I wrote:
"I have a Focusrite scarlett 2i4, BUT much depends on what type of recording you are doing. I only record one thing at a time, so the smallish 2i4 has plenty of inputs for me. It has been stable running under Windows 7. My only complaint is that it only has one headphone out, which means I needed to split the signal (Berringer MicroAmp HA400) so I could have phones for myself and the singer. Maybe I could have done something with the jacks on the back, but I never did figure that out."
 
To this I would add that some of the Focusrite AIs that are of higher grade than mine have a control interface that you can open on your computer. The 2i4 has none. Also, about a year ago I researched how I could get a compressor in the signal chain between my mic and X3 going through the 2i4. Can't easily be done using 2i4, whereas a Focusrite or other model with more bells and whistles might allow for that.

Good point, rbecker. The name of the software mixer thingie (at least for the Scarlett series and maybe others) is called Scarlettmix. I believe the lowest "grade" model that comes with it included in the Scarlett series is the 2i6 (or is that 2i8?... I forget).
 
My 18i6 comes with it as would the 18i20 I believe. It allows you to do multiple headphone mix "scenes" to send out to the various outputs... or something like that. I really don't mess with it much because it's just me tweedling away in my little "studio" by myself.
 
I think Focusrite recently said they offering one of their newer effects plugin packages for free to new users as well. Not sure if that deal is still going on. It was in the Deals subforum here a little while back (I think CCLarry posted it). Unfortunately us older users weren;t included in that offer.
 
Cheers.

According to the manual, your S950 can connect to Sonar and your computer directly over USB. You don't need an interface.
 
What exactly you mean by 3 ticks?
Do you look at where the notes begin, save the Cakewalk song project file, re-open it, and the position of the midi notes have changed?
 
3 ticks is an extremely short amount of time (if indeed we are talking about the same thing).
 
I am sitting in front of my Sonar X3 right now, zoomed in as far as I can go, I am increasing
the note start time by 1 tick and I cannot even see the note postition change, it's that short.
...OK, 3 ticks I am beginning to see something.
 
But as I say, I am fully zoomed in, so I suspect we are not talking about the same thing.

Oh and rbecker... as for adding that hardware compressor, if wanted to have the compressor in between the mic and the DAW you'd just connect the mic directly to the compressor then the Line output of the compressor to the Line input on the 2i4 (this would require you using the multi input on the Scarlett and making sure it is set to Line In as opposed to Instr).
 
However I have to set the Line In vs Instr connection stuff in Scarlettmix. Maybe the 2i4 simply does not have a line input option at all but that seems odd because it's an important function.
 
Cheers.
 

jpetersen
According to the manual, your S950 can connect to Sonar and your computer directly over USB. You don't need an interface.
 
 

That's what it sounds like he's doing. I don't think he's using the onboard sounds BUT rather he's programming the MIDI data inside the sequencer on the keyboard then that's being written to Sonar (which then triggers softsynths in Sonar). So when he saves it might be playing back the performance (and overwiting the old one) but due to latency it's printing it slightly later than intended each time... or something like that.
 
I figured that would be avoided by the device clock syncing with Sonar but that's out of my skill level so I dunno.

I figured someone who hardly knows what computer he has is unlikely to really undersstand latency and ticks.
 
If he comes back, we can inquire further.

jpetersen
I figured someone who hardly knows what computer he has is unlikely to really undersstand latency and ticks.
 
If he comes back, we can inquire further.

It did occur to me that "ticks" in this sense may be referring to audible metronome ticks as opposed to the more finite digital ticks BUT OP seems happy enough with the info so far and is looking into options to help.
 
I would however disagree that an audio interface won't help even if they are connecting via USB. The interface would offload some of the processing from the system and provide access to lower latency ASIO drivers thus allowing everything to work more smoothly.
 
HOW or WHY that happens... dunno. I'm not a tech but I certainly know that if I use a program like Sonar (or any other DAW) in combination with softsynths then try to input real time data from a MIDI controller it lags like a bugger (and causes all sorts of audible glitching).
 
Bring an properly installed/configured interface into the equation and that same MIDI controller connected via the same USB port starts working much better.
 
I can say I've done this in Sonar, Reaper and FLStudio (demo) with all the same results.
 
The addition of ASIO4ALL also helped a bit when no interface was available which is why I brought it up. But is much glitchier and does not provide the same low latency as when there IS a proper interface connected.
 
Just jamming a USB MIDI device into a port and expecting the onboard soundcard of the computer to work properly in WDM or KS or MME with no other consideration taken will ineveitably lead to poor results/disappointment.
 
Even direct input into Step Sequencers or PRV data entry areas with no live input at all is problematic without some kind of interface (again... I've tried and again ASIO4ALL helps but a proper interface is way better).
 
OP is certainly being polite and trying to learn. Sounds like he might be about where I was when I signed up to this place so I fully understand what he's going through.
 
Cheers.

We don't even know what he is trying to achieve.
Does he just want to record his MIDI playing in Sonar, then play it back?
 
If so, why?
 
The Yamaha S950 manual says it has built-in recording capability to a USB stick. Audio.
It is a full, auto-accompanyment, microphone input and autoharmonizer, has multitrack midi recording built in, etc.
 
Firstly, what added value is he expecting from Sonar?
And second, so many things can be conflicting.
 
Anyway, we'll see.

jpetersen
According to the manual, your S950 can connect to Sonar and your computer directly over USB. You don't need an interface.

 
he can connect with USB I agree...but without a driver, latency is almost a guarantee.
but without a reply we are all kind of sitting our hands :-)