Bome Box - Will it solve Latency issues?

Hello, I purchased Midi Translator Pro and am still blown away by everything it opens up.  But I need some advice, and I think the solution might just be BOME Box, which is a totally acceptable answer.  But I want to check before I purchase.

Here is my current setup:

Pioneer Squid ==midi_cable==> Roland MX-1 ==usb_midi==> laptop_Bome_MTP ==usb_midi==> Arturia Drum Brute

AND this: 

Pioneer Squid ==midi_cable==> Arturia Drum Brute

Which is mostly just sending clock, but allows for sequencing single hits of drums outside the drumbrute programmed patterns.

Midi Translator Pro lets me do something very cool here.  I am sending Midi CC from the Squid and using MTP to convert it to program change on the drum machine. This allows me to switch drum patterns on the fly and also (through some other trickery) essentially get "song mode" for the drum machine on the squid.

I have tried two methods. 

On Drumbrute I can have program change trigger on "next bar."  In that case I need to send the CC from the squid just BEFORE the bar I want the change.  It works but makes for VERY akward programing. But the result is perfect.

Second option is to set Drumbrute to trigger instantly on program change.  This would be ideal.  The challenge is that there is just enough latency that it still kicks in on 2/16 beat.  So say there was a sequence running and the kick was out for a build.  Then on beat 1 of next bar (kick should come back) I send Midi CC=>MTP=>Drumbrute.  The program change comes in just late enough to miss that first beat on the kick, clearly unacceptable LOL.  

So my question (sorry for long backstory) if my setup became this:

Pioneer Squid ==midi_cable==> BOME_Box ==midi_cable==> Arturia Drum Brute

 

Is it your estimation that the program change would arrive at the DrumBrute "in time" to change the program BEFORE the first beat of the first bar?

The other thought I have had would be to put a small delay (few milliseconds) on EVERYTHING except the program change, but that feels like a recipe for disaster.  

 

I know that was a long post for one question, but if the answer is no, maybe some other tips would be greatly appreciated.  Loving the software, would be happy with an excuse to get it to full hardware.

 

 

Well it might help if your latency is on your PC or the attached USB to MIDI conversion cables but there is no guarantee. It might be that the Drum Beat itself needs more time to trigger the Program Change.  Also depending on how you have your translators set up, that could be introducing some delays. 

If you have a good sense at what part of the Beat a PC would be sent, you might be able to look at timing clock and use a timer to "anticipate" the event and send it out a bit early. I suspect you might be doing something like this as it might be a little awkward.

 

 

 

Steve Caldwell
Bome Q and A Moderator and
Independent Bome Consultant/Specialist
bome@sniz.biz

Thanks I really appreciate it, but do you think using the BOME Box "should" significantly speed up the time it takes the Program Change message to get to to the drum machine?  I would assume so, but just wondering your thoughts?

Well I guess it is possible as there may be much more overhead being used on your computer and the BomeBox is really prioritized on processing MIDI (and network) so maybe it would be less busy. I just can't tell you for certain. Have you done any testing to see the time it takes. You might want to turn timestamp on in your log file and see how many milliseconds from input to output of MT Pro but that would have limited value as it would really only focus on the MT Pro processing time and note any delays in the Windows Drivers. The monitoring system would need to be much more elaborate for testing a full end to end latency.