Clavinova's

[CeeDee]

There have been a few recent posts about clavinova's. May I add another. I am the proud owner of a CVP 207 - almost top of the range 2 years ago. I recently asked my dealer if it was possible to upgrade the piano sample - no was the answer. Here's what I've discovered can be done.  I have an interest in computer music so imagine what I thought when I discovered my digital piano was a midi controller (I can't believe I didn't know this earlier!) playing back piano samples.

This opened up a whole new way of thinking about the instrument and computer music in general. I have since started "building" a home studio around my laptop - a Dell Inspiron 8200 1.6 Ghz etc, etc. I have a Tascam US 122 external "soundcard" hooked up to it and also use Garritan Personal Orchestra (GPO) and Sonar 3. What I would like to discuss is this: it seems perfectly feasible (and practical) to re-route my clav sounds through the soundcard and have it play the Garritan Steinway instead of the Yamaha samples - in fact I'm thinking of buying Synthogy's Bosendorfer virtual piano when it is relased in windows format. From the demo's I've heard it souds absolootly awesome! But playing it however feels wierd - I think its a problem with latency & actual "keyboard feel". I'm wondering if its meant only for sequencing instead of real playing. I hope I'm making myself reasonably clear.

Anyone else tried to play a Bosy from a clav?

Cheers. CeeDee

[xvimbi]

What you describe is the standard way that studios and a lot of professional and hobby sound enthusiasts go. Check out GigaStudio or KONTAKT from Native Instruments. There is a whole range of excellent samples available, lots of Boesendorfer Imperial samples. Check out:

https://www.native-instruments.com
https://www.postpiano.com/home.php

Latency is indeed a big problem. You need good software and a powerful computer. Your computer is a bit on the weak side. Keyboard feel, hmm, with the Clavinova, you've already got one of the best keyboards out there. Perhaps you'd like the Kawai MP9500 better. There are also a couple of "real" keyboards that produce MIDI output, but I don't have links for them at the moment.

[CeeDee]

XVimbi - Thanx for your reply. My sound card (or GPO) reports a latency of 53ms - I gather this is high - I investigating ways of bringing it down, even including buying a new 3Ghz lappy.  GPO has a NI Kontakt player bundled with it - I set Sonar's output to the Kontakt player at reroute the sound  to my clav's aux in, works fine. But a Boesy from a clav! - I'll believe it when I finally hear it without the clicks and pops and zero latency. Cheers, CeeDee

[CJHoward]

Latency has very little to do with the speed of your computer. Latency is either the difference in time from the moment audio enters your computer, then exits your computer.  Another measure of latency is the difference in time of you hitting a key on your midi keyboard, and the time it takes for your soft Synth(Kontakt, Vsampler, etc..)to deliver sound out of your computer.  53ms is acceptable when you are mixing audio in Sonar, but not if you are trying to play an instrument live. 10ms is said to be inaudible, but I've heard of people getting 5.8ms or better with the tascam you are using.

 Latency is generally a factor of your sound cards driver. WDM has been said to work best with the Tascam USb, Windows, and Sonar. I've had better luck with ASIO drivers w/my soundcard. Your soundcards control panel has a parameter called buffer size. Next to driver type(wdm/ASIO) this is the most direct adjustment of latency. smaller buffer sizes will generate lower latency.
@ 58ms your problem shouldn't be pops and clicks, it ought to be an unreal amount of time between the time you press a key, till the time you hear sound. @2ms latency it is quite possible that you'll here pops and clicks. If you can get Sonar to register 2ms of latency, then your soundcard is doing its job, and you have low latency. If you are hearing pops and clicks, then your computer is not able to keep up with your soundcards latency. That buffer is being starved of data.
With your setup, you should be able to get 5-10ms of latency no problem, can your computer keep up with Kontakt streaming from disc??
 What kinda performance do you get with the Edirol Soundcanvas? if you can get that to work without pops and clicks, then I'd imagine you could do well with Kontakt a 10ms.
 one other caveat, Kontakt will run as a standalone, that means with out Sonar. Shut down every other program on your computer, including Power management, AntiVirus, Firewalls, everything. Disable your network adapter if you're worried about hackers. and run nothing but kontakt and your Bosendorfer sample.  you should be able to run 2ms latency like that.