Intermittent MIDI Playback

Author
Hypocrita
Max Output Level: -89 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 82
  • Joined: 2014/12/26 15:55:49
  • Status: offline
2015/01/29 12:47:03 (permalink)

Intermittent MIDI Playback

Good afternoon everyone!


I've been encountering an interesting issue I've never experienced before, and that is, as the title says, intermittent MIDI playback. That is to say that not all MIDI notes playback all the time.
As an example, let's say I'm working on drums: I have a a kick and snare, then a kick, kick, snare, with hit hats on each hit. Most of the time, it all plays back perfectly, I hear each hit just fine. But at times, the playback engine will drop a kick here and there, or a hi hat, or sometimes an entire column of notes! So when I play back the drum sequence, it's more like kick, silence, kick, kick, snare.
I have a semi-working solution to this, which manipulates the "prepare using" buffer in the MIDI options by increasing or decreasing it each time that I encounter the issue. What I would like to know is if there is a more long-lasting solution, and a more consistent one, than what I have been doing.
Also, if there's a permanent solution to this, that would be awesome! Fiddling with things during a creative process other than, well, creative things can break concentration a bit too much for my liking.


Thanks for your time, and take care!
-Hypocrita

PS: I'm currently on Sonar Platinum, if any other details are needed, do let me know!
#1

15 Replies Related Threads

    gustabo
    Max Output Level: -49.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 2591
    • Joined: 2009/01/05 17:32:38
    • Status: offline
    Re: Intermittent MIDI Playback 2015/01/29 13:09:14 (permalink)
    Increase your midi buffer to 500 is the generic answer that works for most people.
     


    Cakewalk by Bandlab - Win10 Pro x64 - StudioCat Platinum Studio DAW - 32 GB Ram - MOTU UltraLite-mk3
    M-Audio Keystation 88ES - Akai MPD26 (hot-rodded) - Alesis DM10 - a few guitars, a few amps
    Novation Launch Control - Korg nanoKONTROL2 - PreSonus FaderPort - DAW Remote HD on iPad
    Adam A7X - Behritone C50A
    PreSonus Monitor Station v2 (controlling the mons)
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/sonarusergroup/

    #2
    Hypocrita
    Max Output Level: -89 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 82
    • Joined: 2014/12/26 15:55:49
    • Status: offline
    Re: Intermittent MIDI Playback 2015/01/29 16:09:47 (permalink)
    Hello Gustabo, thanks for the response!

    Let's see, under MIDI > Playback And Recording, are you talking about the "number of buffers" section? Or do you mean what I've been messing with?
    Apologies for not fully understanding what you mean!

    Thanks again!
    -Hypocrita
    #3
    scook
    Forum Host
    • Total Posts : 24146
    • Joined: 2005/07/27 13:43:57
    • Location: TX
    • Status: offline
    Re: Intermittent MIDI Playback 2015/01/29 16:12:48 (permalink)
    yes "Prepare Using nnn Millisecond Buffers" in MIDI > Playback And Recording. Try 500 or 750
    #4
    Hypocrita
    Max Output Level: -89 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 82
    • Joined: 2014/12/26 15:55:49
    • Status: offline
    Re: Intermittent MIDI Playback 2015/01/29 16:16:11 (permalink)
    Hello Scook, thanks for your response!

    I'll definitely give it a go, thanks!

    Take care!
    -Hypocrita



    #5
    Hypocrita
    Max Output Level: -89 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 82
    • Joined: 2014/12/26 15:55:49
    • Status: offline
    Re: Intermittent MIDI Playback 2015/01/31 09:51:29 (permalink)
    Good morning!


    After giving the "prepare using" method another go with the provided numbers, I still ran into the intermittent playback issue, unfortunately.
    The only difference is that by increasing it to those values, 500 or 750, the problem becomes more apparent, strangely enough!


    Thanks for your time!
    -Hypocrita
    #6
    jeffb63
    Max Output Level: -80 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 516
    • Joined: 2007/10/24 17:15:05
    • Location: Devon, England.
    • Status: offline
    Re: Intermittent MIDI Playback 2015/01/31 10:09:09 (permalink)
    What are you playing the MIDI with (hardware?, vsti?)

