Determining source of variable latency

Brad Issendorf · From: Lake City, Minnesota

I have been hired to add pedal steel tracks to existing tracks. Before Covid, I was to physically go to the studio and record them. The gentleman in charge of recording is, and rightfully so, trying to stay distant from everyone, so for the meantime recording in-person is out.

With this new reality, I bought an audio interface, installed Bandlab, and set out to make acceptable recordings directly from my rack, through the interface, into Bandlab.

My problem is ever changing latency. I can run the test and apply the corrections and immediately record. I would guess that there is several hundred milliseconds change somewhere between the latency test and finishing recording the track.

How or what do I do to find or repair the culprit?
Is it my interface, the software, the operating system or is it me? Any help is appreciated!

Brad

Nicholas Cox · From: California, USA

Make sure the interface and the DAW are using the same sample rate.

Brad Issendorf · From: Lake City, Minnesota

Are you familiar with the Bandlab app?

How do I go about determining this?

I can run the latency test before every run and the results vary between like 130ish ms and the very next time they result closer to 300. Any ideas how, with no changes, it can be so different? Or is it possible to correct the correlation between the imported track and mine another way?

I've been working in this off and on for a couple months now and I'm kind of confused

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

Couple things. Any latency has to do more with internet speed than the interface. If you live in the boonies like I do, you are probably years away from fiber optic transmission. The only other solution is to pay a higher rate for the fastest DSL you can get your hands on.

Donâ€™t run your connection wireless. Go with an Ethernet cable from your router to the computer.

Sample rate changes can be made in the Preferences (or Settings) menu of both your interface and recording app. Lowering the sample rate decreases latency while also sacrificing sound quality.

I am not a professional recordist, but have been similarly frustrated with trying to record online. I downloaded the free version of Cakewalk by BandLab and work offline. No latency, and a pro-quality DAW. Import tracks to Cakewalk, record my part, and then export to BandLab.

Brad Issendorf · From: Lake City, Minnesota

I guess that the only care with the latency is when I play two or more tracks back at the same time. They aren't synced because the latency seems to constantly change, even with as much stuff disabled from running in the background as possible.

Just out of curiosity, what device are you running Bandlab with?

Thanks for all of the input so far.

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

I run BandLab on a PC. The latency online with the app was in years. I record on Cakewalk, offline. I believe you can edit BandLab tracks offline, but you have to be on to record them.

I think I understand what youâ€™re saying now. Is the problem mostly with playback, or is it mostly with recording, or the same with both? I will dink around with my setup and let you know if I figure out anything.

If you want the voice of experience on this, ask forum member Jack Stoner. Here is a thread with one of his responses. He got me interested in Cakewalk by BandLab.

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=363598&highlight=

Brad Issendorf · From: Lake City, Minnesota

My only concern is in the playback. The guy in charge of recording and mixing is my sole concern. I'm not sure, not to sound condescending, if he will be able to utilize the files even if the latency problem didn't exist, but the additional hurdle of properly syncing them lowers the probability further. I like both the singer and the project producer a lot and just want to provide them with the best submissions I can muster.

Jim Fogle · From: North Carolina, Winston-Salem, USA

Brad,

One way to mask latency is by monitoring through the audio interface headphone jack while you are recording.

Many computer audio interfaces include a headphone jack for monitoring. Sometimes the audio interface headphone jack output will be a 50/50 blend of pre-recorded tracks in the DAW and the recorded input from your instrument. Other times the audio interface will have a switch or control knob to allow you to set the blend of the audio to taste. In both cases, the audio interface automatically synchronizes the audio from the computer and the audio from your instrument so there is no latency.

Let us know what audio interface you have. That information will be helpful.
_________________
Remembering Harold Fogle (1945-1999) Pedal Steel Player
Dell laptop Win 10, i3, 8GB, 480GB
2024 BiaB UltraPlus PAK
Cakewalk by Bandlab Computer DAW
Zoom MRS-8 8 Track Hardware DAW

Bud Angelotti · From: Larryville, NJ, USA

Brad - Another way is to turn off your network.
If it's Mac, airport, turn it off while recording or doing anything else for that matter.
Windows, settings, WIFI, turn WIFI off.
You'll get better performance.
Cheers!
_________________
Just 'cause I look stupid, don't mean I'm not.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I've tracked steel on close to 30 songs. But it wasn't on line. The studio (or whoever) would send me a preliminary mix of the song. I would import that into a track in Sonar (now called Cakewalk). Record my steel track on a separate track in Sonar. No latency to speak of that way (My MOTU 4pre Recording interface latency is less than 3ms). Send my steel track back to the studio and if they like the steel track they are good to go for mixing.
_________________
GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat, SIT Strings
Cakewalk by Bandlab and Studio One V4.6 pro DAWs, MOTU Ultralite MK5 recording interface unit

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