# Negative Track Delays in Logic Pro



## procreative (Apr 6, 2018)

There are a few libraries where some articulations benefit from Negative Track Delays for example the Legatos in CSS and from watching videos some of the instruments in Jaeger (to preserve the more natural sample playback).

Not sure what other DAWs are like, but I cannot see a way to do this by midi region.

Given many libraries use Keyswitch master patches, setting a global delay might not be a good idea as if you only want to target specific articulations.

Is there a way to do this in Logic?

The only way I can think of doing it is moving the actual midi back, but:

1. How do you do this by a specific time based amount?
2. To me its not so convenient as I like to make my region sizes fit the bars so that I can copy them between tracks or duplicate them to loop them or have them appear elsewhere.

EDIT: I just found a region Delay that has the value as Ticks, would this do the job?

But what about situations where you are switching back and forth to arts that do/dont need compensation?


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## NoamL (Apr 6, 2018)

This is why I don't use CSS with keyswitches anymore, I create separate tracks for each articulation and put a specific track delay on each.

If you do want to use the MIDI-transform method, you are free to use this calculator I made:


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## procreative (Apr 6, 2018)

NoamL said:


> This is why I don't use CSS with keyswitches anymore, I create separate tracks for each articulation and put a specific track delay on each.
> 
> If you do want to use the MIDI-transform method, you are free to use this calculator I made:




Thanks for the tip. I used to love separate tracks, but quickly realised track count would go through the roof.

Its all pros and cons.

Currently I just move the midi until it "sounds right", I am just a bit nerdy over having my regions snapped to the bar as it makes them so much easier to move. But I suppose I will just have to get over it of extend the region back to the previous bar!


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## Dewdman42 (Apr 7, 2018)

Ok here is a suggestion way outside the box but here it goes, let me know if this works:

Download expert sleepers free plugin called “latency fixer”.

Place that in a plugin slot in the channel with css.

Then use region automation to change the parameters of that plugin.

What this plugin does is change the reported latency to lpx without adding any delay to the actual sound. LPX will then play midi earlier in order to automatically compensate for that reported latency. I have no idea whether LPX will be smart enough to adapt to that reported latency being adjusted during playback but it’s worth a try.


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## Dewdman42 (Apr 7, 2018)

I’m also wondering if the track delay value can be automated somehow?


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## Leon Portelance (Apr 9, 2018)

In Logic, I have a -50 ms delay on all string tracks. It works quite well,


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## TIM_STEVE_97 (Apr 9, 2018)

You can set delays for every separate midi region in a track, or a single delay setting for the whole track. You might have know that. It's in the inspector window under the drop down list. I usually have a standard setting of -60ms for all tracks even if they're not delaying. I set upto -200ms for some legato and long samples. Shorts usually -80. I set the click and adjust the delay until the notes align to the grid, (IF that is what you what). That way the piano roll can be tightly quantized and you don't have to pull up the midi notes earlier.. IT also makes it easier for the score editor to display how you'd want it..


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## procreative (Apr 9, 2018)

TIM_STEVE_97 said:


> You can set delays for every separate midi region in a track, or a single delay setting for the whole track. You might have know that. It's in the inspector window under the drop down list. I usually have a standard setting of -60ms for all tracks even if they're not delaying. I set upto -300ms for some legato and long samples. Shorts usually -80. I set the click and adjust the delay until the notes align to the grid, (IF that is what you what). That way the piano roll can be tightly quantized and you don't have to pull up the midi notes earlier.. IT also makes it easier for the score editor to display how you'd want it..



Thanks, I did notice that. It shows as Ticks, how do you get it to show as ms or is Ticks the same thing?


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## TIM_STEVE_97 (Apr 9, 2018)

procreative said:


> Thanks, I did notice that. It shows as Ticks, how do you get it to show as ms or is Ticks the same thing?


It shows all three at once..


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## Hunter123 (Apr 9, 2018)

TIM_STEVE_97 said:


> You can set delays for every separate midi region in a track, or a single delay setting for the whole track. You might have know that. It's in the inspector window under the drop down list. I usually have a standard setting of -60ms for all tracks even if they're not delaying. I set upto -200ms for some legato and long samples. Shorts usually -80. I set the click and adjust the delay until the notes align to the grid, (IF that is what you what). That way the piano roll can be tightly quantized and you don't have to pull up the midi notes earlier.. IT also makes it easier for the score editor to display how you'd want it..


Excuse me for being a noob but why do you have a standard setting to delay all tracks -60ms even if they're not delaying?


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## TIM_STEVE_97 (Apr 9, 2018)

Hunter123 said:


> Excuse me for being a noob but why do you have a standard setting to delay all tracks -60ms even if they're not delaying?


I feel that even the most percussive and responsive instruments (only sample libraries) have a slight delay. I found that when I compared the audio bounce waveform to the grid.. I don't do this for vst synths. Just for Kontakt. I might be wrong but it has become a habit. Maybe it's just my computer or some lag I don't know of. But I do feel a difference with that -60ms, on only my Kontakt sample libraries. (beyond -60 depends on long/short). And Omnisphere sometimes too helps with -60.. 
(I shouldn't have said not delaying in the previous post. All libraries at least in my computer lag a bit. Or I'm just a paranoid freak.)


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## Hunter123 (Apr 9, 2018)

TIM_STEVE_97 said:


> I feel that even the most percussive and responsive instruments (only sample libraries) have a slight delay. I found that when I compared the audio bounce waveform to the grid.. I don't do this for vst synths. Just for Kontakt. I might be wrong but it has become a habit. Maybe it's just my computer or some lag I don't know of. But I do feel a difference with that -60ms, on only my Kontakt sample libraries. (beyond -60 depends on long/short). And Omnisphere sometimes too helps with -60..
> (I shouldn't have said not delaying in the previous post. All libraries at least in my computer lag a bit. Or I'm just a paranoid freak.)


Okay that's good because I noticed that in general as well for Kontakt libraries. Not sure if it's depend on the computer or not but I know when I hear lag.


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## TIM_STEVE_97 (Apr 9, 2018)

Hunter123 said:


> Okay that's good because I noticed that in general as well for Kontakt libraries. Not sure if it's depend on the computer or not but I know when I hear lag.


Does it apply for audio inserts as well? Or is that latency/delay different? ..


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## Hunter123 (Apr 9, 2018)

TIM_STEVE_97 said:


> Does it apply for audio inserts as well? Or is that latency/delay different? ..


Does track delay lag happen with any audio inserts/plugins? I haven't noticed that to be a problem, just with Kontakt and some Omnisphere stuff like you said.


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## NoamL (Apr 9, 2018)

Yes bouncing to audio is a good way to check your transients. Most string spiccato patches have NTDs that are all over the map from 20 to 80 millisecs.


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