KVR Audio

Glyn Darby · Post by **Glyn Darby** » Tue Oct 24, 2023 6:42 pm

Hi all,

I’m having a problem with Midi jitter for want of a better word. I have a Windows 11 PC running at 4300 ghz with a 18i8 and a ADA8200, with Live 11 as my DAW with 128 samples as my buffer. I have various hardware synths in my my set up and for some reason the Midi sync with Live is very erratic to say the least. Live is the master tempo and say it’s set to 120 bpm any of my synths onboard sequencers or synced effects are horribly out of sync. They can range anything upto + or - 2 bpm out on the 120 bpm in Live. I have the same problem when my synths are connected via there USB connection or from a Kenton 25 Midi thru box. I have looked on the net and seen a couple of Multisync modules but they require a spare audio output to send an audio clock signal to the said Multisync modules, I only have my 2 main outputs on my 18i8. Is there any other way of achieving the same sort of thing.

Cheers,
Glyn.

Pictus · Post by **Pictus** » Wed Oct 25, 2023 3:59 pm

You may find some interesting info about MIDI jitter.
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https://gearspace.com/board/showpost.ph ... tcount=195
https://gearspace.com/board/showpost.ph ... tcount=210
https://gearspace.com/board/showpost.ph ... tcount=242
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Try disable core parking and try to keep the CPU speed constant may help with jitter.
https://coderbag.com/product/quickcpu

For better USB/LAN and lower Windows DPC latency, try
viewtopic.php?p=8667750#p8667750

Acid Mitch · Post by **Acid Mitch** » Wed Oct 25, 2023 4:30 pm

You need more outputs from your daw and something like USAMO, ER M multiclock or Sync-gen.
If you want to sequence notes and not just send clock then only the Expert sleepers stuff does it ( USAMO, ESX8-md,etc)

zerocrossing · Post by **zerocrossing** » Wed Oct 25, 2023 6:58 pm

Glyn Darby wrote: ↑Tue Oct 24, 2023 6:42 pmI have various hardware synths in my my set up and for some reason the Midi sync with Live is very erratic to say the least.

Which synths? I've found that some of my synths are great at MIDI sync, but some struggle with it. I don't think it has anything to do with the MIDI clock. It's just poor implementation. Waldorf synths like the Blofeld and M are notoriously bad at syncing to a MIDI clock. It's one of the reasons I finally ditched my M. I replaced it with a Nina, which syncs fine, though there's currently a bug where the note values are wrong, but if you just go by ear, you can find the right value.

ctsakiris · Post by **ctsakiris** » Wed Oct 25, 2023 7:34 pm

This is my experience too. Apart from the fact that some synths are inherently problematic with syncing to MIDI clock, in general I find the most stable PC MIDI setup jitter-wise to be anything without USB, e.g. older PCI/PCIe cards with MIDI I/O. For USB interfaces, the best setup I've ever worked with was MacOS / Logic / Unitor. I don't know if it's due to CoreMidi or due to the emagic interfaces, but they have less jitter than I've ever measaured in any PC system with Windows and any other USB MIDI interface.

andrewbrewer · Post by **andrewbrewer** » Wed Oct 25, 2023 11:05 pm

I love the USAMO. It does get you perfect midi. Also can reveal when the jitter is from the instrument itself.

zerocrossing · Post by **zerocrossing** » Wed Oct 25, 2023 11:34 pm

ctsakiris wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 7:34 pm This is my experience too. Apart from the fact that some synths are inherently problematic with syncing to MIDI clock, in general I find the most stable PC MIDI setup jitter-wise to be anything without USB, e.g. older PCI/PCIe cards with MIDI I/O. For USB interfaces, the best setup I've ever worked with was MacOS / Logic / Unitor. I don't know if it's due to CoreMidi or due to the emagic interfaces, but they have less jitter than I've ever measaured in any PC system with Windows and any other USB MIDI interface.

I use an old MOTU MIDI Express and I never have issues, but I also never have audio over USB. I always use a PCIe FireWire card.

ctsakiris · Post by **ctsakiris** » Thu Oct 26, 2023 9:27 pm

That was my PC/Windows setup before switching to the Unitors, a MIDI Express XT (old one) and an 128 - thought that it was as good as it gets, still had some minimal jitter now and then though. I wonder if it was due to the audio interface and how it can interfere.

Midi jitter!