MIDI tracks are played transposed

[cgplazav]

Sometimes, my MIDI tracks play at the wrong pitch. I have to stop and play several times until the track plays at the correct pitch. This happens both with VST's and external sound modules. I use Roland Integra-7, Roland JP-8080 and E-MU Vintage Pro. Any clues as to what may be the reason? According to Mr. ChatGPT it is not a bug but a configuration issue but its suggestions make little sense:

1. Check Cakewalk Settings

Audio Buffer Size:

Go to Edit > Preferences > Audio - Sync and Caching and increase the Playback I/O Buffer Size and Record I/O Buffer Size values. 

MIDI Timing Offset:

In the same Preferences window, check the Timing Offset setting in milliseconds and set it to 0. 

 

I'm pretty sure there are no strange or hidden MIDI commands because these tracks were not imported. They were created from scratch using a standar Sonar template. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me on this.

[Mark Morgon-Shaw]

I had this recently and it turned out to be a hardware fault with my midi controller..spewing out random pitch bend data.

If you have Kontakt there is a tool in there for monitoring incoming midi data and I saw pitch bend data being sent even though I wasn't touching the controller.

Definitely worth ruling out first.

[cgplazav]

Thanks Mark. I have an M-Audio MIDISPORT 4x4 to send the MIDI signals to the external audio devices. I will definitely look for a MIDI monitor to check what is being produced but since it also happens with VST's, I'm afraid that the problem is going to be somewhere else. Thanks anyway!

[David Baay]

 

 

16 minutes ago, cgplazav said:

I will definitely look for a MIDI monitor to check what is being produced but since it also happens with VST's, I'm afraid that the problem is going to be somewhere else.

What are you using for a keyboard/controller. Most VSTs will respond to wayward pitch wheel messages the same as hardware modules.

How big is the pitch error in semitones? A clocking error between 44.1 and 48kHz would throw it off a little more than a semitone in either direction, but the hardware modules would only be affected if they're being monitored through Sonar.

[cgplazav]

Hi David. I'm using a couple of keyboards as controllers: Roland FP-10 and Edirol PCR-500. The thing is that the MIDI transposition occurs during playback, so the keyboard controllers are idle. I think you are pointing in the right direction with the clocking error. However, shoudn't it always play off pitch? In my case its random. Also, what do you mean by the hardware modules being monitored through Sonar? The communication between Sonar and the sound producing devices (Integra-7 and EMU-Vintage Pro) is handled through an M-Audio MIDISPORT 4x4. Thanks!

[57Gregy]

33 minutes ago, cgplazav said:

Also, what do you mean by the hardware modules being monitored through Sonar?

I believe he means that the audio outs from the hardware modules are connected to the audio interface and are playing through Sonar tracks while monitoring the project instead of being plugged into an external amp and monitoring the modules through the air.

[David Baay]

5 hours ago, cgplazav said:

However, shoudn't it always play off pitch? In my case its random.

If Windows or other another app is competing for control of the clock rate that could happen. Less likely with a manufactuer-provided native ASIO driver; more likely with onboard audio using WASAPI or any 3rd-party driver.

What audio interface and driver mode?

Edited Wednesday at 09:25 PM by David Baay

[Amberwolf]

3 hours ago, cgplazav said:

Hi David. I'm using a couple of keyboards as controllers: Roland FP-10 and Edirol PCR-500. The thing is that the MIDI transposition occurs during playback, so the keyboard controllers are idle.

Test:

Close Sonar.

Unplug their midi cables, or turn their power completely off.  

Open Sonar and your project.

Playback as many times as desired to verify problem occurs or not.

If the problem persists it is not caused by anything on those controllers. 

If the problem no longer occurs, one of them is possibly sending spurious data causing the event. 

Edited Wednesday at 08:04 PM by Amberwolf

[cgplazav]

Thanks everybody for your sound advice. My error was assuming that idle keyboard MIDI controllers were not sending any data. I have a MIDI Solutions Footswitch Controller box that allows me to change the MIDI channel directly from the keyboard. I disconnected the box from the M-AUDIO MIDISPORT and the problem was fixed.