I've recently upgraded from Home Studio 4 to X2 Studio.  The transition is awkward, I've slogged through the tutorials and want to try to use this software.  There's lots of questions, but let me start with this one:
 
I've entered a song on six midi tracks.  I play it through my keyboard.  Now I add a vocal audio track.  I play the song and it plays normally.  But when I try to record onto the audio track while the midi is playing the beat becomes irregular!  Not irregular like there's random interuptions more like a shuffle or swing effect is being applied for some reason. 
 
Where do I look to make this go away and play the song with a straight beat?
 
..    Tony

Which metronome are you using? Try the other one :o)
In my system (SP 8.5) the audio metronome works better.

Are you using a audio interface with ASIO drivers? You should always post your system specs otherwise we are left blind to what might cause your problem. 

Yea, its sound card and/or sound card driver configuration related most likely. 

My midi and audio input go through a Tascam US-144 MK II.  (A USB midi/audio interface).  My audio output goes out through my build-in system audio card and system speakers: These show up as Realtek HD Audio rear output [WaveRT] 1/2.
Looking through the specifications section of the Tascam manual, I don't see ASIO mentioned.  Also, looking under Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers > US-144 MKII > Properties, I don't see anything about ASIO.
 
I'm using Windows 7, 64-bit.
 

You do not use your built in audio sound card. this is why you are having problems. You can only use one sound card and that's your Tascam. Disable your onboard card right away

Piece,
CJ

CJ's right about disabling your built in sound card.  To access you ASIO panel, the next time you open Studio go to Preferences>Audio>Driver settings.  It's not in the control panel, but is in X2Studio.

tbaroni


My midi and audio input go through a Tascam US-144 MK II.  (A USB midi/audio interface).  My audio output goes out through my build-in system audio card and system speakers: These show up as Realtek HD Audio rear output [WaveRT] 1/2.
Looking through the specifications section of the Tascam manual, I don't see ASIO mentioned.  Also, looking under Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers > US-144 MKII > Properties, I don't see anything about ASIO.
 
I'm using Windows 7, 64-bit.
 

That fixed it.  But I don't understand why.  Why can't I send the midi outputs out one port and the audio out another?  I was able to get away with this under Home Studio 4 (after a lot of struggling.)
 
I'm still in the dark on ASIO.  When I get to Driver Settings, I see no mention of ASIO.  And what I do see is rather confusing.  I've changed my Audio Driver Bit Depth from 16 to 24 since that's what the US-144MKII outputs.
 
I'll try checking the 64-bit Engine option since my machine is 64-bit.
 
Dim solo gain makes little sense to me, I've left that at -12dB.
 
Sampling rate I've left at 44100 though the Tascam does up to 96KHz. 
 
The mixing latency parameters are set at buffers = 2, buffer size = 1364 samples, 30.9msec.  I'm hesitant to goof around with these, as I'm not sure how I'd test whether I've had improvements or not.
 
For the record, the wave profiler showed me:
==== TASCAM US-144 MKII (2 in, 2 out) ====
11025 Hz: not available
22050 Hz: not available
44100 Hz: Channels 1,4 -- Bits 16,24,24(4 bytes),32 -- OK
48000 Hz: Channels 1,4 -- Bits 16,24,24(4 bytes),32 -- OK
88200 Hz: Channels 1,4 -- Bits 16,24,24(4 bytes),32 -- OK
96000 Hz: Channels 1,4 -- Bits 16,24,24(4 bytes),32 -- OK
176400 Hz: not available
192000 Hz: not available
384000 Hz: not available
==== Realtek High Definition Audio (3 in, 6 out) ====
11025 Hz: not available
22050 Hz: not available
44100 Hz: Channels 1,2 -- Bits 16 -- OK
48000 Hz: Channels 1,2 -- Bits 16 -- OK
88200 Hz: not available
96000 Hz: Channels 1,2 -- Bits 16 -- OK
176400 Hz: not available
192000 Hz: Channels 1,2 -- Bits 16 -- OK
384000 Hz: not available
 
 So, what's my point?  This stuff is pretty technical and somewhat confusing.  Discussing it here is proving to be helpful.
 
Thanks much to those who have spent the time to respond.

The onboard soundchips are no good for any sort of DAW work. 
In addition, using two soundcards means using two MIDI-clocks, which are hard to sync.

The 64-bit engine has nothing to do with your system bit rate, but it means the internal bit rate used also in 32-bit system. There are many VST-plugins, for example, which also have their own, internal higher bit rate calculation.

Have you installed the newest ASIO-drivers for your Tascam? If you have, they should show in the drivers list.

You just cant use 2 different sound card sat the same time. The clocking will be screwed up and your seeing clocking issues. both cards can be set to 44.1kHz but the clocking/timing will be screwed since there are tiny variables in the clocking.

This was exactly what you where seeing. Onboard sound cards are not meant to be used for htings like this.  Your Tascam is way way way way better for this. its built for audio recording