MIDI suddenly getting becoming distorted.

etamboni · 12-27-2015, 06:46 PM

Hi:

Running Windows 10 and Reaper, both 64 bit, and Presonus Audiobox USB interface..

Was running Windows 8 then upgraded to 10 around September...using Reaper and the PreSonus for over a year...

This problem just started happening in the last week or so...

When I'm recording MIDI tracks, the MIDI suddenly becomes distorted, then the session slows down, like Reaper is going to crash...it doesn't crash but I have to stop and start over...and it happens again...

It happened tonight... I'm recording MIDI piano using Cakewalk TTS-1..
The session has MIDI drums using EDrummer (6 separate tracks)...one MIDI piano track, one audio bass track, and one audio vocal track...

The only other plugins I'm using is Reaper's EQ and compression on a couple of tracks...

I've done session before with lots more tracks and plugins and no problem...

This slowing down and distortion thing just started happening over the last week or so...I've never had it before, and I don't think I've changed anything...

Not sure where to start looking??

Thanks,

Ed

experimentfailed · 12-27-2015, 09:36 PM

Hi Ed,

You mean the audio being produced by your MIDI tracks is getting distorted? Is it like a "clipping" distortion, or like a "glitchy" distortion?

From what you described, I'm going to guess the later. I'm not familiar with any PreSonus gear specifically, but I would go into Reaper options (ctrl+P), then check every thing in Audio->Device. Make sure you're using ASIO as your audio system, and then go into ASIO Configuration, which I believe should open a window specific to your PreSonus...Check in there for a buffer or block size setting. 256 or 512 should be good settings for that on most modern computers. If you don't see it, you can try checking "Request Block Size" in reaper and setting it to 512 or 256. The lower the better on that setting, but too low will cause issues like I think you're having. If you have to go much higher than 512, you're computer is having a deeper issue (or maybe is just simply too old for the addition of Windows 10...I know they like to /say/ it's lighter weight and should run better on older computers, but I'm dubious). Anyway, I'm just guessing that this setting got jacked up when you reinstalled windows. You probably set it a long time ago and forgot, then when you reinstalled, it got set to a default that is too low for your system.

Cheers

etamboni · 12-28-2015, 11:15 AM

Thanks for the input...

I decided to try recording again so I could describe exactly what was happening...and I realized it's a problem with this MIDI file..

I downloaded a file from the net...I'm using parts of it as a template, re-recording my own parts as I go along...

I started recording, and it began to distort and slow down...

So I started over...and it happened again in the same spot...

Even if I delete my track and play it back, it happens...it's something to do with this MIDI file...

experimentfailed · 01-04-2016, 02:22 AM

Sorry for the late reply. Can you upload the midi file somewhere so I can have a look? Only thing I can think of really would be too many notes are playing at once on that particular file, which could still boil down to an audo buffer issue.

Also what plugin(s) are you using to play back the midi file? And pardon my ignorance, but this happens to you while recording? Or just during playback?

Just1Ghost · 06-01-2020, 10:12 PM

I've had (and continue to have) an issue with my tracks, either and both audio and MIDI, becoming distorted after "a while" of playing. It doesn't seem to have any rhyme or reason why, how, when or how long it takes until every note is completely indistinguishable from another, due to the amount of distortion occurring...

I have tried every possible thing to stop it and have failed miserably in doing so...

The thing I'm here to say is, to the many, MANY people I've seen on here (and other forums) lamenting the same thing, THERE IS A FIX!!! (Full disclosure, this is NOT, I repeat NOT, by any stretch of the imagination, any kind of actually CURE, but it WILL stop the distortion immediately, at least for a little while)...

The "Fix" is...you have to disable the Audio Device by, get this, either opening the Preferences OR clicking on the upper right corner where it says,
"44.1kHz 24bit WAV:2/2ch 512spls ~ 17\17ms ASIO" then immediately turning it "back on"...problem (temporarily) FIXED!!! Can anyone else comment on this? Perhaps someone from Reaper?!? Annnnywaaaay, I'm just gonna leave you now!
Be good to each other!!!

-PGB-

When in need, improvise!!! Because...well...Tempest Fugit...

Stella645 · 06-02-2020, 04:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just1Ghost

I've had (and continue to have) an issue with my tracks, either and both audio and MIDI, becoming distorted after "a while" of playing. It doesn't seem to have any rhyme or reason why, how, when or how long it takes until every note is completely indistinguishable from another, due to the amount of distortion occurring...

I have tried every possible thing to stop it and have failed miserably in doing so...

The thing I'm here to say is, to the many, MANY people I've seen on here (and other forums) lamenting the same thing, THERE IS A FIX!!! (Full disclosure, this is NOT, I repeat NOT, by any stretch of the imagination, any kind of actually CURE, but it WILL stop the distortion immediately, at least for a little while)...

The "Fix" is...you have to disable the Audio Device by, get this, either opening the Preferences OR clicking on the upper right corner where it says,
"44.1kHz 24bit WAV:2/2ch 512spls ~ 17\17ms ASIO" then immediately turning it "back on"...problem (temporarily) FIXED!!! Can anyone else comment on this? Perhaps someone from Reaper?!? Annnnywaaaay, I'm just gonna leave you now!
Be good to each other!!!

-PGB-

When in need, improvise!!! Because...well...Tempest Fugit...

Well resetting the driver which has failed is not really a fix.Finding out what is causing the driver to fail and stopping it from happening is the fix.

If you want some help you with this then telling us what interface and driver you use may be a start. Also mention if you use other software with ASIO successfully or not and anything else that may be relevant such as the fact you're aggregating 12 different unclocked audio devices with asio4all.