Ableton Forum

Anybody got any tips to dealing with the timing delays introduced by using VST effects? Or any VST fx which are good, but introduce minimal delay?

I tend to have one track with sampledelay on it that i route all my non VST FX tracks to, and then the ones that do have fx all get routed to the master. Then I average the delay time with sampledelay and cross my fingers.

Coming from Cubase, I've never had to do this before so I'm sure this is far from ideal... anybody got any other tricks to dealing with plugin delay?


cheers,
Tim

nt

ok, umm, thanks. mp.

Another option is to put the same plugs on both the original and doubled tracks. Leave the settings flat on the original and do what you need to do on the double. The delay should be identical for both tracks and you don't need to manually measure (some plugs will tell you delay in samples) and shift tracks.

In hindsight, i should have put this in tips and tricks

When you say "flat" do you mean deactivated or on the default setting. Unfortunately, some default settings produce effect.
And since you have to have them switched on to have the same delay, you end up drastically increasing your CPU stress.
If you want to avoid delay, you'll have to avoid VST's that need to look ahead like Voxengo's Soniformer and Neoeelemental's Firium. These just happen to be very powerful programs. Even Vintage Warmer might cause a little delay.
I was trying to bump up your question to get some response from others (by my "nt"). You might want to search the forum, since I've seen good postings on this before, but no solution is good until Ableton adds this feature. I was trying the simple delay the other night--very difficult. Hasn't been too much of a problem for me yet because I haven't been doing things Live. After recording, I can always edit the timing differences in the arrangement view.

ahh, ok, so what does nt mean? new topic?

no text-- to save you having to open up the message

in OSX, i use Buffer Delay. its a plugin that will induce latency for your channels that aren't getting added latency from plugins.
http://expertsleepers.co.uk/

I dont have to use it that much since i use ableton's own non-latency inducing Compressor II on some drum tracks. But occasionally when i use a waves multiband compressor on drums i have to go to the Buffer Delay to clean it up.

Voxengo has a latency delay, but appears to be only hopeful in reporting latency to a program that supports delay compensation.
I have a PC.

timothy, the cubase->live difference is bacause live doesn't have latency compensation. What you're doing is spot on, as far as i know.

"bacause live doesn't have latency compensation"
Yup, got that, just wanted to make sure there were no easier ways...

Also, I know that you can move tracks forward in arrange, but how would you get them to start later in session?

timothyallan wrote: Also, I know that you can move tracks forward in arrange, but how would you get them to start later in session?

once again...
in OSX, i use Buffer Delay. its a plugin that will induce latency for your channels that aren't getting added latency from plugins.
http://expertsleepers.co.uk/

BTW--
Voxengo's sample delay seems to do well enough for those with PC's. Don't know if their latency delay works well.
You just need to take your typical plug-in(s), determine the latency, save it as a preset and then insert the delay on any non-plug-in tracks.
I've only had delay with Firiium, unless I have a group of plug-ins on one track--might make it noticeable to need the delay.