Hiyah! So you are using the ASUS MB? My sound stuff is on this MB? Is this the same for you? This "Soundblaster" is the sound card you slotted in - yes? How does it configure with the ASUS? You uninstalled Sound MAx s/w? You didn't leave it on and dissabled? Did your ASUS keep looking for the Sound Max s/w?

Grazie

What latency exactly are you getting in Acid, I know didly squat about Acid apart from some bum tripes years ago. But doesn't the keyboard generate midi input to Acid, so the question is which bit of the chain has the latency?
Is it from when you press the key and Acid write the midi data or is it from the time that Acid sends the midi data to the synth or the time from when the synth generates the wave and the soundcard converts that or D) any combination of the above!
Maybe I'm at much at sea as you are but maybe a better flow is to have something catch the midi data from the keyboard and provide that at an audio output in parrallel with Acid recording that.

I've got that option with my Firewire 410, I can monitor a mic feed locally, still works with Vegas loaded and / or I can monitor the signal coming back from Vegas. I'm not talking about MIDI here though.

Bob.

Bob, again you are "attempting" to help this bloke! Thank you! . .

The latency for me is when I press a key, the "sound" appears on my loudspeakers at least ¼ to ½ second later. I was told this would happen as I handed over my VISA card . .. yeah, right. And I would need ASIO drivers and a new sound card!

Your, "which bit of the chain has the latency?" . . ? I really don't know . . I can only speak to that which is happenning at the speaker set - yeah?

Nothing is ever, EVER straight forward! Plug and play . . U-huh?!

Grazie

Grazie

I just uninstalled the SoundMax (onboard the Asus motherboard) and it goes away. Windows may ask for drivers, just don't let it find any and it will be put in "other devices" and not bother you again.

So there is no driver conflict or anything to worry about when you install another card.

Ok . .nearly there on this part of my Odyssey . . How now do you do 5.1? Isn't Sound MAx part of the 5.1 system? - G

I don't do 5.1 because the Soundblaster is just stereo. So your new soundcard needs to be 5.1 capable to replace the Soundmax.

I didn't know that. So you don't use 5.1? Ok . .and thence onto V5? This is getting really tricky .. G

Actually, because I have never used 5.1 therefore don't know much about it. My home stereo and t.v. are both stereo (2 speakers) and no 4 speaker capability, so I never bothered learning about 5.1.
So it may be possible to author 5.1 in Vegas regardless of the soundcard you use on the PC. I would think that it would play as stereo on 2 speaker system or surround sound on a 4 speaker system.
But don't quote me.

Thanks Nickle. I guess I really don't want to take the side off the pc on this one! I was hoping for a "simple" solution . . HUH? - G

Grazie,
point I'm trying to get at is this. Your keyboard doesn't make a 'sound'. It's just a usb input device. Acid records that you pressed A# on the piano track. Then it sends that out to a VST instrument that turns that into a sound which goes out to the sound card and hence the speakers.
Now getting a better soundcard and running ASIO can only help with getting the sound from the synth to the speakers. If that's not where the delay is you've done your dough for nothing. Well a better sound card is always a good idea but...

So can't you somehow use the keyboard outside of Acid?
I'm figuring it comes with some 'LE' or 'SE' app so you can use it for something. Install that and see how you go. That might give you a clue as to where the delay is coming from.

Bob/

Grazie, you'll need a Pro level card to get low latency when using your midi keyboard.
Get a multi channel output if you want to mix in 5.1.
RELATIVELY inexpensive and has a great reputation... Echo products.
I'd recommend the Echo Gina 3G.

www.echoaudio.com


Mic pre-amps, headphone output...nice!

Late for work, gotta go.

Mario

OH! I have an Asus mobo with Soundmax and my Firewire 410 soundcard on the same PC. Everything's fine.

The amazing ASIO4ALL freeware driver written entirely in machine code can dramatically reduce the latency of bog standard sound cards. I have used it very successfully with my laptops in conjunction with Reason and an Edirol PCR-50 USB keyboard (latency of 10ms or less before clicks appeared).

http://www.asio4all.com

Also check you've got the latest drivers for the keyboard from M-Audio.

Ah . .I see, "So can't you somehow use the keyboard outside of Acid?" - you're inviting me to "use" this device with something other than ACID - hmmm... ACID is excellent . .it is the place I would want to work with so I've kind focussed on ACID. But yes, something else that would be more responsive . . I dunno. I would have thought this - if I'm getting this with ACID, wouldn't it follow I would be getting the same with "another" s/w package? - Debate!

"I'm figuring it comes with some 'LE' or 'SE' app . . " It did =come with a "Reason Adapted" s/w. I haven't viewed this yet. Maybe it will fall over too . . ..

. ..

Grazie

Myst and Bubble . .sorry I was too late to respond . ..

Myst good advice . .. thanks for the reassurance on the Card thing . ..

Bubble, machine code? Do you really think this is something I can contend with? I'm rather short on programming skills . . well non exsistnet to be honest .. I have been on the M-Audio site and see an XP driver available. Whether this'll make a diffrence I don't know - yet!

OK - been playing wihin ACID and am astounded with the "control" I can get . . notwithstanding the latency thing - I think I've mixed some interesting textures using the sounds available and then changed key and used the various options of different Instrumnets [?] from within Vegas . . Koooollll .. !

