So i bought the full version of Sonar X3 for $500

Im running windows 10 pro, 8gb ram, i7 core processors.
Focusrite 2i4 for my audio interface

My midi lags on all of my midi controllers via Alesis drum kit and Yamaha keyboard i use to generate notes

REGARDLESS of what buffer settings, lowest possible, i get this .5 second delay that makes it impossible to record midi correctly.
I have started new tracks and have inserted VST alone, no FX. 

8 months i have tried EVERYTHING i have read and seen people do
even when i was so confident i would finally have it fixed.

When i first had Sonar Cakewalk had a customer support number when i was having a slight midi latency issue. This was when i was still new to it. All it was is the buffer settings, (THEN i was able to simply adjust and fix when i was using windows 8.1) Now i adjust, it doesnt solve the problem whatsoever

EVERYTHING is updated. I have sat here trying to solve it. It's been very discouraging for me. No customer support. I now regret purchasing sonar as much as I love it. I dont want to give up yet...
I apologize for my frustration. but this is enough. 


If you can please guide me through some steps i would appreciate it
It might be necessary to do it over the phone, instead of here.

Much thanks for any help and responses anyways!
- Jacob

Hello, 
Try to check the Master FX Mute switch on the Tools Bar when recording in MIDI with softsynths. That should bring you back to the normal latency you can expect. Now, I am among those who simply don't understand why it is still the case with the current power monsters we have nowadays... As I've been on Cakewalk since 1996, I have no clue about other platforms but this behavior should not exist unless one gets 100 + plugins loaded in a project.

I'm not sure what type audio drivers you are using, but for me, I get noticeable latency on every type of driver I use EXCEPT ASIO.   If you're not already using an ASIO driver, you should try switching to that.

Go ahead and leave you plugins on and try clicking the PDC button on the ribbon bar.
It has been my experience that having a plug on a bus with lots of latency causes this. The PDC button is a temporary fix for me while I record midi.
 
 
 

This is the third thread created on this subject. To avoid repeating suggestions others may want to review the previous threads.
http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3662828
http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3665966
 
I ask the OP not to create another thread on this subject. Pick one of them and work the issue on it.
 
FWIW, X3 went out of support in January 2016.
 
 

Comment removed,
 
Thanks for the information scook.

You should try running the Alesis through midi (in to the 214) not usb.
As mentioned by lee, make sure your running in ASIO as driver mode.
And as Scook mentioned, don't start new threads, it gets confusing as we cant keep track of what you have and have not tried yet.

Just an observation regarding your Alesis & Yamaha controllers.
 
Make sure that both of them have Local turned off. Because you are listing both these controllers & they both exhibit latency issues it leaves me to believe they both need to have "LOCAL ON/OFF" turned off so the devices don't attempt to play the internal sounds first. Roland & 2 Box Drums are the only MIDI devices that I'm aware that actually send the MIDI data out of the external MIDI ports & then the signal continues to trigger the internal LOCAL sounds. Perhaps they are already set to "LOCAL OFF" but it's worth a try. 
 
I got rid of my Alesis Studio Pro 10 kit & bought a 2 Box Drum system due to the latency issues in the Alesis. Even after I set the "LOCAL OFF " I still had latency issues so I sold the kit to someone who was using them to learn & play drums rather that attempting to use them in a recording studio environment. Regardless of how I set the DM10 module up I was unable to get the Alesis drum pads to trigger Toontrack & Steven Slate Drums Virtual Instruments. I tried the USB & the MIDI out connectors but the results were always the same, too much latency. Once I attached the 2 Box Drums it was instant gratification & every Drum VI on my PC plays without a glitch.
 
On another note I see that a couple of Forum members suggested you should make sure you use ASIO drivers & this is really important. You might also let us know if you've added a new hard drive to your system? The Virtual Instruments you might be trying to access will be problematic if they are accessed off of a 5,400 RPM hard drive. You should always use a 7,200 RPM drive if you are streaming your VI's off of the hard drive. Your Sonar software should be installed on your Boot Drive C:\ while your (VI's) virtual instruments should be on a secondary hard drive & Sonar should be recording & playing back tracks off the third 7,200 hard drive. These drives should all be mounted inside the PC case & not connected via USB1 or USB 2 otherwise you will have issues with crackling audio. I suggest that you utilize Esata if you are attempting to connect these hard drives externally. 
 
This brings up a whole new discussion regarding external hard drives & I have had no luck utilizing USB to connect a VI or Recording / Playback hard drive to be used with Sonar. To this day I record live sessions on an Acer Laptop that has 2gb of RAM with Windows XP, but the two external hard drives are 3tb 7,200 drives connected via an Esata connector & I have never had any issues for the last 6 years with audio glitches or latency of any sort. I've even had a drummer on one session that wanted his MIDI data to be recorded as well so we could replace his drums if he wasn't happy with the live audio & it worked flawlessly.
 
Hope some of this sheds a light on what you can expect from Sonar. By the way, although I own a copy of X3 to this day I still record with Sonar 8.53.
 

I have no problems with my Alesis DM10 Studio Kit, just plug the USB into a PC USB slot, let Windows handle it, never manually installed any drivers or anything. No issues with latency using either BFD3, AD2, Superior Drummer 2, EzDrummer2, works like a charm with the above vsti's in standalone, or as a plugin in Studio One 3 Pro (99% of the time) or REAPER (the other 1% of the time), can't recall if I ever tried to use it in Platinum, don't think so.

As to the OP, we a) missing needed information like what drivers you're using, and b) any comments on whether any of the suggestions here worked.
 
FWIW having a half-second of latency is not common in any DAW, but it can happen in any DAW because the issue doesn't really involve the DAW. That's why you may not get a response from support (although as mentioned, support for X3 ended last year anyway).
 
There are certain obvious fixes that have already been mentioned - up-to-date ASIO drivers, PDC button, isolating plug-ins with lookahead, parameters in the controllers themselves, etc. If none of those solve the problem, then it's something unique to your setup. So asking support to fix it is kind of like calling up Chevrolet support and asking why you get a flat tire when you go over a particular section of road; the problem is the road, not the Chevrolet.