Help understanding midi compensation
I have really enjoyed following this discussion board for the last month or so. So now I’ll just join in with my own questions.
I have been using the software for the last month with audio only and have had no problems at all. The tracks sync together with no major delay. I recently connected a midi keyboard to my system and have gotten everything worked out regarding midi in / out channels and banks. No problem
My problem is that I need an education regarding latency! 
When I record an audio track and then come back and record a midi track, the midi track is slightly out of sync with the previously recorded audio. Probably about .5 seconds. I have been manually dragging the midi track to alighn to the audio. From reading some other posts I guess this is “latency” in the processing of the midi signal.
I have played with buffer settings, but haven’t really noticed a difference.
As I review the /preferences/midi settings, I see a compensation setting. From reading the help file, I think that this setting might help me adjust the timing of the midi tracks to the audio, but I have set all types of numbers and I do not hear any difference in the syncing of the audio to midi.
Can someone lay some knowledge on me about this issue?
Thanks,
Jim McNeal
I suspect you are using a software synth for the MIDI sound source, such as the Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth. That one will do exactly what you describe. The latency isn’t the MIDI part but the software synth part.
There are a lot of things that can cause latency. Sorry for not going into it any deeper right now. There are lots of possibilities.
What kind of sound card do you have and what MIDI device is selected for playback?
The number in “compensation” is in samples, so to adjust by 1/2 second, you have to enter a number like 22050. I don’t remember whether you’d use 22050 or -22050 to reduce a delay.
Furthermore, I bet phoo’s right and you’re using the MS Wavetable software synth. You’d be far better off using a different MIDI synth. If your soundcard doesn’t have a built-in hardware synth, consider trying “sfz”, which is a free VSTi plugin synth that plays “soundfonts”. (Google to find it, and then search this thread for favorite soundfonts.)
I believe there are some “pictutorials” on http://www.audiominds.com explaining how to use plugin instruments.