Latency issues?? or poor musician timing?

[Jamesemt]

I've started recording the band playing a few covers and have already hit a few timing problems.

First off, the drummer brought his electric kit down and we tried recording along to an MP3. His timing was slightly out no matter how many takes we tried.
I put it down to pilot error

However this morning the guitarist came down to record his parts afresh (along to a click track, not the mp3) and really struggled with one part - in particular on Summer of 69, the guitarist really struggled adding the arpeggios during the chorus (and gave up).

Now is this just dodgy human timing or is something else going on ie latency? Must add that none of the band are gimps (well apart from me...), the guitarist is a grade 8 RGT. Software ius Cubase LE with the Cubase updates.

Any advice? I'm thinking of changing the soundcard anyway as I'd like to have a go at recording a proper kit, so would need a few more inputs.

Edited July 28, 2008 by Jamesemt

[johnnylager]

Latency, deffo. I'll speak to the man later and let you know how we got round it.

[Jamesemt]

[quote name='johnnylager' post='249572' date='Jul 28 2008, 01:48 PM']Latency, deffo. I'll speak to the man later and let you know how we got round it.[/quote]

Cheers mate, I'm turning the band into a bunch of depressed timing obsessed zombies!! 50th take, anyone???

[cheddatom]

You can try using ASIO 4 ALL or whatever it's called - a decent ASIO driver that will work with most cards.

If you want to record more inputs, just get a decent interface.

If the guitarist played a few different parts to the click, and they were all in time, but he couldn't get one part in time, it's him not the computer. If EVERYTHING is out of time by the same amount, then it's latency.

You can set cubase to play a click, create a new audio track and set the audio source in your PC as the "what u hear" thing, record the click track, and play it back with the midi click at the same time. If they're not in time, then you have a letency problem!

[The Funk]

Easiest way around latency = mixer.

[lowdown]

[quote name='The Funk' post='249826' date='Jul 28 2008, 05:59 PM']Easiest way around latency = mixer.[/quote]

Or an Audio card with direct monitoring.
I use an RME card with Cubase sx3 and do not have the problen.
Cubase compensates for latency automatically, [VST'S]
Or you can input this manually for Audio after doing the latency test.
This free utility will calculate your latency.
Then you can manually input the offset yourself.

[url="http://www.sonicstate.com/news/shownews.cfm?newsid=3196"]http://www.sonicstate.com/news/shownews.cfm?newsid=3196[/url]

There is a thread about latency issues on cubase.net
[url="http://www.cubase.net/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?p=743875&highlight=&sid=105b6b4c6181eb48e094558f28f363c9"]http://www.cubase.net/phpbb2/viewtopic.php...094558f28f363c9[/url]

Garry

Edited July 29, 2008 by lowdown

[cheddatom]

Before I bought an interface, I used to record to a click, listening to the click, and what I was playing. Then when I had recorded, I would line up the track with the click. This worked fine for writing songs with the band for at least 2 years. We managed to use Reason for drums, record guitars, bass, vocals etc. All it takes is a little nudge to get them in time.

[johnnylager]

[quote name='lowdown' post='250118' date='Jul 29 2008, 01:21 AM']Or an Audio card with direct monitoring.[/quote]
That's the fella. Try all the advice here though, I was bloody depressed when I though it was me.

[Mcgiver69]

Or you can get an old computer or laptop and install Ubuntu Studio Linux in it, no latency problems and all the free software in the world.

Oh did I forget to mention free ASIO and free software?

Edited July 29, 2008 by Mcgiver69

[cheddatom]

[quote name='Mcgiver69' post='250397' date='Jul 29 2008, 12:59 PM']Or you can get an old computer or laptop and install Ubuntu Studio Linux in it, no latency problems and all the free software in the world.

Oh did I forget to mention free ASIO and free software?

[/quote]

You can do this with crappy onboard soundcards? Interesting!!!!

[The Funk]

[quote name='lowdown' post='250118' date='Jul 29 2008, 01:21 AM']Or an Audio card with direct monitoring.[/quote]

That's what I have on my Digi 002. The mixer option is the simplest, for people who hate fiddling with the settings on different bits of software.