Midi latency issues

[Alicewalksagain]

I'm running Cubase SL on an M-audio Delta1010LT. For some reason whenever I play midi into the computer there's a huge latency, something like quarter of a second, between the press of the key and the sound actually recording. It also works the same way when I play midi back in Cubase - there's a bit of lag before the notes come in. It's playing havok with cross-media recordings, since I'm trying to put midi to an audio click and it's coming out all wrong.
The same input issue occurs with Sibelius 3, but doesn't seem to affect playback. So I can't input notes live into Sibelius, but playing them back doesn't seem to cause an issue (probably because Sibelius is an entirely midi-based program so when I run it there's no audio output at all).
I'm not too familiar with the M-audio interface, having previously been using a soundblaster (on the old computer) to input midi. That had no issues whatsoever with latency, although at the time I wasn't using Cubase. I don't know what I can tweak on the M-audio interface to correct the latency problem.

Any assistance would be fantastic.
Thanks
Jonny

[KX]

1st there is "no" latency with midi...
Latency applies to audio only.
Do you use soft synth?
What is your midi sound generator?
What is your computer?
Can't help without these infos.

[Alicewalksagain]

What's soft synth? If I don't know what it is I probably don't use it.
All the midi sound is being generated by the Microsoft Synth thing - I haven't got an external sound module or anything.
The computer's a 2.6Ghz processor with a gig of RAM, a Delta 1010lt like I said, what else do you need to know?

[TimOBrien]

Originally posted by Alicewalksagain
All the midi sound is being generated by the Microsoft Synth thing - I haven't got an external sound module or anything.

Then you just answered your own question.

The Microsoft MIDI synth has horrible latency (its a Microsoft product, what did you expect!).... use something else.

[PCSF]

Originally posted by KX
1st there is "no" latency with midi...
Latency applies to audio only.


There is a term called "Midi latency or Midi Delay", for hardware sound modules. It is the time between the when a note on is sent to the module and the time the sound reaches a synth's output. I remember Keyboard magazine doing a sampler shootout years ago, and midi latency was measured. This is especially crucial for drum sounds triggered live from midi drum pads.

[Alicewalksagain]

Originally posted by TimOBrien
Then you just answered your own question.

The Microsoft MIDI synth has horrible latency (its a Microsoft product, what did you expect!).... use something else.

Can you recommend something? Is there a downloadable software synth (bear in mind I'm against using Kazaa or anything like it) anywhere, or will I have to buy it?

Thanks for your help.

[KX]

Originally posted by PCSF
There is a term called "Midi latency or Midi Delay", for hardware sound modules. It is the time between the when a note on is sent to the module and the time the sound reaches a synth's output. I remember Keyboard magazine doing a sampler shootout years ago, and midi latency was measured. This is especially crucial for drum sounds triggered live from midi drum pads.

That's why I put the word "no" in quote marks...
Roland synth are terribly sluggish in multitimbral when more than 50% of the voices are used.
However, generally speaking, midi latency is not heard while working in single mode, even for drum samples.

[grob2]

If you're looking for something free or close to it, try to find a Computer Music magazine at your bookstore. It's expensive for a magazine (~ $15) because it's a U.K. import and also because it includes a CD. The CD, however, includes a number of surprisingly decent soft-synths, a drum machine module, and even a primitive sampler and sequencer. They call this bundle the CM Studio, and I think they include it on the CD each issue.

[eljefe]

In case you were not aware, Cubase does come with a couple of stock soft synths. Also, make sure that you go to the Devices drop down menu, then choose Device setup and in the left side of the dialogue box click on VST Multitrack. This screen will tell you what driver Cubase is currently using. Check to see if you are using "ASIO Multimendia", if so, then that is why you are getting bad latency. From this drop down box, choose "ASIO M-Audio" as it might not have automatically started using your Delta's driver.