Grazie

Grazie,
I'm NOT suggesting you jump ship to another app! I'm suggesting you try another app that maybe doesn't have the overhead of ACID to try to workout where the latency is coming from, you could end up spending a fair some of money and achieve nothing. For all I know about ACID it may not even be meant to do what you want it to.
If you try another app and you can get the latency low enough for your need then you know a new sound card isn't going to fix the problem.
As far as I know ASIO drivers mostly affect the recording of audio input latency issues and that's not what you're doing, you're recording midi which isn't audio, it's a string of commands that get interpreted by a synth, what synth are you using, that could be the problem too.
There's a lot of variables at play here, I'm simply suggesting you try something that reduces the number of unknowns.

Bob.

As always I'm grateful . . So what you are invting me to do is to elminate that which I KNOW is crook and then go forward from there .. INSTEAD of laying out more good DRINKING money on something that wouldn't assist in the first place! A-HUH!

OK - I need top run a checklist and calmly go through it. Anybody wanna add to this checklist?

Grazie . . .

Grazie,

As per bubblevisions post, I would STRONGLY suggest checking out the ASIO4ALL driver option. IT'S FREE!

Download it from HERE

It's a small program that you install. Once installed, you run it, select your sound card and press ok.
Now in Vegas and ACID you will have an ASIO driver option. It still uses your existing soundcard, but will offer much lower latency.

Latency= the delay between the pc playing the sound and you hearing it.

The latency has nothing to do with your midi keyboard, it all comes down to your soundcard playback, and standard windows drivers have always had high latency. This is why it feels like wading through treacle when playing a keyboard. You will also find that the scrub control feels much more responsive in Vegas because it isn't waiting for the audio to start playing back.

Latency is not dependent on the host program (ACID etc) but the audio drivers being used.

There are drawbacks with ASIO - it's greedy and generally only like to be used by one app only. So if you have ACID and Vegas open at the same time, you may need to have one set to standard drivers and the other to ASIO (in the audio driver prefs).

Also, be wary of setting the latency too low. At 20ms your keyboard should start to feel ok, better at 15ms, great at 10ms. Once you get to the region of 6ms/3ms the benefits are neglible in 'playability' stakes and audio performance may suffer if your PC can't handle these very low latencys (the audio wlil start to crackle on playback).

ASIO4ALL can be uninstalled any time you like.

Hope this helps, ask questions if you have them, and good luck!

WOW! Ibliss! . . wish you were standing next to me . .anyways . .

A bit if success - no I haven't downloaded ASIO4ALL . . yet . . . - but I have changed the MIDI Thru option to point to the PC's SoundMax WDM MIDI - that's better .. more responsive . . also tried out Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth. Both these options have proven more on the "One" as is said by Music makers . .I aint one. .

But I'm at least getting to lay down some ideas and play with them in ACID and then apply the funny sounds and stuff AND able to draw my own Loops into acid and "shape" a small piece already . . . .

Ibliss, I'm reeeeallly scared of driver stuff. .. I know you mean well and you say it can be uninstalled and all that . . but I'm scared of experimenting with my NLE machine mid project a very important . . .yeah?

Best regards to all that have chipped in today .. thank you ..

Grazie

Just re-read the Vegas® Release Notes June 2004 . ..

"For record input monitoring, ASIO or other low-latency audio drivers are highly recommended. Additionally, you are advised to monitor through lightweight plug-ins only, such as Sony Pictures Digital Reverb. "


. .. hmmm interesting . . . .

Grazie

Grazie,
So, learning a new trick, you ol' dawg!
Acid...Mmm, mmm, good!
Yes, Acid Pro 4.0 is EXCELLENT for soundbeds.

All this soundcard setting up seems complicated right now, but it really isn't.
I bought an M-Audio Firewire 410, plugged it into my Asus firewire port, connected my speakers, configured my soundcard in SF/Vegas/Acid and I was off.

Gotta go again...
Back in an hour or so.

Where's that Vegas Café you usually go to to chat? Maybe I can answer some (basic) questions for ya.
Back in a bit.

Mario

Yeah,
I'd agree with that for the average videographer the 410 is pretty awseome. connect to laptop for a decent portable 24/96 recording setup.
Don't have a laptop ot find it too much to lug around, think Power Core, havent' tried this yet but you should be able to go 410 via SPDIF into PC. If you wanted something even smaller PC have a nifty set of pres but you'd loose the monitoring on the 410. So many options finally opening up for decent audio.

But getting back to Grazies problem.

So you've got it better, by bypassing Acid, not surprised really. You might try also posting some questions over at the Acid forum.

Bob.

Bob, maybe I'm not getting what you're trying to say.

The Firewire 410 plugs directly into the PC via the firewire socket. About as easy a hook-up as one could wish for. No panel to take off, no inserting soundcards into slots, no nuthin'.

I have a generic CHEAP midi keyboard plugged into it, with NO noticeable latency whatsoever. I press the key, the sound is heard.
I would think if Grazie forked over some cash for Acid, he's not too excited about finding another app to play with.
Also, sticking with onboard sound is fine if you want to listen to CDs and DVDs, but for audio that will be used in video productions? Ain't gonna cut it I don't think. Even if he gets his latency down a bit via the ASIO4ALL driver, he better not record with that card.
Fact is Grazie, if you were to use strictly Acid loops in your projects, the onboard soundcard would be fine. If you want to really enjoy your midi keyboard, and especially if you want to record, get a Pro level card.

Oh, and BTW, Reason Adapted is a ball!
Also, check out http://www.kvr-vst.com/ for free VST softsynths.
Acid 5 will also have some bonus VST instruments.
Check out the Ambient Acid loop libraries also.
James Johnson has a couple good ones and Ma Ja Le is also good.

Mario