Issue with PSR-E233 MIDI-USB direct link to laptop

[rwy123]

Hi all:

Greetings! I am a new member to the forum. Got an issue and wanted to seek for your suggestion: I have a PSR-E233, and recently I wanted to use it as a MIDI keyboard. I used a MIDI-USB cable to connect it directly to laptop (Mac/Logic Pro, and WIN10/Cubase LE AI 11), but the sound delay is horrible (like I press the keys 5 times, the laptop makes one sound).. Any suggestion how I can fix it? - I used to have an even older keyboard (like 20 years old, but I gave it to others some time back) that worked fine with same connection (same cable, same laptop and software). Wonder why is that?..

Thanks a lot!
Ric

[johan]

I would suspect the midi driver is causing the delay. Which one do you use? I would try with the Yamaha Steinberg USB Driver Windows 10 (can be found on the yamaha web site), even if there is maybe not a specific version for the E233, it will probably work fine.

[rwy123]

Thanks Johan, but after I downloaded and installed the latest version of USB driver from Yamaha, it still doesn't work.. 

I have a Yamaha EX7, a 20 years old synth, which works fine with the same cable and connection. Looks like older equipment works but younger one doesn't, really hard to figure out why.. 

But thanks for your advice anyway!

[flailman]

It may be you have to use Function key on your newer keyboard to set "LOCAL" to off or it will not transmit midi data.  On my mine, if I can still hear the keyboard playing notes, that means LOCAL is on and I have to change it to OFF to get the keyboard and computer working together.

[rwy123]

Thanks, I have tried that function (and a few other functions related to MIDI) but still doesn't work.. I noticed the sound from the laptop seems to have a long sustain, so I also tried to configure the Sustain function in the keyboard without success again..

[flailman]

I have to use the Steinberg USB drivers available on Yamaha website to get my keyboard to work right with my DAW.  Then have to make sure the DAW is using the Steinberg ASIO or I get terrible lag.  Not a user of the DAW you have, but bet it has some Preference settings to make sure input and output are NOT using your laptops sound card. Good luck!

[flailman]

I have to use the Steinberg USB drivers available on Yamaha website to get my keyboard to work right with my DAW.  Then have to make sure the DAW is using the Steinberg ASIO or I get terrible lag.  Not a user of the DAW you have, but bet it has some Preference settings to make sure input and output are NOT using your laptops sound card. Good luck!

[overover]

... I have a PSR-E233, and recently I wanted to use it as a MIDI keyboard. I used a MIDI-USB cable to connect it directly to laptop (Mac/Logic Pro, and WIN10/Cubase LE AI 11), but the sound delay is horrible (like I press the keys 5 times, the laptop makes one sound).. Any suggestion how I can fix it? - I used to have an even older keyboard (like 20 years old, but I gave it to others some time back) that worked fine with same connection (same cable, same laptop and software). Wonder why is that? ...

Ric

Hi Ric,

For testing purposes, please make sure that only the DIN MIDI IN plug of your MIDI-to-USB interface cable is connected to the DIN MIDI OUT socket of the keyboard. (Do NOT connect the MIDI OUT plug of the cable to the MIDI IN socket of the keyboard.) This is important in order to safely exclude an undesired MIDI loop (via the computer).

If this does not change anything, the problem is probably not with the MIDI connection (MIDI interface cable or MIDI driver), but rather "only" the laptop's sound card has too high latency, so that the sound of the virtual synths used are reproduced with a long delay. Basically, I recommend NOT using the computer's internal sound card, but an external USB audio interface with the associated, real-time audio driver.

Regarding the use of the internal sound card in Mac books, I unfortunately don't know. On a Windows laptop, you could try using the free ASIO4ALL driver to reduce latency when using virtual synths.


Hope this helps!

Best regards,
Chris

[rwy123]

Thanks Chris. I tried the MIDI Out socket only approach but still doesn't work. Guess you are right, I might have to try an external audio interface.. Thanks again!

[overover]

Thanks Chris. I tried the MIDI Out socket only approach but still doesn't work. Guess you are right, I might have to try an external audio interface.. Thanks again!

Thanks for your feedback, Ric!

If the hardware (processor, hard drive, RAM) of the laptop is sufficient for the DAW used, it should work with an external audio interface. You may have to set the size of the sample buffer manually in order to achieve a sufficiently low latency for real-time operation.


Best regards,
Chris