to be adjusted until the recorded MIDI and 
audio click are in sync. That's what also matters to Cubasers. 
Latency of soundcard (audiocard) doesn't have anything to do with 
MIDI recording, and the computer (1GHz) is just fine for the job, as 
long as you don't use software instruments (DXi's or VSTi's) without 
ASIO / KS supporting software. You can run Battery etc. with 1 Ghz PC 
easily, 256 Mb RAM is enough if you adjust the number of audio 
tracks / buffers / buffer sizes. Cubase / Cubasis VST 5.1 might be 
the best program for the job then (SX/SL might be too heavy, SE has 
VST 5.1 audio engine so it can be used). I don't use Sonar so can't 
say anything about it (ask people on Cakewalk forums, they are nice 
people).
-Mikko

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "Kevin Richard" <kevin_richard@b...> 
wrote:
> I'll just say that I echo Ed's notes about the system though, 
> basically more ram the better!... I too am running a 1ghz right now 
> but my ram just went from 3something(I hate that 1024 stuff and I'm 
a 
> computer nerd!) to 768mb and also switched to a Gina card.. BUT I 
was 
> using it before (this is with Cubase mind you) and I didin't notice 
> midi lag but as you can tell from previos post I might not be the 
> best to judge timing ;)  Seriously though the midi stuff is right 
on 
> for me and I was using the built in sound card and a midi adapter 
> through the game port.  Cubase has some settings for adjusting 
> latency of midi vs audio.. maybe this is where your problem is 
> comming from?  I've even run some VSTi's over the network via FX-
> Teleport ( www.fx-max.com ) and was supprised that it all synced up 
> rather well.
> 
> Try looking for settings like that and if you still can't get it 
let 
> me know.  I have a buddy that uses Sonar and he knows his shit and 
> probably knows what the answer is.  He's the guy letting me use the 
> Gina, he now has a kickass Motu!
> 
> Gilligan
> 
> --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "freefunky12" <freakrick@h...> 
wrote:
> > Hi,
> > 
> > "Quick" question:
> > 
> > I connected my DTXPressII drum kit to my computer recently via a
> > midiman midisport 1x1 interface. My computer isn't bad but 
certainly
> > not top-notch. Specs ca 1000MHz, 256 RAM,
> > integrated "soundmax"soundcard. My sequencer program is cakewalk 
pro
> > audio 9. I was very aware that there would be some latency which
> > probably has to do with the fact that it's a integrated soundcard.
> > Actually, the latency is up to, I would estimate, half a sec. I 
have
> > however no problem with that since I use everything to arrange, 
and
> > to get notes from it all. Therefore I have all sound directly from
> > my kit, or keyboard speakers, not through the computer. The 
latency
> > I DO have problems with however, is the one that makes the notes 
get
> > on the note grid about 50 ticks later. When I hit a drum along 
with
> > the computer metronome, the notes notated are about 1/16 later,
> > which I correct afterwards. So, any remedies to speed up the
> > NOTATION process, so it'll get written at the correct time? I 
really

> > don't care about the integrated soundcard for now.
> > Or am I way of track?
> > 
> > Regards,
> > 
> > Rick

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "mikkohelin" <mikko.helin@l...> 
wrote:
> CPA 9 can't use ASIO neither can it use kernel streaming, only the 
> latest SONAR can do it(as well as Cubase). Anyway, problem may be 
> that there is somewhere in CPA preferences a setting like "MIDI to 
> Audio delay" that needs to be adjusted until the recorded MIDI and 
> audio click are in sync. That's what also matters to Cubasers. 
> Latency of soundcard (audiocard) doesn't have anything to do with 
> MIDI recording, and the computer (1GHz) is just fine for the job, 
as 
> long as you don't use software instruments (DXi's or VSTi's) 
without 
> ASIO / KS supporting software. You can run Battery etc. with 1 Ghz 
PC 
> easily, 256 Mb RAM is enough if you adjust the number of audio 
> tracks / buffers / buffer sizes. Cubase / Cubasis VST 5.1 might be 
> the best program for the job then (SX/SL might be too heavy, SE has 
> VST 5.1 audio engine so it can be used). I don't use Sonar so can't 
> say anything about it (ask people on Cakewalk forums, they are nice 
> people).

Mikko,

Thank you. Just what we needed to know. And welcome to the group.

Ed