MIDI Latency Problem?

Heya folks, hoping someone might have an idea on how to solve a playback issue.
 
I'm using X1 Producer, adding Kontakt 4 as a SoftSynth, then loading Prominy SC Guitar into it.
 
Everything seems to load perfectly, but there appears to be a Signalling/Timing problem with the Midi data, I believe.
 
The low registry keys (C#0 to C#1 roughly) change the performance style, so Stacatto/Legato and so forth. If I add a performance change key on the first sounding note that requires it, it doesn't always register, instead often the following sounding note has the applied performance change - so it's operating late.
 
In fact, even if I apply the performance change a 16th note before the first note requiring the new style, it can still fail to apply in time.
 
This is all done in the Piano Roll view, and when dealing with a stream of notes, it's impossible to place the Performance Change key early enough with any degree of accuracy.
 
The Guitar is a big 64Gb data job, but it's running off a SATA RAID Stripe.
 
I have an Asus Xonar 7.1 sound card, which only seems to offer one type of "Midi Platform" (Like, ASIO isn't available, just WASAPI I think) which lists some typical latency times I should expect. If it helps knowing those numbers, I can load up and check.
 
But if I'm hitting way off the mark here, is there any other possible causes?
 
I do have loaded another few instruments, not as a large though, performing at the same time. Guitar Rig and PercussionStrip64 or whatever is also operating. I've watched my CPU/Memory performance when it's playing back and I'm ~800Mb shy of maxing out my 6Gb RAM, so there is some "room", and my CPU doesn't max out.
 
Thanks for any help! :)
 
PS: As a new user to X1, I'm really enjoying the software! Fairly intuitive, and I'm not a DAW Guru at all.

Instead of trying to do the program change in mid stream why not just create a different track for the different program change? If need be, you can record all the midi data in the initial stream with the first program change and clone the events into the new track. Just eliminate the notes in the second track associated with first program change and you should be good to go. You might want to do this anyway since you then have more flexibility in processing the way the sounds sit together.

GuitarhackerIt needs to be a dedicated Audio/MIDI interface to be able to handle the massive data and processing needed to run the softsynths in real time without latency.

While a higher-quality interface is strongly preferred for other reasons, all the load in this case is within SONAR and O/S subsystems. Audio interface and driver quality should have no bearing.

The whole point was not about where the data gets processed, but that it does in fact get processed in a timely manner so the softsynths run in real time.

My point is that the softsynths run in SONAR, the MIDI is all within SONAR (in this case), and all the interface is seeing is a single stereo digital audio stream that its D/A converters need to convert to analog. The interface's job is no different in this case than when playing back a single recorded audio track.


If the wrong sample is present in the datastream, that can't be attributed to the audio interface. Something went wrong in the rendering of the audio long before the interface driver was called to take delivery of it.

LloydJ

Regarding external USB Sound devices, I realise my current internal sound card isn't ideal. Based on how to the too-and-fro debate went, I guess I shouldn't seek to purchase a new device?
 
If it's still wise for reasons other then possibly improving timing issues and would still be a recommended worth while purchase, it'd be nice to know. I only use a USB Midi Keyboard for input, no actual "Analogue line" real instruments being fed in mind.

If you don't use any analog inputs, that makes having a better soundcard less of a priority, but there are still advantages to having a better interface. The main ones being lower output latency for rehearsing and recording with soft synths, and better output sound quality (due mostly to lower analog noise in the output section, but maybe also to higher quality D/A converters and lower clock jitter). Also, the overall stability and performance of the drivers is likely to be better, and if you ever run into problems, you'll find more members on the forum who have first-hand experience with the interface to help you troubleshoot.