'Low Latency Mode' in DP?

[spidey]

Hello there,
I've been working through the DP9 demo for a few days now (coming from LPX & PT).
On the whole I'm pretty amazed and am pretty much sold. It seems very CPU friendly and I LOVE the MW plugins straight out of the box (so to speak). I've set up a basic recording project with my interface and one mic. All is going well except I'm missing the 'Low Latency Mode' from Logic which allows a turn off of all latency inducing plugins. I know there are immediate workarounds (firstly - avoid those plugins until after record!) but I just wondered if anyone has any suggestions for doing this in DP? Also, does DP give a readout of these delays as does Pro Tools?
I just can't seem to find a way to recreate this. Thanks for any help in advance and wish me luck for my future DP usage...I've got tingles!

Spidey

[csavetman]

Hello there,
I've been working through the DP9 demo for a few days now (coming from LPX & PT).
On the whole I'm pretty amazed and am pretty much sold. It seems very CPU friendly and I LOVE the MW plugins straight out of the box (so to speak). I've set up a basic recording project with my interface and one mic. All is going well except I'm missing the 'Low Latency Mode' from Logic which allows a turn off of all latency inducing plugins. I know there are immediate workarounds (firstly - avoid those plugins until after record!) but I just wondered if anyone has any suggestions for doing this in DP? Also, does DP give a readout of these delays as does Pro Tools?
I just can't seem to find a way to recreate this. Thanks for any help in advance and wish me luck for my future DP usage...I've got tingles!

Spidey

If you're using a MOTU audio interface (not the new AVB ones), you can go into Direct Hardware Play thru in input monitoring mode, which effectively gives you no latency monitoring. The caveat is not being able to monitor through plugins while recording.

Carlos

[stubbsonic]

Other interfaces have ways of direct monitoring. It is a little more of a hassle in a tracking session because I have to mute the track & input mode, then turn it back on to listen to playback. Still, it gives me no-latency monitoring while laying down a track. I wonder if there is a setting like "never monitor input".

For VI's you can drop the buffer size on the Setup/Configure Audio System.../Configure Hardware Driver

I can usually run at 128 without problems. But you can try 64 (?)-- doesn't work on my rig.

[daniel.sneed]

In DP, if you set your main plugins in a V-Rack, you can disable all of them in one single click.
Then, low buffers may allow little drain on CPU.

[Killahurts]

I wonder if there is a setting like "never monitor input".

There is: Menu > Studio > Audio Patch Thru > Off

[stubbsonic]

Thanks, KH.

[spidey]

Thank you for all of your responses guys! I will try your suggestions!
Spidey

[Shooshie]

In the Mixing Board, at the bottom left, there is a menu for creating and selecting mixes. Before you do anything there, it's important to understand that you can lose your current mix if you don't tread carefully. The way to begin is to DUPLICATE the current mix, then name it. That becomes the mix you've been working in, but now it has a name and is saved. Next, create a NEW MIX, and it will give you a blank slate in the mixing board. No plugins. Add only the ones you really want or need. For example, I often add MOTU's plate reverb to take over the job of big, latency inducing reverbs like Altiverb. The MOTU Dynamic plugins can take over the job of compression and limiting if you like. But don't go much further than a reverb, a compressor/limiter, and an EQ, all simple.

Name that mix something like "RECORDING," or "TRACKING" and select it when you need to lay down more tracks.

As someone else said, you can turn off V-Racks with a single click in the Chunks Window. That can eliminate heavy instruments and/or plugins. You can substitute instruments if you want, using an external synth or a few low-latency VIs. I often track with a single piano for my instruments. It's not often necessary to hear a whole orchestration and mix when laying down a track. If it IS necessary, it should also be understood that you can always shift a track later to accommodate latency, if you know how much latency you're working with. Note that shifting for latency over tempo changes may require more than just dragging a track some distance. The Shift Command is made for that, and it has a selection to preserve original performance as you shift. Use it.

Shooshie

[bayswater]

The short answer is that DP does not have anything like Logic's low latency mode. Basically, to use DP you avoid latency by monitoring the input signal rather than the output signal. When recording a VI, you have to run with a buffer small enough to get latency to a comfortable level, but that's no different in Logic.

It would be helpful to read through the sections in the manual on input monitoring to see your options. DP takes a less sophisticated approach than Logic which bypasses only those parts of the internal signal path that will make a significant difference to latency. Instead, DP bypasses everything.

As mentioned already in this thread, the best solution is to use direct hardware playthrough, or the equivalent that is available in the audio interface. Or, as we used to say, monitor from the mixer, not the recorder.

[HCMarkus]

Shooshie's Recording Mix trick is a great one for minimizing latency when recording VIs or monitoring through DP. If set up properly, it can function very similarly to the described Low Latency Mode. That stated, unless the performer absolutely needs to monitor thru effects, I always keep input monitoring off and monitor through my interface's hardware mixer. Before the punch, the performer sings/plays along with his track (which can be set at a reduced level during this stage of recording) and get in the groove. After the punch, the performer hears only himself, because the record-enabled track output ceases.

Relative level between the mix and the performer is handled by adjusting DP's Master Fader and the performer's headphone level. I can have a mix just about done, monitoring through a full mastering chain, yet still easily bring the level right to where the performer needs it.

I keep a hardware Lexicon reverb patched into my interface to provide monitor reverb.

Electric guitars are tracked amped and direct simultaneously for easy re-amping later. The performer monitors only his amp/effects sound. The direct signal is pulled off before any pedals.

[EMRR]

Shooshie's tip is a good one.

Let me add I still see a bug related to Duplicate Mix that I've seen over multiple versions of DP and 3 different computers, that being faders tend to move to a new position in the process, sometimes slightly, sometimes drastically. I frequently duplicate, then nuke the dupe, then dupe again. The second dupe is always fine. Hitting save right before duping mostly seems to prevent the problem, but not always.

[Shooshie]

Relative level between the mix and the performer is handled by adjusting DP's Master Fader and the performer's headphone level. I can have a mix just about done, monitoring through a full mastering chain, yet still easily bring the level right to where the performer needs it.

A headphone amp is pretty handy for this. You can set headphone levels to wherever an artist is comfortable. They aren't all that expensive. Seems like the Behringer Powerplay Pro 8 comes in at around $150, and it has served me well. I can't tell much difference, if any, between it and the direct out from the audio interface at most mid-range volume levels. (gets a little noisy if you crank it, ,so keep input volumes high and outputs a little lower) It allows monitoring either of 2 inputs over 8 individual stereo amps with individual gain control. You can also plug other inputs directly into the back of each channel, offering concurrent monitoring of up to 8 separate headphone tracks, If I remember correctly.

Shoosh

[Shooshie]

Let me add I still see a bug related to Duplicate Mix that I've seen over multiple versions of DP and 3 different computers, that being faders tend to move to a new position in the process, sometimes slightly, sometimes drastically. I frequently duplicate, then nuke the dupe, then dupe again. The second dupe is always fine. Hitting save right before duping mostly seems to prevent the problem, but not always.

That's good to know. I didn't know about the 2nd-time's a charm thing. Great tip!

[spidey]

There's some really useful tips and advice here. Thanks again. DP9 - ORDERED!
I'll certainly be digging in to the manual when I get my hands on the hard copy. Woohoo!
Spidey

[bayswater]

I'll certainly be digging in to the manual when I get my hands on the hard copy.

Oops. A hard copy is no longer supplied. I put the PDF on on iPad which is a reasonable substitute.