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Hi,

I'm totally new to MIDI music. I am however good with computers...

I just bought a Yamaha Synth (don't know the model number, but it's a
very basic 88-key synth with 8 programmed sounds), along with a TASCAM
US-122 USB interface.

My laptop is a 6-year old Dell Inspiron 8200 running Windows XP (USB
1.1 interface).

My goal : I want to be able to install different sounds on the laptop
(I think they call them "VSTs", for virtual instruments), connect the
synth to my laptop and sound system through the TASCAM interface (or
some other interface if the TASCAM is not good enough ?), and be able
to hit a key on the synth and hear the virtual instrument through my
sound system, with zero latency (no delay between the time I hit the
synth key and the time the sound comes out of the sound system).

Is this possible with my current hardware ?

If it's not possible with this hardware, what other avenues do I have
to be able to play zero-latency VSTs with my (basic) synth ?

Thanks for clearing that up for me...

[Nil]

On 16 Jul 2007, wrote in rec.audio.pro:

If it's not possible with this hardware, what other avenues do I
have to be able to play zero-latency VSTs with my (basic) synth ?

There is no such thing as zero latency with a computer setup like you
describe. The MIDI connection itself always contributes some latency,
as does the drivers, host program, and VSTi. I'll leave it to someone
else to say whether the Tascam thing does well enough for the latency
to not be annoying, but I wouldn't be surprised if the the older USB
interface is a problem.

I know a few keyboardists who use MIDI keyboard - virtual instruments
setups, and they've learned to deal with it. Some guitarists are doing
similar things (Todd Rundgren, John McLaughlin).

[Romeo Rondeau[_2_]]

wrote:
Hi,

I'm totally new to MIDI music. I am however good with computers...

I just bought a Yamaha Synth (don't know the model number, but it's a
very basic 88-key synth with 8 programmed sounds), along with a TASCAM
US-122 USB interface.

My laptop is a 6-year old Dell Inspiron 8200 running Windows XP (USB
1.1 interface).

My goal : I want to be able to install different sounds on the laptop
(I think they call them "VSTs", for virtual instruments), connect the
synth to my laptop and sound system through the TASCAM interface (or
some other interface if the TASCAM is not good enough ?), and be able
to hit a key on the synth and hear the virtual instrument through my
sound system, with zero latency (no delay between the time I hit the
synth key and the time the sound comes out of the sound system).

Is this possible with my current hardware ?

If it's not possible with this hardware, what other avenues do I have
to be able to play zero-latency VSTs with my (basic) synth ?

Thanks for clearing that up for me...


There is no such thing as a zero latency synthesizer, hardware or
software. There, now that's out of the way, you're gonna need something
a little more muscular to make it work and even at that... it's still a
little shaky. USB is not a very robust interface and latency is it's
achilles heel.

Check this out:

http://www.museresearch.com/

It's a little pricey, but it's a neat box and the information on this
site will kinda let you know what you're up against.