[RWP] midi controller

Tue Aug 16 05:49:41 EDT 2011

Under Options/Preferences/Buffering I seem to find a buffer size, at 
least I thought it was buffer size, which was 1200 originally, with no 
indication of what units 1200 represents.
When I tab down I find what seems to be latency expressed as  ms, which 
was shown as something huge, I forget how much.
I reduced that 1200 figure down to 200, and set what I think is latency 
to 5ms, and saw improvement.
There's supposed to be crackling when the buffer is too small, and, once 
you experience crackling you can always increase buffer size, so I 
decreased the supposed buffer size to only 2, and set the supposed 
latency to 2ms, and keyboard response is definitely snappier, with no 
crackling or drop out, at least while playing FM8, though I still get 
maybe 20 ms actual latency.
I have read in the Cockos forums that there are several other places in 
preferences where you can optimize latency, but I haven't found them so far.
I'm being frustrated right now in setting Limit Project Length in 
Project Settings, so I'll resist the temptation to say that Reaper has 
huge potential, but sometimes looks like a grab bag of features thrown 
together, with many of them not perfected and still partially disfunctional.
I consider us as pioneers investing our energy into not what Reaper is 
at present, but what Reaper will eventually become.

On 8/15/2011 9:48 PM, Jim Snowbarger wrote:
> This was a very helpful post, and lead to a major step forward for me.
> I now can record and playback midi. The trick, for me, was the options,
> preferences dialog, midi devices. Oddly, this midi devices item was
> hidden when the audio tree node was collapsed. Would you look under
> audio for midi stuff? Unless you expand audio, you won't see that one.
>
> Well, there it was. And, in the tab list for Midi devices, you don't get
> any clues that there is one panel for input, and a separate panel for
> output.
> Indigo's suggestion to mouse around for it is the only way to get there.
> Anbd, once you set focus on the section you want, using the mouse
> cursor, JAWS, at least, will lie to you about whetehr a device is
> enabled or disabled. Reviewing with the mouse cursor seems to tell the
> truth.
> Double clicking on the item lets you tab to a checkbox that will enable it.
> Once I got both input and output enabled, I could arm recording with
> monitoring, and could hear midi coming out the back side.
>
> But, here's the weird thing. There is about 200 milliceconds of latency.
> Once I strike the note on the keyboard, I can wait at least 200ms for
> the note to come out the back end and hit my sound module
> It is a very, very noticeable, intolerable, even annoying, delay.
> What the heck is that all about.
> Buffering? for midi? come now.
> Maybe I need a faster computer <big grin>
> Or, perish the thought, do you suppose I need to use shorter midi cables?
>
> Anybody have any ideas what causes the delay?
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Indigo" <33indigo at charter.net>
> To: "Reapers Without Peepers" <rwp at reaaccess.com>
> Sent: Friday, August 12, 2011 3:56 AM
> Subject: Re: [RWP] midi controller
>
>
>> Hi Jim,
>> I realize it's only beginner's luck how easily I got Reaper Midi
>> Devices enabled, but here's how I do it:
>> This is in Winize, you'll have to translate to Jaws equivalents, okay.
>> I'll refer to the arrow keys below the 8 pack as T cluster arrows, and
>> otherwise just say arrow when I'm at the number pad.
>> In options/preferences,
>> If I go over to the number pad and arrow down line by line from the
>> top of the screen, I find the topics as follows: General, Paths,
>> keyboard, project, defaults, audio, device, midi devices.
>> At the number pad,I left click on the topic midi devices.
>> Then, tab down to Midi input devices to make available.
>> For me that tab always says no selected item, even when I have devices
>> enabled.
>> Then, when I arrow down with the T cluster arrows I immediately find a
>> list of my midi input devices
>> with their name, the number of the midi port, and their mode, either
>> enabled or disabled.
>> The procedure, to enable these devices is coming in a second.
>> Meanwhile, if I continue to tab down I next find add joystick midi,
>> then another tab down and I find midi outputs to make available,
>> which, for me will also say no sselected item.
>> Okay, enabling either midi input or output devices is exactly the same
>> procedure.
>> In winize, with my midi devices's name speaking at the T cluster arrow
>> keys, I route mouse pointer to list view, jaws has a similar move to
>> get that midi input devices list focus over to the number pad.
>> At the number pad I arrow up or down and make sure I'm on the name of
>> my midi device, then right click at the number pad.
>> I get a context menu, I arrow down with the T cluster arrows to
>> configure inputs C and hit enter.At the tab key I get enable input
>> with a check box, and at the next tab down I get enable input for
>> control messages, also with a check box.
>> Put a check in both of these boxes with the space bar, tab down to
>> okay and hit enter, and you've enabled your midi input device.
>> Do the same for your other midi input devices, and the same for midi
>> output devices.
>>
>> There might be an easier way, but I know this works, I record midi
>> with no problems, control soft synth parameters from my control
>> surface, etcetera.
>> I only wish I had half as much luck with Sonar 8.5.3.
>> Indigo
>>
>>
>>
>> On 8/11/2011 10:14 PM, Jim Snowbarger wrote:
>>> I have an old Mark of the unicorn Fast lane midi output device. It works
>>> great with sonar.
>>> Actually, I have never managed to make midi work at all with reaper.
>>> Congratulations to those of you who have.
>>> Following the options preferences path, I have both channels on the midi
>>> device enabled.
>>> So, I create a track.
>>> Focused on the track, I presss tab, and get to record mode. Up and down
>>> arrow reveal, among other things midi replace, midi overdub, midi
>>> output. Not sure what midi output does. But, one of the others seems
>>> applicable. So, I choose midi replace.
>>> Continuing to tab across, I see midi output set to fast lane port A,
>>> which seems correct.
>>> But, escaping back to the track, then shift+context key, and arrowing up
>>> to Midi output, reveals none, or another midi output device that I don't
>>> want to use. Fast lane is not in the list. Not sure why.
>>> And, if I arm the track, with monitor enabled, it is in audio mode, not
>>> midi.
>>> Is this interface an inscrutible, nonintuitive pain in the ass or what.
>>> Help desperately needed.
>>> Suggestions welcome.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Indigo" <33indigo at charter.net>
>>> To: "Reapers Without Peepers" <rwp at reaaccess.com>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2011 9:53 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [RWP] midi controller
>>>
>>>
>>>> I go to options/preferences/midi devices/ either input or output.
>>>> I tab down a little to output device, or whatever it's called, which
>>>> always seems to say not selected until I arrow down and get the device
>>>> to be spoken, then go through the usual enabling procedure.
>>>> In Winize the enabling procedure is a bit complex.
>>>> I find the device at the number pad, right click it, tab down to
>>>> configure, hit enter, then arrow down to enable, then I think it's the
>>>> usual apply and okay buttons to hit enter on.
>>>> I'm just taking this off the top of my head, without having Reaper on
>>>> this computer to look at, but that's the general idea of the procedure.
>>>>
>>>> On 8/10/2011 9:51 PM, Kevin Brown wrote:
>>>>> OK,
>>>>>
>>>>> I solved the folder problem I was having with reaper,...Now, I would
>>>>> like to know where I need to go to select the midi controller so I can
>>>>> record some midi tracks?...
>>>>>
>>>>> In the previous version of reaper there was a dropdown menu that would
>>>>> let you select the "midi out controller", such as my "Motif Sx",
>>>>> but it
>>>>> seems that option is no longer availible?...
>>>>>
>>>>> I have all of the "midi ins", and "midi outs" enabled in
>>>>> preferences,...So just how do I go about selecting my motif as the
>>>>> midi
>>>>> controller so I can record midi??...
>>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
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