I'm considering using the S-YXG100 as a tone generator with CakeWalk Pro 8. I am concerned about latency, and I've heard that it can't be used in real time from another poster here. There does not seem to be a good site which explains their soft synths at all.

Your input will be appreciated.

Thanks
Denis

Try to locate software that is compatible with Direct X drivers, this will reduce latency..If you are going to use the Yamaha soft synth for sequencing it will work find, latency does not matter..Fran

Hi Fran,

Thanks for your reply. Strictly speaking, I'm not sequencing but rather using CW9 to record MIDI and audio files with the purpose of mixing down to a CD on some distant day . Last night I found that latency was a factor when recording my guitar with audio and MIDI already laid down. It threw off my timing.

When I started gearing up to do recording, a salesman convinced me I needed a Yamaha PSR keyboard, which has sequencing and lots of XG voices. I was clear that my needs centered around my PC and recording, but apparently hw was either an idiot, or worked on commision... maybe both.

So, now I've got this $500 input device/paperweight. It will not work as an XG tone generator -> my PC I was hoping to cut my losses after buying the S-YXG100 so that I could record hearing my XG input generated by my keyboard, and hear it using S=YXG100 on playback while recording audio and other MIDI.

I've still got a lot of holes in my knowledge of things like this, so if you have any comments or ideas, I'd be happy to hear them.

Thanks,
Denis

evelyn_and_humans. I use both the Roland VSC88 and Yamaha XG50 for playback of sequenced work or playing back of BIABox sequences. Both of these produce excellent voicing compered to my standard PC Creative sound card.....But with the Latency delay they are impossible to use for recording purposes.

Graham UK

Thanks for your input Graham. I just now tested the Roland equivalent, VSC something, and it's setting for latency is as low as 22.7 msec, as compared to Yamaha's 80 msec. It seems to work a whole lot better, and it may even suffice for recording.

I'm thinking about trading in my PSR-540 keyboard and getting a XG sound card and a cheaper keyboard strictly for input. I don't think there's any keyboards out there which will work with a PC in this way; otherwise I guess I'd have to

1. Create a midi part with the voice I want on the PSR

2. Play it back as audio to put it into my CW file.

To me, this defeats the purpose of MIDI. it's supposed to make it easier to compose, yes?

Any ideas? Opinions?

TIA
Denis

There are plenty of cheap keyboards designed as midi controllers. Roland make some. Evolution make some (may go under a different name in the USA.

I don't understand why the PSR540 doesn't work as an XG tone module - it should do.

i currently use a mk-4902 made by kaysound to control my alesis nanosynth. it works great and cost under $100. it only has 49 keys but has a very good interaction with the nano.