I keep hearing about the need for low latency when I record on my computer. What exactly is latency?
Requested and Answered by Dan on 29-Nov-2008 05:35 (2067 reads)
Have you ever watched a news broadcast "via satellite", when the host asks a question and it takes a bit of time for the respondent to hear the question and provide and answer? That my friends, is the essence of the word "latency".
As musicians, we deal with latency all the time whether or not you realize it. Do you know that when you play your guitar through an amplifier standing about 5 feet way - you are experiencing about 5ms (milliseconds of latency). Yep, sound travels about 1 foot in a millisecond. So if there's twenty feet between you and the drummer - you get about 20ms of latency. If you have a sound man at the back of the room 50 feet away, he is experiencing 50ms of latency. Crazy huh? This is one of the reasons you see musicians wearing in-ear monitors.
In studio terms, latency is the amount of delay added to the signal as it passed through and proecessed by the circuitry and/or software. In studio recording.
Latency is the bane of computer based recording. It can't be avoided but it can be worked with and around.
A simple rule of thumb is this:
* Latency less than 10ms (that's milliseconds) is almost imperceptable.
* Latency between 10ms and 20ms is perceptable but usually can be worked within to produce good results. It still can be distracting.
* Latency between 20ms and 60ms can be worked with if you are not recording live instruments.
* Latency greater than 60ms is practically useless in a studio setting.
This is a rough estimate for computer based recording, so your mileage may vary. You may be able to record yourself at 20ms latency just fine and your friend's head might explode at the same latency setting.
Without getting all technical, there are really three kinds of latency:
1. Recording or Input latency -- The time related to the amount of data buffering between input and the audio interface (computer or other device).
2. Conversion and Processing latency -- The time it takes to convert from analog to digital (A/D), process the data, and then convert from digital to analog (D/A).
3. Playback or Output latency -- The time related to the amount of data buffering between audio interface and your monitoring method.
Tips for reducing latency:
1) Dedicated computer - using a computer dedicated to recording. This means all unneccessary applications are removed, including fancy operating system components (like AERO and screensavers). Lots of RAM, fast hard drives, and powerful CPUs won't hurt.
2) If you are using a computer, try to use ASIO drivers. If you are already using ASIO, then try to reduce the buffer size and sample rate. If you hear clicking or popping, then you have gone too low.
3) Make use of no-latency monitoring available on most home and small studio recording interfaces and multi-effects.
4) Use professional DSP (Digital Signal Processing) hardware (ala Pro Tools) designed specifically to handle and monitor audio data.
5) Freeze completed tracks to reduce the number of tracks your computer has to process at once.
6) Reduce the number of filters and plug-ins you elect to use on any given track.
As musicians, we deal with latency all the time whether or not you realize it. Do you know that when you play your guitar through an amplifier standing about 5 feet way - you are experiencing about 5ms (milliseconds of latency). Yep, sound travels about 1 foot in a millisecond. So if there's twenty feet between you and the drummer - you get about 20ms of latency. If you have a sound man at the back of the room 50 feet away, he is experiencing 50ms of latency. Crazy huh? This is one of the reasons you see musicians wearing in-ear monitors.
In studio terms, latency is the amount of delay added to the signal as it passed through and proecessed by the circuitry and/or software. In studio recording.
Latency is the bane of computer based recording. It can't be avoided but it can be worked with and around.
A simple rule of thumb is this:
* Latency less than 10ms (that's milliseconds) is almost imperceptable.
* Latency between 10ms and 20ms is perceptable but usually can be worked within to produce good results. It still can be distracting.
* Latency between 20ms and 60ms can be worked with if you are not recording live instruments.
* Latency greater than 60ms is practically useless in a studio setting.
This is a rough estimate for computer based recording, so your mileage may vary. You may be able to record yourself at 20ms latency just fine and your friend's head might explode at the same latency setting.
Without getting all technical, there are really three kinds of latency:
1. Recording or Input latency -- The time related to the amount of data buffering between input and the audio interface (computer or other device).
2. Conversion and Processing latency -- The time it takes to convert from analog to digital (A/D), process the data, and then convert from digital to analog (D/A).
3. Playback or Output latency -- The time related to the amount of data buffering between audio interface and your monitoring method.
Tips for reducing latency:
1) Dedicated computer - using a computer dedicated to recording. This means all unneccessary applications are removed, including fancy operating system components (like AERO and screensavers). Lots of RAM, fast hard drives, and powerful CPUs won't hurt.
2) If you are using a computer, try to use ASIO drivers. If you are already using ASIO, then try to reduce the buffer size and sample rate. If you hear clicking or popping, then you have gone too low.
3) Make use of no-latency monitoring available on most home and small studio recording interfaces and multi-effects.
4) Use professional DSP (Digital Signal Processing) hardware (ala Pro Tools) designed specifically to handle and monitor audio data.
5) Freeze completed tracks to reduce the number of tracks your computer has to process at once.
6) Reduce the number of filters and plug-ins you elect to use on any given track.
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