ChaosFrameDrums Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 (edited) I have been dealing with a half a second or so lag when I connect my Alesis DM10 MKII Pro electric drum kit to Logic Pro X via USB. I am trying to use the kit as a MIDI instrument, and I have tried almost everything I can find online that has to do with input and output latency settings, but still nothing works. I'll clarify too that if I use a plug in from EastWest Studios drum library, there is no lag. But I want to use the sounds that are built into my Alesis kit, and get lag from those. I have a Yamaha MX88 keyboard that I use for MIDI all the time, and I have NEVER had any sort of lag issue with that, and have never adjusted any settings. I'm just not sure why it seems that I am getting this lag from the drum kit only. All of my software is up to date, and I use a MacBook Pro that was bought brand new about 5 years ago that I use exclusively for Logic. If anyone has any further ideas, I'd love to hear them. Edited February 26 by ChaosFrameDrums Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Nahmani Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 How is Logic set up: have you created an external MIDI track and an audio or Aux track to monitor the DM10? Or a software instrument track with an External Instrument plug-in? If you try to trigger the sounds from the DM10 from the M88 keyboard, do you also get the lag? If you connect headphones directly into the Alesis module headphone output, do you also get the lag? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChaosFrameDrums Posted March 1 Author Share Posted March 1 I usually just have it set up as an external MIDI track. I'm not sure what you mean by an audio/aux track monitoring the drum kit. I'm pretty much all self taught in this program, so I don't know a lot of the lingo and such, just that what I've been doing for years works with my keyboard. Neither the DM10 or MX88 lag when not plugged into the computer (the MX88 has never lagged when plugged in either. Only the DM10). I haven't tried connecting the headphones directly to the Alesis module. I'll give that a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChaosFrameDrums Posted March 1 Author Share Posted March 1 (edited) Am I able to use the DM10 as an output device? Not sure how to get the sounds from my laptop play through the DM10 module if my headphones are plugged into that and not the laptop. Also just to be clear, I am only experiencing the lag when I am attempting to use the DM10's built in drum sounds. When using a plug-in for the DM10 in Logic, I don't get the lag, but I would prefer to use my custom kit sound that I created on the DM10. Edited March 1 by ChaosFrameDrums Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Nahmani Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 11 hours ago, ChaosFrameDrums said: I usually just have it set up as an external MIDI track. I'm not sure what you mean by an audio/aux track monitoring the drum kit. I'm pretty much all self taught in this program, so I don't know a lot of the lingo and such, just that what I've been doing for years works with my keyboard. The regular external MIDI track does not allow you to monitor the external MIDI instrument (the sounds of your DM10) so I'm wondering if you are using the External Instrument plug-in on a software instrument track? Or how else you're monitoring the sounds? Either way, let us know if you get the lag with the headphones straight into the DM10? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChaosFrameDrums Posted March 1 Author Share Posted March 1 I tried to upload a screen shot here but it says it's failing for some reason. So I did some looking just to see exactly the process. Yes, it looks like when I pick the track type, I choose "External MIDI" and under it, it has a checked box that says, "Use External Instrument Plug-In". I do not get any lag at all when I plug headphones directly into the module of the DM10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChaosFrameDrums Posted March 1 Author Share Posted March 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Nahmani Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 7 minutes ago, ChaosFrameDrums said: I do not get any lag at all when I plug headphones directly into the module of the DM10. Good. Now when you get the lag, how are you monitoring the DM10 then? I see the Audio Input pop-up menu set to "No Input" on your screenshot. What is the audio input set to inside your External Instrument plug-in? Where are your headphones/monitors connected? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChaosFrameDrums Posted March 1 Author Share Posted March 1 It looks like it is "Input: 1-2" per the screenshot, but I'm not entirely sure what that means of where it is going to. Seems to put that at default. I use in ear monitors, and I am plugging them into the computer so I can hear the other MIDI instruments that I have created for this particular project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Nahmani Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 Ok so Input 1-2 means the inputs numbered 1 and 2 on your audio interface. What is your audio input device under Logic Pro > Settings > Audio? Also what kind of in ear monitors are you using? How are they connected to the Mac? Not bluetooth by any chance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChaosFrameDrums Posted March 2 Author Share Posted March 2 The audio input device is "Alesis DM10MKII Pro". I use corded in ear monitors by Alclair. I just plug them into the Mac like a normal pair of headphones. They are not Bluetooth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Nahmani Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 Ok good so the in ears are wired, they're not the source of the latency. While you're looking at your audio settings, what is your i/o buffer size? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChaosFrameDrums Posted March 3 Author Share Posted March 3 Here is an image of the audio settings. Buffer size 128 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Nahmani Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 I see you're using an aggregate device for the input? That could be the issue... you said earlier your input device was the Alesis DM10MKII Pro? You can also try a lower buffer size such as 32. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChaosFrameDrums Posted March 4 Author Share Posted March 4 Not sure why it switched to ProTools aggregate on there, it usually isn't. It's supposed to be the DM10, but even on DM 10 it still lags. I lowered the buffer size to 32 and it maybe helped a tiny bit but I can still here a delay between when I hit the drum and hear it in the computer. Are there better cables or anything than the standard USB for MIDI that could make a difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Nahmani Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 7 hours ago, ChaosFrameDrums said: Are there better cables or anything than the standard USB for MIDI that could make a difference? Could be - but before you go and buy something, if you use your DM10 to trigger a software instrument in Logic, do you get any lag? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChaosFrameDrums Posted March 5 Author Share Posted March 5 No, if I use a plug in/software instrument of any kind that I have, there is no lag. That's what's been making this so peculiar. It's ONLY when I try to use the kit I created in the DM10 module that I get lag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Nahmani Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 Ok so it could be an issue with that MIDI cable. Try a reputable one like that one: Roland UM-ONE-MK2 One in Two Out Midi Cable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChaosFrameDrums Posted March 6 Author Share Posted March 6 Ok I just placed an order for it, so I'll report back with my findings when I receive it. Thanks for the cable suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarletspiral Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 Hi there, I’m curious if you had success in solving this problem. I’ve been having a similar issue of noticeable latency when using an Alesis Nitro Mesh Electronic Drum Kit going into a drum plugin in Logic to record. I tried, among other solutions, using the Roland UM-One cable, but playback after recording is still off time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChaosFrameDrums Posted March 24 Author Share Posted March 24 Hello, Sadly, no I have not found a solution, and have kind of just given up and gone back to the old way I've been doing things to write my drum parts. If I could find a solution to this, it would make writing my parts for my band a bit easier, but I've tried literally everything I could find and had recommended to me to no avail. Maybe it's just a hoaky thing with Alesis kits... who knows. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarletspiral Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 That's too bad, thanks for the reply though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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