Re: coping with latency when using acoustic instruments

[Per Boysen <perboysen@gmail.com>]

On 5 aug 2006, at 21.20, Rainer Thelonius Balthasar Straschill wrote:

> Another latency/laptop-related topic:
>
> Most of the time when doing my laptop looping stuff, I use
> electric/electronic instruments (electric guitars and basses,  
> softsynths) as
> the sound sources. With that, latency is not a problem for me as I  
> hear
> their sound from the mains exclusively and can adapt my playing so  
> it fits
> in with the other things happening.
>
> I do however have a problem when singing: as I hear my voice  
> acoustically
> (i.e. not through the laptop) first, I do my timing/phrasing  
> according to
> how the voice I hear sits with the rest of the sound - and thus, its
> reproduction over the mains (and in loops) is always late.
>
> Does anyone have a recommendation how to work around this problem  
> (e.g. by
> some clever way of training your hearing/singing?)
>
>       Rainer


1. Using a looper/recorder that compensates for input A/D latency.
2. Do not listen to the direct input through the computer system,  
because it won't be compensated until it's been recorded (looped).

Listen to the direct acoustic sound. or direct PA amplified sound, of  
your voice/instrument. If you do it right then it will be right when  
recorded/looped, given you have set up your software for the correct  
amount of latency compensation.

I do this every day with Mobius and it's working like a charm.

Greetings from Sweden

Per Boysen
www.boysen.se (Swedish)
www.looproom.com (international)
http://tinyurl.com/fauvm (podcast)
http://www.myspace.com/looproom