MIDI Data Is Off Time!

Happens to me too. Apparently this is an issue that doesn't happen to everyone and seems to be connected with the kind of hardware you're using. My audio interface doesn't have a midi input so I use a separate USB MIDI cable. I don't know for sure if this is why this happens, but the way I deal with it is by nudging every midi clip I record to the right, right after I record it -kinda like quantizing but not the midi notes specifically but the entire clip. I use the total round trip latency reported to Sonar by the audio interface. I take that same number (in samples) and enter it into my nudge right 1 settings and then I just nudge right after recording a midi clip and it lines up perfectly. It's pretty painless.

Samuel540

pinguinotuerto
I don't know for sure if this is why this happens, but the way I deal with it is by nudging every midi clip I record to the right, right after I record it -kinda like quantizing but not the midi notes specifically but the entire clip.

I would do the same thing but for me it's actually a bit of a pain.

How so? Once you enter that number into your nudge settings you don't have to change it again. To nudge right all you have to do is hit one key on your keyboard.

tenfoot
This is always a tough one to diagose due to the chance of human error. An interesting experiment would be to quantise a midi track so that it is perfectly in time, then use loopbe virtual midi to record the output of that track to a new midi track in real time and see if it stays in time. If there was a difference, you would then have a precise amount to nudge by.

Or the OP can just do what I suggested, which has worked for me and several other people, and not have to go through all those steps. This is not human error. There is an issue that some people experience with Sonar, the metronome, and certain hardware configurations. I don't know what the cause is. I just now how to correct the issue after it happens. There doesn't seem to be a solution to prevent it from happening.

Samuel540
 
I mean the nudging. Nudging every time I record.

Don't know what else to tell you. If you find a better fix, let me know.

stevec
See if this helps:
http://forum.cakewalk.com/Midi-events-appear-to-be-written-sooner-than-they-should-m2730028.aspx#2731416
 

After going through the thread, I've come to the conclusion that it's probably just my audio interface. I mean, I've had much better performance from the same audio interface on a Mac but anyway... I guess I'll be looking to try SONAR on Mac and hoping that many, if not all of my current woes vanish away.
 
Thanks, guys!

williamcopper
This is an old problem, specific to Platinum (I think).

Not Platinum specific. Happened to me in X3e also.

JonD
Shot in the dark suggestions:
 
- If you're not already, leave one blank measure at the beginning of each project to allow time for the midi to "sync up".
- Try a different USB port.  (You should be on a USB2 port.  Avoid USB3 if you can).
 
- Random setting that affects timing for some users:
 
http://forum.cakewalk.com/Updated-Significant-performance-improvement-for-me-today-m3237094.aspx

That one blank measure at the start of your projects is a really good practice. Thanks for reminding me.
 
I'm already on a USB2.0 port but you would think USB3.0 would be better for music production............
 
Thanks, JonD

 
A fix has been found! Timing Offset" in the "Sync and Caching" page of "Preferences" can be adjusted to offset where the MIDI lands when you record. The value you enter here has to match your Roundtrip Audio Reported Latency, which appears in the same preferences window (Synch and Caching) all the way at the bottom. To convert the value from samples to milliseconds, take whatever sampling rate you're using (44.1 or 48) divide it by 1,000 (result will be 44.1 or 48) and then divide your Audio Reported Latency by that number (44.1 or 48) to get the milliseconds you need. This will all line up and work as long as you have the Use Audio Reported Latency box checked.