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Using Negative Track Delays For Instrument Lag (Latency)

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If you’re experiencing instrument delay (latency) in Musio, particularly with legato instruments, this lag may be intentional as it is designed to create a natural legato feel. Some instruments have longer sample starts (the time between the beginning of a sample and the initial sound), which helps preserve natural elements like a bow being placed on a string before a note begins.

 

However, if you want to keep everything perfectly aligned to the tempo grid while maintaining realism, there are a couple of solutions:

  1. Manually shifting MIDI notes ahead of the grid.
  2. Using a negative track delay (a.k.a. pre-delay), which is the preferred method for many users.

This article will show you how to use negative track delay to compensate for latency and keep your MIDI playback perfectly in sync.

 

What Is Negative Track Delay?

Negative track delay offsets a track by a set number of milliseconds, ensuring that Musio’s instrument sounds align precisely with the grid in your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). This means you don’t have to manually move MIDI notes ahead of the beat as your DAW automatically compensates for the lag.

 

For example, in Logic Pro, you can apply negative track delay by following these steps:

  1. Select the instrument track with Musio loaded.
  2. Load your library and instrument within Musio.
  3. Click the "Track" drop-down menu (not "Region," but the second one below it).
  4. Under "Delay," input a negative value (e.g., "-80" or "-45"). The exact negative delay value depends on the instrument, articulation, tempo, and even your computer’s performance so there’s no official list of these.
  5. Even if you don’t work in Logic Pro, you should be able to find a similar option in your DAW of choice by researching online.

Since there’s no official list of negative track delay values for all Musio instruments, we recommend using this user-compiled spreadsheet as a reference:


📌 Negative Track Delay Spreadsheet

 

This spreadsheet includes recommended delay settings for various sample libraries, including some Musio instruments. Use it as a starting point, then fine-tune the delay to your preference.

 

What to Do If You’re Experiencing Latency That Doesn’t Feel Intentional

If the latency feels excessive or unnatural (like it’s on a software level or CPU spike lag), it may not be related to sample design. In this case, adjusting your buffer size can help reduce overall latency.

 

How to Adjust Buffer Size in Musio

  1. Open Musio (Standalone Mode).
  2. At the top left of your computer screen, click Audio/MIDI Settings.
  3. Find Audio Buffer Size and try lowering it.

Additionally, check the buffer size settings in your DAW and experiment with changing it there as well.

 

Still Experiencing Latency? Contact Support

If adjusting the buffer size doesn’t help and latency remains excessive, or if you have any other questions, please contact our Support team at support@musio.com with the following:

  • A description of the issue and the troubleshooting steps you’ve tried.
  • Your DAW and version number.
  • The buffer size settings in Musio and your DAW.
  • Musio log files (to send logs, follow these steps):
    1. Click the three-line menu (☰) in the top right of Musio.
    2. Select "Submit Feedback."
    3. Check the box for "Include Log Files" and submit. We’re happy to help—thank you!

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