Hi Farmer George here. Could use some help trying to match the timing when sounds occur. I hit a key on my Midi Keyboard. It makes a sound immediately but soft synth sound from computer has somewhat of a delay. I am using a Casio 850 Privia and Music Creator 6 software. I appreciate any help I can get.  Thank You
                                                     Farmer George - New Jersey
      You can get me at

If you are not using a dedicated audio interface, you are likely using WDM drivers in Windows, and may be getting latency from your CPU having to process all of the digital/audio conversion to play the soft-synth notes, on top of any effects that are loaded into the project, and of course the software itself.
 
Please indicate whether or not you have a dedicated audio interface.  If you do not have one, you will most likely want to pick one up - a decent basic one will start at around $150, depending on features.
 
Bob Bone
 

Welcome to the forum!
You say it's a MIDI controller keyboard, but also that it makes a sound when you hit the keys ?? So I assume it's a MIDI keyboard instrument, not only a controller. Anyway, that's not important.
IMO It's not a good idea to listen both to the keyboards own audio and the softsynth. That will get you distracted, latency or not.
And, as  Bob Bone mentions above, it's the audio interface and its drivers that take care of the latency and evrerything, and your post doesn't give any info regarding those. The latency is controlled by the buffer settings
of your interface. The total roundtrip latency (input+output) should be under 20 milliseconds, the less the better.
 

What they said...^^^^
 
A good interface is the heart of your home studio setup.  We all use one.  Get one that supports ASIO drivers, has phantom power and audio preamps built in.... and then it's a matter of getting the number of inputs and outputs you want to pay for..... more ins/outs raises the cost.
 
You can input the midi either through the interface if it supports midi in/out or if the synth has USB, that works too and you only need a decent audio interface. It becomes the default in and out soundcard for the music software.
 
A USB based interface is good.... a USB based mic is not. DO NOT buy a USB mic. Seriously.

If you do not have some special audio interface, install ASIO4ALL and switch driver model to ASIO.
Do not be aggressive with the buffer settings, start with 512 and then go down to 128 in case you have no distortion. Build-in Realtek in most cases works fine at 256.
If you have SoundBlaster card, it has native ASIO drivers.
 
As was mentioned, you most probably want to switch local sound off. Whatever solution you take, there will be some delay between local sound and computer. But with $150 interface it is going to be significantly shorter.
 
To other.... Before you start shout at me for the bad advise.... Someone with Casio privia is likely not ready to spend $150 to get the first sound out of computer.

AZslow3 makes a good point.... ASIO4ALL may solve the issue.....
 
It's a wrapper for the less than optimal driver you now use.... to fool the hardware into thinking it can run ASIO. 
 
Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.  I tried it to try and save the cost of the interface.  For me, it never worked.

Your issue comes up quite frequently in the forums, and the solution is nearly always that purchasing a dedicated audio interface to take over the processing/conversion work so your computer's CPU doesn't bog down doing it, will instantly fix the kind of problems you are reporting.
 
ASIO4ALL is generally at best a band aid, and can also frequently cause its own problems.
 
I recommend you look at and pick up a well-built low feature audio interface - these start at around $150, on up, depending on adding more features.
 
A basic interface will have usually 2 ins/outs, (combination line/mic inputs), phantom power, midi in/out/thru.  You will also want to make sure drivers for an interface you are looking at are supplied for at least Windows 7, and better for also support for Windows 8 and 8.1
 
There are certainly much more expensive interfaces you could get, but there are several really decent ones at around the $150 mark.  The more pricier ones have more ins and outs, ability to daisy-chain/expand to add additional inputs/outputs, etc.
 
Focus Rite
Presonus
 
Are good examples in that price range to look at.
 
Here are a couple of links to them as sold by Guitar and Sweetwater:
 
Used Presonus AudioBox 44VSL Audio Interface $179: 
 
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Presonus-Used-Presonus-AudioBox-44VSL-Audio-Interface-110358718-i3949236.gc
 
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 USB Audio Interface (no midi or phantom power)
 
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-2i2-USB-Audio-Interface-107041253-i2162367.gc
 
Presonus AudioBox iTwo 2x2 USB/iPad Recording System

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Presonus-AudioBox-iTwo-2x2-USB-iPad-Recording-System-110316445-i3746431.gc
 

Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 USB Audio Interface

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-2i4-USB-Audio-Interface-108264573-i2658350.gc
 
 

robert_e_bone
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 USB Audio Interface (no midi or phantom power)

I do not think 850  has MIDI IO nor audio in.
 
Scarlett 2i2 has phantom power, but it is bad with (some) guitars.


We do not know either George is going to sing or play guitar. We also do not know either he has monitors. TRS connectors as the output can confuse some Casio DP players
 
So, Focusrite Scarlett Solo or even some M-audio from e-bay (like in my signature) can do the trick.

Farmer George does not say whether his key board had a midi connector or USB. If it is the latter can it still be routed through an interface as I have not seen any with a USB connector. I am new to interfaces having used a mixer for years but was recently given a M Audio fast track ultra 8R Audio interface (BTW. £160 from E Bay) I also have a M Audio Oxygen 61 controller which has a USB connector. So my question that may help Farmer George is does the controller need to go through the interface.
 
Thanks

CASIO PREVIA PX-850BK
TerminalsUSB (to host)Yes USB (to device)Yes PHONES / OUTPUT2 (Stereo Standard) LINE OUT Yes
 
Hope the proper driver is installed and to be tested multiple virtual instruments, as some of them have higher latency.
 
[for me DPro/Rapture/KONTAKT are ok but I faced same problem with Aria Player]