It’s not clear here if you actually saw the MIDI note data for the problem notes. Do you see the MIDI data for that first “rumbling” note? That’s the important point.
To sum up the things you’ve said:
First time you play keys after loading a session, you don’t get a sound immediately, but it’s delayed
Sometimes later on notes do the same thing, so not just the first notes after session load
First time you move a controller (expression pedal etc) it causes the audio problem
You’ve described the sound as “jumping” and “rumbling”
Most of what you say above makes it sound entirely like an audio issue rather than a MIDI issue. However the thing about MIDI controller activity causing the problem sounds very strange indeed. It’s as though your audio signal is being disrupted by MIDI activity, particularly the “first” MIDI activity.
Some questions:
Is the MIDI controller data coming in on the same port as your keyboard, or is it a separate device / MIDI input?
Do you get exactly the same effect if you use the on-screen keyboard for those first notes?
Do you get exactly the same effect if you use the Cantabile controller bar with a control customised as a “Popup controller”, instead of your MIDI controller/expression pedal?
You’ve described the sound as “jumping” and “rumbling” - do you mean the sound is actually distorted, or simply cutting out to silence then returning?
Do you get this problem with the simplest possible song setup, i.e. nothing active in the background rack, a single MIDI route into a plugin, and a single audio route from the plugin to the audio device.
Also Brad asked if you notice spikes in page faults displayed by Cantabile when the problem happens - do you see any? Do you see a spike in the load when the problem happens?
Also Ade suggested trying ASIO4ALL, to rule out the possibility that it might be a driver issue - have you tried that?
Finally, I think it would help us if you could record how it sounds - it’s difficult to diagnose from “jumping” and “rumbling”.
Hi @Neil_Durant thanks for the analysis, in the MIDI Monitor I’ve seen exactly the notes I’ve played, including the first one which generated an interrupted audio output.
Then:
the MIDI controller is connected to the same port as my keyboard
didn’t check the onscreen keyboard, this problem happens randomly and it’s difficult to catch
don’t know, never used Cantabile controller bar
simply cutting
I get the problem, sometime, even with a single plugin loaded. My background rack features a list of assignments, I can send a screenshot.
Page Faults value changes even if I’m not playing, while playing also it changes, I didn’t notice that value when the interruption happens. I told you, it does not happen always, I’m rehearsing as well so cannot really look at everything in that 2 ms
I’ll try the AUSIO4ALL, changing to it now…
I’ll try to record, however it is simply a very short interruption of the audio output.
As an aside, don’t forget that you can create a binding from Program Change to Song States “Load State by Program”, which uses the incoming program change, so you don’t need to have one binding for each state - you can just use one binding. Although perhaps you have a particular need to have each one listed separately.
Hi @brad@Ade@Neil_Durant I made several tests, including disabling “parking” via parkcontrol app. Nothing connected to that, nothing about laptop power, etc.
I’ve created a new session, loaded only one plugin, one of those that usually generates the problem. The result is:
laptop is off
turn on laptop
load the session with the only plugin (MPowerSynth in this case) with “Modulated” synth lead patch
press first note
the note does not play if I hold the key down
I release the key
I press the key and it plays
from now on, I can close Cantabile, open it again, the plugin keeps working forever…
As supposed, it’s just something that is not properly working, probably just a background app and/or driver. As you know, that’s hard to discover… so, I don’t see many options right now than rehearse couple days on the laptop B and see if the same issue happens… (just the time to install MIDI hardware, setlist and sessions are shared on Google Drive)
I thank you all here for your kind support and I hope this topic is not bothering you, but I always try to get issues solved and things working properly, I’m quite addicted to “perfectionism” …
This sounds so much as though the first MIDI note event is missing, rather than being an audio problem, if you can keep holding that first note and nothing sounds, but then the next note works. But you monitored the MIDI activity going into the plugin and those problem notes were there, so…mystery. Perhaps you should change your name to Mysteria
BIG UPDATE! So, I’ve installed everything on Laptop B and able to load the sessions/setlist created on the laptop A on which I’ve the issue. I’ve loaded that session/state (MPowerSynth) which generates the problem. Pressed the very first note. It’s playing!
So, now I don’t know where/what to look for in the Laptop A to fix the issue …
