Hi,

When I play keyboards/MIDI on Sonar (the one given by Bandlab), I got some little parasites, like little "clips".
I was trying to post a link here but it seems not possible.

I thought it was related to distortion, but I cannot see any level warning in the DAW or on the sound card output (Babyface Pro).
The issue can occur:
- with Arturia keystep and Alesis Q49 as well
- with Motu Ethno VST and native Sonar synth TTS-1
- monitoring headphones and basic ones
- during recording and after export/bounce

Do you know how I can fix it?
Thank you for your help.

Parasites?  Need more info, as that is not a common term for a MIDI issue.
 
Are you recording MIDI or audio?
 

Hi abacab,
I am recording MIDI.
It is like "pop" when you sing without (anti)pop filter.
Of course it is not the same issue, since it is MIDI not audio, but it is the same noise.
Never got this issue before.
The excerpt to hear them: https://clyp.it/mi20kd2r
(from 0:06)
That issue may be fixed easily, but I cannot find out.
Thanks.

Preferences --> MIDI --> Playback and recording :
 
on Record, set the number of buffers to at least 128. Or try 256.
 
on Playback, set Prepare using : 256 milliseconds buffers.
 
Hope it helps.

Hi James Argo,
Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately it does not work on my side.
It also seems not possible to set 256 on record.
 
Parasites occur when I am holding a MIDI note more than 4-5 seconds.
The softer I play, the lower the parasites are (as if it were an "effect").
Same parasites when writing notes on the staff and then playing them.
Hope those elements give a clue to someone here...
 
The same excerpt: https://clyp.it/mi20kd2r

As a test, increase the audio buffer size on your audio interface and see if that helps.  I heard static at regular intervals in your sample.
 
Also make sure that you are using the ASIO audio device type that your Babyface Pro supports.
 
You may also want to try Resplendence LatencyMon to check if a driver is causing excessive DPC latency that is interfering with real-time audio on your computer.  http://www.resplendence.com/latencymon
 
Here are some other PC optimization guides you may want to review. https://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/mac-pc-optimization/

You can also try temporarily bypassing all effects processing, by hitting the letter 'E' on your computer keyboard, which toggles effects in the project off/on.  If the issue goes away with the effects off, then one or more effects are possibly causing an issue.
 
For whatever the worth, I run VERY stable with an ASIO Buffer Size of 128 samples, with 24-bit recording, at 48k Sample Rate, when tracking.  I COULD go with a smaller ASIO Buffer Size, but I really don't have any latency issues and I also never have any audio hiccups or dropouts or garbling - it doesn't make anything work too hard, and it just always works.  When changing over from recording to mixing, I bump up the ASIO Buffer Size to either 1024 or 2048, to give myself room for the more robust effects that need it, since latency is no longer an issue at that point in the work flow.
 
Bob Bone
 

MIDI Parasites?  Weren't they an industrial band in the 80s?

As suggested, sounds like audio settings need adjustment.

Hi,

Thank you all for your replies, but I am still completely l.o.s.t.
I updated the "firmware" & the driver of the Babyface Pro, changed the buffer parameters (feel like finding out combinations for a safe), checked the possible effects (hitting E, as said by Robert_e_bone), but nothing changed.

3 notes:
- My keyboard is USB plugged into the computer (as power supply), and not directly into the BabyFace Pro. Maybe that is the part of the problem. What do you think? I may get a power adaptater for my keyboard this week.
- I bounced a track some weeks ago (an only audio track without MIDI), and I got an unexpected parasite, looking like a static, I do not really know. So I guess the improper settings may not only concern MIDI.
- I got specific settings for the BabyFace Pro (notably Buffer size / latency of 1024 samples). Do I need to take them into account in order to set the DAW settings properly?

Thank you for your help.

abacab

Also make sure that you are using the ASIO audio device type that your Babyface Pro supports.

Do you know how I can check that?
Thanks.