MIDI PROBLEMS:

I've been at this problem for a couple of days, but with no success, maybe one of you guys have had a similar problem and can help me figure this out. I'm trying to use a YOKI DD908 Electronic drum set to trigger the Session Drummer 3 drum kit I like in Sonar x1 Pro Expanded via My Presonus Firepod 8-channel Midi interface. Problem is, when I hit a pad on the yoki kit, there is a SHORT DELAY on the kit I have loaded in session drummer 3 making it impossible to laydown a drum track this way. I've tried adjusting my latency with the presonus control panel and that didn't work, So I downloaded a free ASIO program called "ASIO4ALL" and that didn't work either. My Session drummer 3 Midi track is setup like this::::> Input= firepod midi-in -omni:::::::>Output to= 3 - Session Drummer1..........from there session drummer 3 has everything going into 8-tracks(kick,snare,toms,hats,cymbals)......everything works great like it should in the mix except for that short delay I get........Any suggestions?
 
 
 
PC Specs: Window Vista SP2, 1.80 dual core, 32-bit, 2GB-RAM, 500GB-HD.....

Yes, I have the driver mode in sonar set to ASIO.....this delay also happens when I try using my keyboard as a midi trigger to run True-Piano or other midi programs in sonar as well.....everything else works great, except for this time delay which is probably one of those things that is so simple we over look.....I have been troubleshooting everything I know, from updating drivers(which were all up to date) to the audio/midi settings in sonar, but everything seems to be in order.....it's just that irritating delay in the loop from my drum-module::::>presonus firepod(midi interface):::::>Sonar(midi in)::
:::>then to Session Drummer 3:::::::>back out from sonar(midi-out)to my presonus firepod for monitoring..... I have also re-searched the web and found some similar problems like this in some forums that others have encountered, but none of them were exactly like this one or least I haven't found any as of right now......some say it's latency, but I have tried adjusting it several different ways with no success.....BTW, how does one take a screen shot, So I can load up my settings on here?

Ok, I opened a brand new project with just SD3 and no plug-ins and it works much, much better with only a slight millisecond of delay time......I took some screen shots of my settings, but I don't know how to load them from my desktop onto here.....at least we're on the right track now, thanks to SCorey....

I get terrible latency when Drumagog is enabled. I have to disable it get anything like a workable scenareo and that's not brilliant.. It maybe my Midisport 8x8  drivers. My audio interface is Focusrite Saffire Pro 40. Maybe I should use the Midi in on that.

Ok, I had a look at your settings. You can see in your driver settings that your input and output latencies are 22ms. That's on the high side for doing drums like you want to. You're also using ASIO4ALL (which you did mention earlier) which is an ASIO wrapper around the sound device's WDM driver. I've never heard of ASIO4ALL reducing latency and I rarely hear of it actually solving a problem. It's usually a last resort band-aid.

So, stop using ASIO4ALL. Go to Preferences->Audio->Devices and switch back to the Firepod's proper ASIO device. Apply the changes. Go back to Preferences->Audio->Driver settings, click the "ASIO Panel" button to launch the Firepod contol panel and set its buffer to 256 if possible. Try playing the drums and see how it feels.

Generally, you want to get that buffer as low as possible without clicks, pops, stutters, dropouts etc.

Thanks SCorey, your the man!!......I did what you said and it works just fine inside a new project without any plugins of course.....The only problem I'm left with now, is that I can't record the drum tracks in the session that I was working on, due to one of the plugins(as you mentioned could be the problem). I now will go through each plugin and disable them one at a time and try to find the one that caused me such a headache.

Glad to help. Now that you've got it sorted out, here are a few more tips. You can bypass FX bins by right-clicking the bin and choosing "Bypass Bin" or "Bypass Bins Of This Type". This will save the plugins settings, but will bypass them so you can do some low-latency recording.

Or, up in the Control Bar at the top there is the Mix Module with a few more buttons for your situation. One is "FX" which will bypass all audio effects so they won't cause latency. When you're finished recording, un-bypass.

The other button is "PDC" which will bypass the "plugin delay compensation" on live inputs. This button will keep your effects plugins active, but will turn off any latency compensation so you can record without that delay. The problem is that then your tracks will get out of sync by the amount of a plugin's delay. It might or might not work for you depending on the plugins. But give it a shot, and remember to turn it off when you've finished recording to keep everything in sync.

When your plugins are causing latency on live playing, no amount of increased computer horsepower will reduce it. It's just the way digital processing works.

I'm a drummer too. I've tried some of the high end electronic kits from Roland and Yamaha, but still nothing beats the acoustic. I think the electronic kits have gotten pretty good at the quiet side of things, but I tend to be a heavy hitter. The electronic kits just can't reproduce the feel of going all out.