Need Experienced Help

[synergy]

I'm currently looking at getting a Studio logic fatar 88 weighted key controller to use with my computer. I want it to control samples/sounds from gigastudio and Spectrasonics...

I have a Frontier Design Group Dakota/Tango24 set up..running on a P3 1.0ghz , 256 ram computer with cakewalk sonar 3.

My question is Will this all work good with no latency problems? : ) . I mean when I hit a note on the Keyboard to access Holy Grail Piano in Giga will i hear the sounds right away ? I mean if theres gonna be a delay then theres no point with this set up at all.....

However from my researching online it seems that this is the way to go and "every body's doing it" so I guess I need to know if my Dakota can handle it? Because obviously the keyboard and the software (giga,spectrasonics) is supposed to be used this way with no problems.

Thank you very much for any help!!!!

[Axe2Grind]

I don't know too much about the specs of your sound card but I'd guess that there are ASIO compatible drivers for your sound card, so yes you'll be able to get low latency but I think your PIII 1.ghz PC and RAM is not powerful enough to get some serious performance going with triggering virtual instruments. I reckon you should look into upgrading your PC with a new motherboard/CPU and RAM. I have an AMD 2.4Ghz CPU with 512mB ram and use virtual instruments all the time and get good performance although I would like to get more RAM soon.

So the short of it is, Your Audio card with ASIO drivers, Fatar keyboard and software are all fine, just need to get a PC Upgrade if you want to play more than 10 notes at a time with low latency. You'll still be able to hit a note and it will sound instantly, the question is how many notes before your PC falls to its knee's, my guess is not many. Hope this helps. P.S. Latency under 12ms is fine for playing virtual instruments, when latency is going into the 20ms and above you'll start noticing lag in note triggering. :)

[Shreddy]

Yeah the only thing that looks like it might be an issue would be the RAM and CPU. Try it anyway.

[synergy]

I agree updating in the future is a must..but for now being able to play a couple notes with good response is fine.

As far as RAM goes..isnt there also a faster type of RAM out there now? Like theres SDRAM and DDRAM or something..(i think it's DDRAM)

Anyway thanks for your response!

[Axe2Grind]

Yeah, there is plenty of different fast memory chips out there, when you upgrade your CPU/Motherboard, make sure the motherboard can take fast memory chips DDR running at either 266mhz,333mhz (What I have) & 400mhz, you can also get RAMBUS memory which can run at either 600mhz or 711mhz.