    Studio:
    X3 Producer on i7 4770K Asus Z87-K 32Gb G-Skill Trident X. W8.1 x64. 2408 Mk3, ADI8-DD. BCF2000. 
    Stage:
    Cantabile Performer 2 on Lenovo W530 i7 3720QM 16Gb DDR3. Samsung 840 Evo, Samsung 840 Pro. W7 x64.
    #7
    Hypocrita
    Max Output Level: -89 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 82
    • Joined: 2014/12/26 15:55:49
    • Status: offline
    Re: Intermittent MIDI Playback 2015/01/31 11:55:39 (permalink)
    Hello JeffB63!


    I'm using software (in the case of drums, Addictive Drums 2) to play the MIDI, so I suppose that would be VSTI? Apologies, I'm not too up-to-speed on all the terminology used in music production.


    Thanks!
    -Hypocrita
    #8
    matt fresha
    Max Output Level: -87 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 168
    • Joined: 2014/10/01 21:02:50
    • Status: offline
    Re: Intermittent MIDI Playback 2015/01/31 13:56:40 (permalink)
    Are you using a drum map? I've been documenting something *SIMILAR* to this in another thread, and last night I realized this was happening to me when using drum maps. I'm also using a humanizer, which I thought Sonar was having issues with until I removed the drum map.
     
    Something very strange is going on with my Platinum because X3 Producer worked great with MIDI, never really even had an issue, even when using drum maps, humanizers and such.
    #9
    Hypocrita
    Max Output Level: -89 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 82
    • Joined: 2014/12/26 15:55:49
    • Status: offline
    Re: Intermittent MIDI Playback 2015/01/31 14:49:27 (permalink)
    Hello Vern C!


    Mm, yes, I'm using a drum map, paired with the PRV, in case that matters at all.
    I never did have this problem before I got Platinum, I've had X2 Essential and X3 Studio, they all worked fine, but Platinum, I'm getting little issues here and there that make me more than a little bit curious.
    Of course, it is quite new, so I don't expect miracles. =)


    Thanks!
    -Hypocrita
    #10
    matt fresha
    Max Output Level: -87 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 168
    • Joined: 2014/10/01 21:02:50
    • Status: offline
    Re: Intermittent MIDI Playback 2015/01/31 16:31:15 (permalink)
    Hypocrita
    Hello Vern C!


    Mm, yes, I'm using a drum map, paired with the PRV, in case that matters at all.
    I never did have this problem before I got Platinum, I've had X2 Essential and X3 Studio, they all worked fine, but Platinum, I'm getting little issues here and there that make me more than a little bit curious.
    Of course, it is quite new, so I don't expect miracles. =)


    Thanks!
    -Hypocrita


    Try disabling the drum map and see what happens, just route the midi track to the drum VSTi. This is nearly the same situation as me: Everything worked fine pre-Platinum. Once I got Platinum, I started experiencing this.
    #11
    Hypocrita
    Max Output Level: -89 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 82
    • Joined: 2014/12/26 15:55:49
    • Status: offline
    Re: Intermittent MIDI Playback 2015/02/01 17:25:39 (permalink)
    Hello!


    I gave that a try, bypassing the drum map, and so far, it seems to be working.
    Thanks for the suggestion!


    Take care!
    -Hypocrita
    #12
    Hypocrita
    Max Output Level: -89 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 82
    • Joined: 2014/12/26 15:55:49
    • Status: offline
    Re: Intermittent MIDI Playback 2015/02/01 17:25:40 (permalink)
    Hello!


    I gave that a try, bypassing the drum map, and so far, it seems to be working.
    Thanks for the suggestion!


    Take care!
    -Hypocrita
    #13
    Hypocrita
    Max Output Level: -89 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 82
    • Joined: 2014/12/26 15:55:49
    • Status: offline
    Re: Intermittent MIDI Playback 2015/02/01 17:25:40 (permalink)
    Hello!


    I gave that a try, bypassing the drum map, and so far, it seems to be working.
    Thanks for the suggestion!


    Take care!
    -Hypocrita
    #14
    Hypocrita
    Max Output Level: -89 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 82
    • Joined: 2014/12/26 15:55:49
    • Status: offline
    Re: Intermittent MIDI Playback 2015/02/01 17:26:37 (permalink)
    Odd, I don't remember hitting "submit post" more than once... Apologies if my previous post shows up multiple times for you!
    #15
    Hypocrita
    Max Output Level: -89 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 82
    • Joined: 2014/12/26 15:55:49
    • Status: offline
    Re: Intermittent MIDI Playback 2015/02/01 17:26:37 (permalink)
    Odd, I don't remember hitting "submit post" more than once... Apologies if my previous post shows up multiple times for you!
    #16
    Jump to:
    © 2025 APG vNext Commercial Version 5.1