MIDI Self-Routing Latency with DAW

  • Alright, so I've just got my grubby hands on a Virus TI2 desktop, and I'm absolutely loving it. Ready to put it to work in a live setting.


    I've encountered a rather unusual hiccup, which I thankfully have a workaround for but I figured I'd share it here.


    For context: in my setup I have a MIDI controller and the Virus on stage, and a computer off stage. Now the MIDI controller only outputs one MIDI channel at a time, so I send its output to the computer and into Reaper, where I automate channel routing and note filtering and program changes for each song. That way I just stand on stage and play the keyboard and everything works. I figured the simplest way to do this live was to run the Virus as a MIDI interface through the USB port (NOT Virus Control). And then I just need to plug in my MIDI keyboard to the Virus' MIDI In to be routed through the DAW and then back in through the USB.


    Only one flaw: routing MIDI into the DAW through Virus ports, and then back to the Virus via USB adds a very noticeable latency to...the Mod Wheel. Of all things. This becomes an issue when I'm playing fast leads, and and some notes are written to have vibrato. But routing this way, the vibrato doesn't make it in on time, and for some reason also causes the note to hang and ruin the retrigger of the next note. The MIDI notes themselves don't SEEM out of time, though.


    Tested to see of this is a function of my DAW, but my Matrixbrute is not at all fussed about the idea of re-routing into itself through its USB MIDI interface. The solution (barring running two 30ft USB cables to centre stage instead of one) appears to be making my MIDI controller handle self-routing. and use it as the interface instead. Because the Virus just won't self-route at a usable speed. (I have gone through the Virus setup optimization guide, of course. Everything is nominal and it has its own Root Hub)


    Let me know if you've found anything of the like with your units, or if I'm the only one who has encountered this due to my uniquely convoluted setup.


  • Let me know if you've found anything of the like with your units, or if I'm the only one who has encountered this due to my uniquely convoluted setup.


    Didn't run into that problem, but a couple of other headaches trying to do everything on a MacBook running MainStage. Both marvellous products, but rock musicians and fragile technology doesn't mix well in my experience. So I went with a Virus TI Desktop and opted for this:


    [Blockierte Grafik: http://www.viscountinstruments.com/media/catalog/product/cache/2/image/1200x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/V/I/VISCOU_F_STL_PIANOLE_K5_054_0971%202015.jpg]



    No DAW, no cry! :D

    Bass Player and Synthesist.
    Virus TI2 Darkstar | Virus TI2 Desktop | Sub 37 | Voyager RME | Machinedrum | Analog Four | Digitone | MPC Live | NI Maschine+
    Mac OS 13.5.1 (Ventura) | Cubase Pro 11.0 | Ableton Live 9.6 | Logic 10.4 | MainStage 3.4 | NI Komplete Ultimate 13 | RME Fireface UFX+