Technical Specs below!
I have an external synth (Roland System-1m) connected to my Laptop via USB. I have the connection set up in Studio One 3 and want to play the synth using MIDI sequences on an Instrument Track.
The problem is that the MIDI simply doesn't play in time, but occasionally drifts (pretty severely at times).
From the manual I know there's apparently supposed to be a "Windows MIDI Settings" Tab under Advanced Settings that has a checkbox "ignore MIDI Timestamps" which allegedly can help with MIDI-timing issues, however I don't have this tab in my options.
Another interesting thing is that the problem gets worse when 1) I use a playback marker and I change the start position (especially in combination with negative delay times on the track for latency compensation) and 2) I make changes to the parameters of the synth.
MIDI-related things that are NOT the problem:
- Latency. I have compensated the latency with delays on the instrument track. If I record the audio, it doesn't line up with the MIDI Notes (i.e. if I put in a sequence of straight sixteenth notes, the timing drifts all over the place).
- Issues with the synth. It works as it should with FL Studio. Also when looking at the event list in Studio One it's apparent that even though I put in straight sixteenth notes, the time between the individual "note on" messages sent to the synth varies every time).
- Wrong Setup of the External Device. I am sending MIDI Clock as well as MIDI Clock Start and Timecode to the synth, I have also tried different combinations of these as well as unchecking all of them, it doesn't affect the problem. I send to a device called "System-1m" and receive from "System-1m CTRL" (which allows me to record all changes to the patch as automation).
For both of these devices there's also an "emulated" option (whatever that means), I tried those as well - no difference.
SPECS:
Studio One version 3.5.6.46910 (64bit)
Windows 10 Home version 1903
Dual Core i5 2.3 GHz
8GB RAM
Final Note: I am currently using the FL Studio ASIO Driver as my main audio device. It allows me to independently choose input and output devices. I use that to select my Synth as the input device and my Focusrite 2i4 as the output, it eliminates the need for hooking up the synth to the interface. Due to some weird circumstances most of my audio drivers vanished one day so I'll try reinstalling ASIO4All and experiment with hooking up the synth to my interface, but maybe someone already knows how to fix this.
